Working Groups on Inclusive Entrepreneurship
MBA/EMBA students are working on collaborative projects supervised by Professor Dan Wang, faculty co-director of the Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise and Climate Change.
The objective of these projects is to:
- foster collaboration between local business and community leaders and Business School students;
- explore areas including social investing, community development, strengthening venture ecosystems, and entrepreneurial
- consulting and advising; and
- create a meaningful positive impact by the School with the local community.
During spring semester 2023, working groups developed preliminary feasibility studies and strategic plans related to a collaborative community-related project of their own design or in the following proposed areas:
- developing a neighborhood economic opportunity map in Harlem and Upper Manhattan;
- forging partnerships between local venture accelerators and CBS students;
- establishing a community innovation, retail, and/or co-working space at CBS;
- founding a platform, gallery, and market for local artists; and
- organizing venture clinic programs across NYC neighborhoods.
Starting in fall semester 2023, student groups worked primarily with community partners on topics such as:
- Articulating a Theory of Change: Fairbridge is an early-stage fund managed by David Tswamuno focused on investing in economic/financial, physical, and environmental health. Fellowship students aimed to help Fairbridge define its Theory of Change, articulate how this has been and will be executed, and shape its messaging to better align to the expectations of its latest group of potential
- Economic Mobility Accelerator Support: Samvid Ventures + Techstars is a program for entrepreneurs designing innovative solutions that generate greater economic mobility for low- and moderate-income Americans. Fellowship students aimed to provide comprehensive assistance to support Techstar founders in the fields of fintech, edtech, and benefits access. Their work included supporting these founders with market size calculation and financial projections.
- Partnership and Geographic Strategy: Visible Hands is a VC firm invested in promoting and advancing the belief that investing in women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups is crucial in creating a more prosperous and equitable future for everyone. Fellowship students analyzed five Midwestern US cities across several key categories (technology adoption, government, academics, quality of life, etc.) as potential expansion targets for Visible Hands.
The program will continue to evolve in the upcoming years as best practices are uncovered for working together with community partners.
More information can be found below: