The Hoover Institution at Stanford University hosts the Immigration Policy and the Economics of Innovation on January 22, 2026.
This conference will explore the critical intersection of immigration policy and technological innovation in the United States, with a particular focus on reforming high-skilled immigration pathways. The event will bring together academic researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers to discuss how evidence-based immigration policy reforms can enhance economic growth, foster innovation, and strengthen American competitiveness.
| Thursday, January 22, 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Time | Content | Presenters |
|
8:30 AM |
Breakfast |
-- |
|
9:00 AM |
Welcome |
J-P Conte, Chairman of Genstar Capital and Paola Sapienza, J-P Conte Family Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution |
| 9:05 AM |
Opening Address: Macroeconomic Impacts of Immigration |
Heidi Williams, Professor of Economics, Dartmouth College |
| 9:45 AM |
Break |
-- |
| 10:00 AM |
“Third Country Effects of US Immigration Policy” by Agostina Brinatti and Xing Guo |
Presenter: Agostina Brinatti, Assistant Professor of Economics, University of Chicago Discussant: Marta Prato, Assistant Professor of Economics, Bocconi University & Visiting Fellow, SIEPR Discussant: Britta Glennon, Assistant Professor of Management, University of Pennsylvania Chair: Stephen Haber, Park L. Loughlin Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution & Professor of Political Science, Stanford University |
| 11:15 AM |
Break |
-- |
| 11:45 AM |
“The Contribution of Foreign Master's Students to U.S. Start-ups” Michel Beine, Giovanni Peri, and Morgan Raux |
Presenter: Giovanni Peri, Professor of Economics, UC Davis Discussant: Justin Grimmer, Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution and Professor of Public Policy, Stanford University Discussant: Nicolas Morales, Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond Chair: Amit Seru, Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution and Professor of Finance, Stanford Graduate School of Business |
| 1:00 PM |
Lunch |
-- |
| 2:00 PM |
“The IT Boom and Other Unintended Consequences of Chasing the American Dream” by Gaurav Khanna and Nicolas Morales |
Presenter: Gaurav Khanna, Associate Professor of Economics, UCSD Discussant: Michael Clemens, Professor of Economics, George Mason University Discussant: Melanie Morten, Associate Professor of Economics, Stanford University Chair: Ross Levine, Booth Derbas Family/Edward Lazear Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution |
| 3:15 PM |
Break |
-- |
| 3:45 PM |
Remarks by Condoleezza Rice |
Condoleezza Rice, Tad and Dianne Taube Director of the Hoover Institution |
| 3:50 PM |
Panel on Opportunities and Challenges for American Businesses This panel will bring together business leaders and immigration law practitioners to explore the interconnection between innovation and immigration, and to discuss the challenges of attracting and retaining high-skilled talent in the United States. Panelists will examine gaps and inefficiencies in the current immigration system and discuss potential approaches to strengthen the high-skilled immigration pipeline. The conversation will focus on how reforms could support innovation and enhance America's global competitiveness. |
Panelist: Misha Esipov, Co-Founder & CEO, Nova Credit Panelist: Amy Nice, Distinguished Immigration Fellow, Cornell University Panelist: Giovanni Peri, Professor of Economics, UC Davis Panelist: Alex Rampell, General Partner, Andreessen Horowitz Moderator: Paola Sapienza, J-P Conte Family Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution |
| 5:00 PM |
Closing Remarks |
Stephen Haber, Park L. Loughlin Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution & Professor of Political Science, Stanford University |
The Hoover Institution would like to acknowledge J-P Conte for his support and commitment to the Hoover Institution's J-P Conte Initiative on Immigration.
If you have any questions about the event, contact Hoover Program on the Foundations of Economic Prosperity, HooverProsperity@stanford.edu.
