To capitalize on New York City’s booming startup activity, Columbia Business School opened
ColumbiaBusinessLab, a co-working space for entrepreneurs and recent alumni, in the summer of 2012.
The Lab provides 21 newly-minted MBAs free access to prime Manhattan office space for one year as they build their businesses.
Housed in a bright, refurbished office in a Manhattan Mini Storage building in Soho, the facility is provided by WorkSpace Offices at Edison Properties, managed by The Lang Entrepreneurship Center and funded by Columbia Business School. The perks are more than just free rent, but access to a community rich in resources, networks and skills. Many of the entrepreneurs we spoke to praised the invaluable insight of their colleagues just an arms-length away, whether legal, tech or marketing questions, there always seems to be someone on premises ready to help. The current pilot class started in June 2012. In one year, another graduating class will be chosen through a rigorous selection process. Check out the videos and stay tuned for more video updates for the ColumbiaBusinessLab‘s “Year in the Life of an Entrepreneur” video project.
We were on hand when Glenn Hubbard, Dean, Columbia Business School, toured the Lab and met with the newest crop of entrepreneurial talent.
We also spoke with a few more entrepreneurs that are changing the New York City startup landscape. Check out the videos on Kajal Sanghrajka’s eBk Eyewear, Coleman Skeeter’s Urbavour, and Omar Haroun’s Sportaneous on our blog to learn from their ideas, strategies and challenges as they start their new ventures.