UB Startup and Innovation CoLab

The UB Startup and Innovation CoLab is the entrepreneurship hub and incubator for students at the University at Buffalo. It is a campus-based program designed to introduce and support entrepreneurship and innovation across all disciplines at UB. CoLab is powered by Blackstone LaunchPad (affiliated with the Blackstone Charitable Foundation's global collegiate entrepreneurship network). More specifically, CoLab is the evolution of UB's original Blackstone LaunchPad site that was established in 2016 via a $4.5 million multi-campus grant into a rebranded, expanded collaboratory for startup activity on campus.

Mission and Facilities

CoLab's mission is to foster an entrepreneurial ecosystem within the university by providing mentorship, resources, and experiential learning opportunities. It operates out of an innovation space located in 340 Student Union on North Campus, which serves as a drop-in coaching center and event venue for entrepreneurial activities.

The program's tagline could be summed up as helping students "find their inner entrepreneurial and innovative spirit". To that end, CoLab offers workshops on creativity, problem solving, and innovation skills that are open to any student, regardless of their major.

Programs and Activities

UB Startup and Innovation CoLab runs a variety of programs throughout the year, often in collaboration with other university departments and external partners. One of these offerings include Venture Coaching and Mentoring, in which CoLab provides one-on-one training for student entrepreneurs by allowing students to connect with experienced entrepreneurs and business professionals who serve as coaches. This extends to alumni entrepreneurs as well. Regular workshops cover topics like ideation, lean startup methodology, prototyping, and pitching. For example, CoLab hosts a weekly "Open Coffee Club" in which innovators gather informally to network over coffee. It also brings in guest speakers, including successful startup founders and venture capitalists, in order to share insights with students.

CoLab either runs or partners on several pitch competitions. Their flagship event is the Henry A. Panasci Jr. Technology Entrepreneurship Competition, an annual content where student teams pitch startup ideas for seed funding awards. Other competitions and challenges include sector-specific events like the Health Futures Challenge and the Social Impact Fellows Program.

UB Startup and Innovation CoLab hosts UB Startup Week, a week-long series of events celebrating entrepreneurship, typically featuring panel discussions, demo days, networking mixers, and keynotes. Startup Week is a collaboration across campus (Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships Office, School of Management, etc) but CoLab is a primary organizer.

UB CoLab runs the Launch Summer Accelerator, a program where selected student ventures receive mentorship over the summer to accelerate their development. It also partners with entities like UB's Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships and the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership to provide pathways for startups to continue growing post-competition or as students near graduation. In addition, CoLab is connected with Western New York's startup ecosystem, including Launch NY (a regional startup fund and mentorship nonprofit) and the Start-Up NY program via the Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships program, which offers tax incentives (10 year tax-free benefits) for companies partnering with universities.

History and Impact

UB's engagement with campus entrepreneurship was taken to the next level in 2016 when the university became part of the Blackstone LaunchPad network. Blackstone LaunchPad at UB opened with a grant aimed at igniting a culture of entrepreneurial thinking among students of all majors. Over its first few years, the program introduced hundreds of students to startup ideas and coached many fledgling ventures. In 2023, UB decided to rebrand and expand LaunchPad as the Startup and Innovation CoLab, where CoLab (short for Collaboratory) suggests a co-working laboratory in which creativity and collaboration happen.

By 2023, UB Startup and Innovation CoLab had developed partnerships across the university, such as working with the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Experiential Learning Programs, Office of Economic Development, the School of Management's entrepreneurship curriculum, and more. CoLab's integration into the Office of the Vice President for Student Life represents UB's view of student entrepreneurship as part of the student experience. The program receives funding from both the university and external sources (such as the Blackstone Foundation), while Alumni and donors are also encouraged to support CoLab either financially or through mentorship.

CoLab has engaged thousands of students through its events and advising. In the 2022-2024 period, despite the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic, CoLab adapted by offering virtual workshops and then ramping back up in-person activities.