IEEE Society ‘s Pitch Sessions Link Lab With Market

The IEEE Communications Society (ComSoc) Research Collaboration Pitch Session initiative is proving to be a catalyst for meaningful engagement between academic researchers and industrial innovators. Launched last year, the program connects promising researchers with industry leaders who can provide funding, mentoring and connections to bring exciting ideas closer to real-world deployment.

Rather than relying on chance encounters at conferences, pitch sessions create a focused environment. Five academic presenters share their work with five industry representatives, known as “Innovation Scouts”: senior executives drawn primarily from ComSoc’s enterprise program partner companies such as Ericsson, Intel, Keysight and Nokia. The curated format ensures that each idea receives special attention from professionals who are looking for new concepts aligned with their organization’s priorities.

The initiative was launched in November at the IEEE Middle East Conference on Communications and Networking (MECOM) in Cairo and appeared in December at the IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM) in Taipei, Taiwan.

AI-Driven Communication Network

One of the most compelling results came from the inaugural session in Cairo. Angela Waithaka, student member and biomedical engineering student at Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya, presented her paper “AI-Driven Predictive Communication Networks for Improved Performance in Resource-Constrained Environments.” You can see his presentation with others at IEEE.tv.

Waithaka’s research addresses a critical challenge: Next-generation communications systems increasingly rely on artificial intelligence and machine learning, but most existing architectures consume abundant computing and energy resources, which are not always present in developing regions.

Waithaka proposed lightweight and adaptive AI/machine learning models capable of delivering predictive and reliable communication performance even under strict resource constraints.

His vision resonated with Ruiqi “Richie” Liu, a master researcher at ZTE in China. ZTE is a global leader in integrated information and communications technology solutions. Liu said he recognized the relevance of Waithaka’s proposal to his company’s work with the International Telecommunications Union. He invited her to create an account at the ITU so that she could participate in the organization’s meetings discussing global telecommunications standardization projects, which would elevate her work to the international stage.

Simplify data center protocols

The dynamic continued at GLOBECOM. Among the presenters was Nirmala Shenoy, a professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology, New York. IEEE member Shenoy spoke about simplifying data center network protocols. She highlighted the growing complexity of critical networks, which underpin cloud services, enterprise computing and emerging AI workloads.

Shenoy’s focus on reducing protocol complexity while maintaining scalability, resilience and low latency caught the attention of a Nokia innovation researcher, who runs its eXtended Reality Lab in Madrid. He found the key person at Nokia that Shenoy could connect with to discuss her research, which led her to record a video for the company detailing her approach and potential applications.

A model to accelerate innovation

Early successes demonstrate the power of intentional, structured engagement. By bringing together researchers and industry leaders in a format designed for discovery, ComSoc helps accelerate innovation and expand opportunities for collaboration. Pitch sessions are not just conference events; they become a bridge between academic creativity and industrial implementation.

This year, sessions will be held at the IEEE International Conference on Communications in Glasgow May 24-28, with others scheduled at the IEEE International Mediterranean Conference on Communications and Networking in Sardinia July 6-9 and at GLOBECOM in Macau December 7-11.

As the program continues to grow, it could become a flagship ComSoc initiative, strengthening the research ecosystem, supporting emerging talent, and ensuring that promising ideas find a path to real-world impact.