About
Innovate@BU is a University-wide initiative to enable all BU Terriers to become drivers of innovation in their own lives, careers, and communities.
Through its physical home on the Charles River campus, the IDG Capital Student Innovation Center, it provides a variety of signature programs that foster an entrepreneurial mindset and help students turn their ideas into something real.
We welcome BU undergraduate and graduate students from all disciplines and offer a wide range of programs to support students who:
- have a start-up or project idea
- are seeking inspiration for an innovative idea
- are not working on a new idea, but are eager to build innovation skills that can be used to create impact in any career and in their communities
Join our community:
What can you do with Innovate@BU?
Launch ideas.
Our range of programs, including the Innovation Pathway, can help you launch a new idea of any kind including new business ventures, nonprofits, and projects that create a positive impact on campus and beyond.
Learn new skills.
From creative problem-solving to leading a team, our events and workshops will teach you innovation skills that you can use in start-ups and any career.
Get inspired.
In our community, you can attend programs and meet people from across the University and beyond that can help you find inspiration for a new idea or career path.
Learn more about our programs
Connect with our people & partners
Find Resources
At BU, you are surrounded by resources and people who are here to help you create meaningful impact. We’ll help you tap into these resources at BU and beyond.
Learn more.
Get Advice
Our community is filled with friendly staff, faculty, and mentors who want to help you succeed. Book office hours to brainstorm, get advice, and to map out a plan for your own innovation journey.
Learn more.
Our Vision:
We envision a world where all BU Terriers are equipped with innovation skills and an entrepreneurial mind-set, and are prepared to create meaningful impact in their careers and communities.
Our Mission:
Innovate@BU enables BU Terriers to become drivers of innovation in their own lives, careers, and communities.
Innovate@BU's core activities are to:
- Provide experiential learning programs that foster an entrepreneurial mindset by teaching innovation, communication, and collaboration skills through the IDG Capital Student Innovation Center, enabling students and alumni to address local and global challenges.
- Create a University minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship available to undergraduates at any school at BU. Embedding innovation and entrepreneurial principles in our curricula is critical to preparing students to craft their own future opportunities.
- Engage faculty in focused research to identify best practices that can support the Boston innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem and establish the University as a thought-leader in these fields.
- Nurture, grow, and amplify the innovation and entrepreneurial activities happening across the University.
- Be a responsible and contributing member of the Boston innovation and entrepreneurship community.
Innovate@BU serves the BU community across all Schools, Colleges, and disciplines.
Annual Reports
Our External Advisory Board
Innovate@BU and its programs are guided by an External Advisory Board, consisting of the following distinguished alumni.
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Yousif Al Nowais, Parent CAS’14
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Billy Bloom, CGS’82, Questrom’84
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Beverly Brown
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Richard Cohen CGS’67, Questrom’69
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Ziad Dalloul, ENG’86
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Carol Kaufman, CAS’71
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Ranch Kimball
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Ken Menges
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Alicia C. Mullen, CAS’83, Parent CAS’19
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Allen Questrom, Questrom’64
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Ryan Roth Gallo, LAW’99
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Hugo Shong, COM’87, GRS’90
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Lou Volpe, Questrom’78
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Collin Yip, Questrom’12
The IDG Capital Student Innovation Center
The IDG Capital Student Innovation Center is home to the people, programs, and collaboration space at the heart of Innovate@BU. The IDG Capital Student Innovation Center helps all BU students and recent alumni transform their ideas into something real and develop innovation skills, an entrepreneurial mindset, and a strong community along the way.
Visit the IDG Capital Student Innovation Center
It’s a bright and communal place to work on your idea, meet other innovators, grab a coffee, or connect with our staff during office hours! Swing by and experience BU’s home for Innovation.
- Monday–Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm
- 730 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston
Schedule a tour or host an event at the IDG Capital Student Innovation Center
Please fill out this form to schedule an event or tour.
The Innovate@BU Team
With backgrounds in innovation, management, technology, marketing, nonprofits, and more, our team has the expertise to make big ideas happen.
Leadership
Experts in Residence
Affiliated Faculty
Contact Us
Get in Touch
Have questions about our programs? Reach us at innopath@bu.edu.
For all other inquiries, please contact innovatebu@bu.edu.
Request an Innovate@BU staff member to visit your classroom
If you’d like us to talk about innovation & entrepreneurship opportunities, put on an interactive workshop, or otherwise work with your students, please fill out this form.
Press Inquiries
For media or interview requests, please contact Austin Boyer at aboyer@bu.edu.
Our Hours
Monday–Friday: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Our Location
730 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA
(Our entrance is just to the left of Pavement Coffee)
