Dive Brief:
- Howard University is celebrating the opening of a new state-of-the-art tech lab on campus April 17 with the hopes of attracting venture capital firms to support startups in the city.
- The Inclusive Innovation Incubator (I3) is funded through the city and will include 10 private offices, four conference rooms, four private phone booths and over 50 open desks, Blavity reports.
- The project is part of a continued effort to boost minority participation in tech in the city, said DC Deputy Mayor Brian Kenner.
Dive Insight:
Howard University is joining Shaw University in the ranks of historically black institutions working to promote a start-up culture on campus and increase minority participation in tech fields. The announcement comes on the heels of another announced partnership between Howard and Google to establish residencies for HU students in Silicon Valley. Key to Howard's success in this arena has been partnerships with the city and industry to fund these initiatives. Those outside of higher education recognize a need for increased minority representation in these fields, and they are willing to work with institutions to help fund a pipeline and incubator spaces to cultivate that talent.
The key to surviving the current crossroads at which institutional leaders are finding themselves will be the ability to align programs with industry needs — and collaborate with industry leaders to project not just today's needs, but the needs of the future. This is what will attract additional public and private dollars and help ensure the higher education bubble doesn't burst in the near future.