Thursday, June 4, 2020


Good morning,

Before we share our weekly newsletter, we want to check in with you, our community members, especially our Black community of students, faculty, and staff. We stand with you now and always and we are committed to providing you and all of our community with the resources and support to build equitable and actionable solutions to eradicate systemic racism.
 
The killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor is a microcosm of the systemic racism in our country, the Covid-19 pandemic continues on an uncertain and troubling course, unemployment rates are staggeringly high, especially amongst the most economically disadvantaged, and the earth continues to heat up. We can either sit back or we can pick a problem and solve it. The choice is ours and the time has come to decide.

During this year’s IDEA Conference, Annie Leonard, Executive Director of Greenpeace USA, told us that “Entrepreneurs, by definition, think of new ideas and make things happen. They are not constrained by conventional thinking and practice. They dream big and are ready to work hard to bring those dreams to life. And that kind of creativity, innovation, and passion is exactly what the world needs right now.”

Let’s face it, she was absolutely right. We need new ideas right now; the old ideas and systems have not worked. If they had, people would not be needlessly dying. The combination of rage and helplessness that we feel would not be so profound. Our cities would not be looted. We would not be isolated from our friends and family. 

Less than three months ago, I would walk into the BUild Lab every day and pass by a sign that reminded me that “we envision a world where all BU Terriers are equipped with innovation skills and an entrepreneurial mindset, and are prepared to create meaningful impact in their careers and communities.” I hope to walk past that sign every day again, soon. In the interim though, we are still here to help you develop new ideas, to solve problems and to make an impact. We are more passionate about that mission than ever. We are here to help you in any way possible. 

I hope we see the events in Minneapolis and the subsequent reaction throughout the country as a call to action. We can, together, make a meaningful difference. Reach out to us and let’s start today.

Sincerely,

Gerry Fine
Executive Director, Innovate@BU
Community Events & Resources

** We're sharing these resources and more on our

BU Community Events & Resources




  • Howard Thurman Center is also hosting open office hours through June 7. Find the schedule and Zoom links on their website calendar.

  • BU Student Government, UMOJA: The Black Student Union, and 100+ organizations have organized a fundraiser for the Black Visions Collective, Campaign Zero, and NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Learn more here.

  • We're also continuing to share community resources, readings, and actionable steps on our Innovate@BU Instagram.


Entrepreneurship Resources that Specifically Support Underrepresented Founders:

  • E for All is a free one-year accelerator program in communities throughout Massachusetts. This program offers a unique combination of immersive business training, mentorship and access to an extended professional network. Learn more and check out upcoming application dates.


  • iFundWomen and iFundWomen of Color is a startup funding platform providing access to capital through crowdfunding and grants, expert business coaching on all the topics entrepreneurs need to know about, and a network of women business owners. Learn more about using their platform and resources.




Resources & Readings to Help You Build Equitable Ideas & Teams:





Innovation & Entrepreneurship Resources:




Professional Development & Remote Work Resources:



Jobs & Internships:

  • The Black Economic Council of Massachusetts is hiring three paid interns for public relations, marketing, and memberships. Find details on Slack.

  • PeopleNova Human Capital is looking for a part-time (10-hours a week) unpaid (class credit) marketing intern to start immediately. Find details on Slack.


  • Have strong skills in business analytics + passionate about the environment / zero-waste? Born Global Foundation is still recruiting for summer interns to be a part of brand new projects!


Mental & Physical Health Resources:

  • The BU Wellbeing Project has a list of incredible resources to support your mental, physical, education, financial, and emotional wellbeing.

  • BU Student Health Services will be available primarily by tele-health appointments. For specific COVID-19 health concerns, students can connect with a nurse here.

  • If you are a student experiencing a mental health emergency, please contact Behavioral Medicine at 617-353-3569. A crisis counselor from the Sexual Assault Response & Prevention Center is also available 24/7 at 617-353-7277 (SARP).
Innovate@BU Summer Resources
Innovation Pathway


Ready to take action and build new ideas and skills?

Use this summer for passion projects , to investigate new problems or outdated solutions , and to establish entrepreneurial skills that are valued and needed by employers.

Join the Innovation Pathway any time this summer to get connected to more resources, mentorship, and funding while making progress at your own pace.
Summer Office Hours

Brainstorm + Advice + Feedback

Our staff members are here to help you continue working on new ideas of all kinds.

Book an office hour session to discuss new ideas, get feedback and advice, and put together a plan for your next steps.
Things Making Us Smile
Shironda White (Questrom'18), founder of CauseEDU and her team were accepted to MassChallenge's 2020 cohort!

CauseEDU helps students and their families to better understand the true cost of college & develop sound strategies to pay for it. Shironda and her team have participated in Innovate@BU's Summer Accelerator, won second place in the 2018 New Venture Competition, and completed the EforAll accelerator last year.

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How do you film a documentary when your space, subjects, and equipment become inaccessible?

This spring, the BUild Lab was set to be the stage of a student class production. When COVID-19 closed the campus, this class of COM film students got creative from around the world.


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Innovate@BU is a University-wide initiative that enables BU Terriers to become drivers of innovation in their own lives, careers, and communities.