Columbia Giving Day
2016-10-26 | On Line Event
Columbia Entrepreneurship is all about innovation. That’s why we support some of the most brilliant innovators in the world: Columbia student and young alumni entrepreneurs. On Giving Day, we ask you to support us. Please Give On Oct 26th.
For Giving Day — **during one 24-hour period on October 26** — Columbians come together to support programs and initiatives they find most meaningful. Gifts are then amplified by challenge match funds from Columbia University Trustees.
Remember, your gift to **Columbia Entrepreneurship benefits the entire community of student and alumni entrepreneurs** across every Columbia school, student club, and institution.
So please give a gift on October 26th and help support the next generation of business leaders and innovators. Sign Me Up! I’d Like to Support Entrepreneurship at Columbia.
For questions about how funds directly benefit Columbia entrepreneurs across the Columbia Community, write us at entrepreneurship@columbia.edu.

Studio Hours
2016-10-27 13:00 - 16:00 UTC | Columbia Entrepreneurship Design Studio, 490 Riverside Dr., New York, NY, 10027, United States
Thursday, October 27th
1:00pm to 4:00pm
The Design Studio (Riverside Church Room 430)
Do you have an idea and want to get personal design thinking feedback from the Design Studio? During Studio Hours, teams or individuals are invited to discuss their projects or ideas one-on-one with human-centered designers in the Studio. Teams of Columbia affiliates are also welcome to use the studio space for working independently on their entrepreneurial projects.
The first hour (1-2pm) is for independent work only; coaching begins at 2pm.
If you have questions, please reach out to us at designstudio@columbia.edu.

Entrepreneurship Research Showcase
2016-10-28 08:30 - 10:00 | Uris Hall, Room 307, Columbia Business School, 3022 Broadway, New York, NY, 10027, United States
Join us on Friday, October 28, 2016 for an inaugural showcase dedicated to exploring new ideas around entrepreneurship. The event will be hosted by Lang Center Faculty Director Olivier Toubia, and Professors Mabel Abraham, Oded Netzer, and Dan Wang will give “lightning talks” on their latest research. Presentations will be followed by discussion and networking.
Agenda
8:30-8:45 a.m. – Welcome and continental breakfast
8:45-9:30 a.m. – Presentations by Professors Mabel Abraham, Oded Netzer, and Dan Wang
9:30-10:00 a.m. – Networking and discussion

Introduction to Prototyping and Testing
2016-10-28 13:00 - 16:00 | Columbia Entrepreneurship Design Studio, 490 Riverside Dr., New York, NY, 10027, United States
Ideas deserve to be shown off. Join us for this Prototyping and Testing Sprint to learn about how to turn your early ideas into something tangible and test-worthy. Prototyping is a way of learning more about your customer or community by having them interact with an early version of a solution. Once you have built a prototype of your product or solution, you can use it to learn more about how your customer responds to it. Testing your idea provides immediate and valuable insights that can help you rapidly improve your product or solution. Be prepared for a highly interactive day!
Teams and individuals are welcome. Feel free to come with your own idea to prototype, or we can help you brainstorm one on the spot.
If you have questions, please reach out to us at designstudio@columbia.edu.

Hacking for Energy -Student Info Session
2016-10-31 13:00 - 14:00 | Lewisohn Hall 212D, 2970 Broadway, New York, NY, 10027, United States
New Spring 2017 course! Hacking for Energy
Are you a grad student interested in entrepreneurship and working in the energy industry? Then Hacking for Energy is the course for you! Hacking for Energy challenges students to develop and test solutions for critical problems facing the energy industry using the Lean Startup methodology. Students may apply to the class after independently forming interdisciplinary teams of four, and propose their solution for a current challenge the energy industry is facing. If accepted, the student teams will use the course to test and build their solution by getting out of the classroom, talking to customers, and interacting with industry professionals. Students must apply by November 21st to participate in the Spring 2017 semester.
Interested? Come to an info session on October 31st to learn more about the class! Register Here.

ELabNYC
2016-11-01 00:00 - 17:00 | ELabNYC
ELabNYC Application Deadline for 2017 Program
Bio & Health Tech Entrepreneurship Lab NYC is a prestigious 6-month training and mentorship program for aspiring entrepreneurs in New York City’s life sciences and healthcare technology community. The Lab provides extensive support to graduate students of science, post-docs, early-career researchers and engineers interested in forming new biotech and health tech ventures.

Studio Hours
2016-11-03 13:00 - 16:00 | Columbia Entrepreneurship Design Studio, 490 Riverside Dr., New York, NY, 10027, United States
Thursday, November 3rd
1:00pm to 4:00pm
The Design Studio (Riverside Church Room 430)
Do you have an idea and want to get personal design thinking feedback from the Design Studio? During Studio Hours, teams or individuals are invited to discuss their projects or ideas one-on-one with human-centered designers in the Studio. Teams of Columbia affiliates are also welcome to use the studio space for working independently on their entrepreneurial projects.
The first hour (1-2pm) is for independent work only; coaching begins at 2pm.
If you have questions, please reach out to us at designstudio@columbia.edu.

The Changing World of Raising Capital
2016-11-03 18:00 - 20:00 | Lecture Hall, Pulitzer Hall (Journalism Bld), 116th & Broadway, New York City, NY, 10027, United States
Join Mintz Levin for a discussion about funding your startup
Panel Discussion With
David Weild IV Chairman & CEO, Weild & Co.
Ryan Feit CEO and Co-Founder, SeedInvest
Greg Brogger CEO, SharesPost
David Rose CEO and Founder, Gust
REGISTER TODAY
The world of raising capital for start-up companies has experienced a revolution. Prior to the enactment of the JOBS Act in 2012, raising capital for private companies was limited to offline communications and was dominated by the professional venture capitalists. Now the capital raising process has been democratized. Capital can be raised online directly by companies or through intermediaries. It can be accomplished by crowd sourcing to “accredited investors” or, in limited amounts, by crowd funding to everyone. Additionally, companies can raise capital in an “IPO lite” manner by using the new Reg A+.
Come join us on the Columbia University campus for an entertaining evening with a world class panel of the leaders changing the way that capital is being raised for new emerging companies. Co-sponsored by MintzEdge (powered by the law firm of Mintz Levin) and Columbia Technology Ventures, learn what these innovators in the new world of raising capital are thinking and planning.
L to R: David Weild IV CEO Weild; Greg Brogger, CEO SharesPost; David Rose, CEO Gust; Ryan Feit CEO SeedInvest

Fast Pitch Prep with Kevin Zhang '13CC
2016-11-04 19:00 - 21:00 | John Jay Lounge, Morningside Campus
Fast Pitch Prep with Kevin Zhang:
Friday, November 4, 7-9 p.m.
John Jay Lounge
In this Fast Pitch prep session, Kevin Zhang, former president of CORE and fast pitch judge, will guide you in creating a persuasive and compelling elevator pitch that you can use to ignite interest in your company. Kevin focuses on product marketing, partnerships, and analytics as the first business hire at Fundera, a Khosla-backed
startup helping Main St entrepreneurs save thousands on loans to grow their small businesses. Kevin is also honored to serve as Alumni Chairman of the Columbia Organization of Rising Entrepreneurs (CORE).
Prior to Fundera, Kevin spent time at Bain & Company, AOLVentures, and Addepar. At this event, you’ll also learn the where, how, and why of videotaping your pitch as well as how to upload your pitch to our judging system to get feedback before the live Fast Pitch competition on 11/15. You will have the opportunity to meet people with different backgrounds, including business and engineering – find your co-founder!

Columbia Law Entrepreneurship Society Fall Meetup - Idea Pitch
2016-11-08 18:00 - 20:30 | Warren Hall, Room 103, Morningside Campus
Have an idea for a business?
Interested in startups and want to join a team?
Fascinated by the legal and business problems startups face?

CLES MeetUps are an opportunity for students with business ideas to pitch, share, and present existing ideas, brainstorm, find partners for a new venture, or join in on ongoing ones. We bring together students from business, legal, engineering, and other disciplines.
Pitchers are guaranteed a free drink. Walk-in pitches welcomed, but priority is given to presenters who email in advance.
Reserve your pitch spot by emailing Alex at ajy2114@columbia.edu.
Date: Tuesday, November 8, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Warren Hall (1125 Amsterdam Ave) Rm 103

Will Platforms Save Societies? Opportunities in Emerging Markets
2016-11-10 12:30 - 14:00 | Warren Hall, Room 209, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
Will Platforms Save Society?
Opportunities in Emerging Markets
When: Thursday, November 10, 2016, 12:30-2:00 p.m.
Where: Warren Hall 209
Presented by Entrepreneur in Residence Austin Okere, Founder, CWG Plc and Member, World Economic Forum Business Council on Intrapreneurship and Innovation.

Columbia Engineering Fast Pitch Competition
2016-11-15 18:00 - 20:00 | CEPSR 750, New York City, 10027
Date: Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Place: CEPSR 750
Attention Students, Faculty, and Young Alumni Entrepreneurs
We’re starting competition season again with Fast Pitch on November 15. Get your team together and get ready to pitch. Our prize pool this year is $5000! $2000 will be awarded solely to undergraduates and $3000 will be awarded to the overall best pitches.
Undergrads, grad students, and faculty from all schools and institutes across Columbia University are eligible to participate.
Register Now for the Columbia Engineering Fast Pitch Competition
Register to pitch
Fast and furious, Fast Pitch is our elevator pitch competition. Teams must sell their customers and our judges in 60 seconds or less. Your elevator pitch could be the 30 or 40 most important words in your business. If you can’t hook your customers, investors, or partners in the first minute, you’ve likely lost them forever. Winning teams will be judged to be the most concise, complete, and compelling. The Fast Pitch competition will help your team improve your marketing, sales, and promotional capabilities. Attendance and participation is free, and the experience is priceless.
Want to hone your elevator pitch skills before the competition?
Fast Pitch Prep with Kevin Zhang: Thursday, November 3, 8-9 p.m. in John Jay Lounge
In this first pitch prep session, Kevin Zhang, former president of CORE and fast pitch judge, will guide you in creating a persuasive and compelling elevator pitch that you can use to ignite interest in your company. Kevin focuses on product marketing, partnerships, and analytics as the first business hire at Fundera, a Khosla-backed startup helping Main St entrepreneurs save thousands on loans to grow their small businesses. Kevin is also honored to serve as Alumni Chairman of the Columbia Organization of Rising Entrepreneurs (CORE). Prior to Fundera, Kevin spent time at Bain & Company, AOLVentures, and Addepar. At this event, you’ll also learn the where, how, and why of videotaping your pitch as well as how to upload your pitch to our judging system to get feedback before the live Fast Pitch competition on 11/17. Register here.
Video Pitch Submission Deadline: Friday, November 5 (Due at Midnight)
Want feedback and priority to pitch live on stage? Make sure to get your video pitch submissions in to our online system by 11:59 p.m.
Video Pitch Feedback and Notification of Selection: Friday, November 11
Submitted your video pitch by 11/5? You’ll receive valuable feedback from experts and be notified about whether you’ll get to pitch live so that you can refine your pitch in preparation for the competition.
For more information about the competition, contact ischultz@columbia.edu.

YankTech NYC Demo
2016-11-16 12:00 - 15:00 | Columbia Startup Lab, 69 Charlton St. @ Varick, NYC, 10014, United States
YankTech is very excited to announce another demo event! It will take place on November 16th from 12pm to 3pm at WeWork Soho West in NYC. Free pizza will be provided, so come hungry!

Entrepreneurship Summit Co-Hosted by Venture for American & The KIND Foundation
2016-11-17 | Times Center, 242 W 41st Street, New York, NY, 10036, United States
It’s time to register for our Entrepreneurship Summit on Thursday, November 17th in New York City! The KIND Foundation and Venture for America are thrilled to host an educational day for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs who are committed to building businesses with a positive social impact. We hope that you’ll walk away with the knowledge and energy needed to build your business and change the communities where you work. Check out our FAQ for further details and to confirm you are eligible to attend. Acceptance to the Summit will be on a rolling basis and capacity is limited.
We are looking to gather aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs interested in the social impact space for a day of working sessions, panels and mentorship from proven entrepreneurs and KIND employees. Speakers include our founder, Andrew Yang, as well as Daniel Lubetzky, KIND’s founder and CEO, Arianna Huffington, Founder of Thrive Global, Jordan Gaspar, Managing Director of Accel Foods and Brian Rudolph, co-founder of Banza.
Be the first to sign up to attend in NYC here.
Not able to come to NYC? Click here to sign up for online opportunities on November 17th.

Design Sprint: Storytelling
2016-11-18 13:00 - 16:00 | Columbia Entrepreneurship Design Studio, 490 Riverside Dr., New York, NY, 10027, United States
Please join us for our Storytelling Sprint to learn about how to create a compelling narrative for yourself and your ideas. Knowing how to tell a compelling story about yourself or your product is one of the most important yet overlooked traits of a successful entrepreneur. Join us to explore how to construct a coherent narrative, expand your creative confidence, and master the art of a good story.
The session is equally useful for teams who want pitching help and students who want to learn how to perfect their next presentation.
If you have questions, please reach out to us at designstudio@columbia.edu.

Fireside Chat with Nina Tandon and Hemai Parthasarathy
2016-11-18 16:00 - 18:00 | Columbia University Medical Center, 630 West 168th Street, Fourth Floor, Faculty Club, New York, NY, 10032, United States
Join Columbia WIN for a discussion between two leading members of the early-stage biotech community. Nina Tandon, CEO and co-founder of EpiBone, and Hemai Parthasarathy, Scientific Director of Breakout Labs and the Thiel Foundation (and investor in Epibone), will discuss the current state of biotech investing, their lessons on lifescience entrepreneurship, and some advice for those looking to launch their own companies in this space.
Following the presentation, there will be a networking reception with drinks and appetizers in the same location from 5 to 6 pm.
This event is open to all members of the Columbia University community with valid CUIDs. We regret that we are unable to accommodate guests from outside Columbia for this event.
Nina Tandon is CEO and co-founder of EpiBone, the world’s first company growing living human bones for skeletal reconstruction. She is the co-author of Super Cells: Building with Biology, a book that explores the new frontier of biotech. She is a TED Senior Fellow, Adjunct Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Cooper Union and a former Staff Associate Postdoctoral Researcher in the Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Columbia University. She has a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from the Cooper Union, a Master’s in Bioelectrical Engineering from MIT, a PhD in Biomedical Engineering, and an MBA from Columbia University. Her PhD research focused on studying electrical signaling in the context of tissue engineering, and has worked with cardiac, skin, bone, and neural tissue.
Tandon spent her early career in telecom at Avaya Labs and transitioned into biomedical engineering via her Fulbright Scholarship in Italy, where she worked on an electronic nose used to “smell” lung cancer. After completing her PhD, she consulted at McKinsey and Company, but since 2010 she has continued her work in tissue engineering. Nina has published 10 journal articles (cited > 300 times, H = 9) and six book chapters, and she has three patents. She’s been published in Nature Protocols and Lab on a Chip, has spoken three times at TED, and was named one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company.
Hemai Parthasarathy is the Scientific Director of Breakout Labs and the Thiel Foundation. She is responsible for establishing the scientific priorities of the program and evaluating the technical merits of submitted proposals. Hemai brings a deep commitment to scientific innovation and communication to Breakout Labs. She has served as the North American Editor for Nature and was a founding editor of PLOS, the open-access publisher of PLOS ONE. Before joining the Thiel Foundation, she advised research institutes, non-profits, and biotechnology companies on the development and communication of their scientific portfolios. She holds a Ph.D. in Brain and Cognitive Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Read more here.

DEADLINE: Applications for Urban-X Accelerator
2016-11-29 16:00 - 17:00
Application
Focusing on the convergence of Smart Cities, Connected Real Estate, Resilient Energy Systems, and the Future of Mobility, Big Data, and Digitalization of Urban Infrastructure, Urban-X is looking for pre-seed startups, founders, and hungry risk-takers working on technology for intelligent cities, urban hyper-growth, and society-scale challenges.
Applications are now open for Urban-X’s cohort 02, which will kick off in October in NYC. Operated by MINI and SOSV HAX, Urban-X invests in and accelerates startups through a 4 month program, with hands-on mentorship, customer development, hardware engineering, design, partnerships, and fundraising help. Our network of over 100 mentors, prospective partners, customers, and policymakers is incredibly deep. Applications are competitive. Chosen startups will receive $60,000 USD in seed capital investment plus significant in-kind software, hosting, and legal services, as well as the opportunity to hone your solution at HAX’s facilities in Shenzhen and BMW / MINI’s global operations in Munich. Applications are due NOVEMBER 29 and can be found here: https://urban-x.com/apply/

Women Technopreneurs
2016-11-29 18:30 - 21:00 | SIPA Building 1501
Please join us for a panel discussion and reception
with
Women Technopreneurs
SIPA Alums who Have Leveraged Technology to Turn Their Ideas Into
Successful, Scalable and Impactful Tech Businesses
Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs
International Affairs Building (IAB) Room 1501
Reception catering provided by SIPA alum, Manal Kahi from Eat Offbeat!

Jade Huang, MPA’ 08
Co-Founder & CEO StyleSage, an online platform that delivers data-driven insights to help fashion retailers and brands become faster and smarter. StyleSage collects, analyzes and visualizes eCommerce activity across 1000 retailers, 53,000 brands, and 100M products in over 100 countries.
Michal Alter, MPA ‘13
Co-Founder & CEO of Visit.org, a leading 21st century travel platform connecting nonprofits and other impact organizations with millions of users and travelers around the globe who want to discover, support and interact with impact organizations both virtually and in person.
Annie Feighery, MPA ‘06
Founding Partner of mWater, a technology startup dedicated to creating world changing technologies for water and health. There are currently over 8,000 free mWater users in 73 countries

Sponsors
SIPA’s Management Specialization
in partnership with
The Nasdaq Education Foundation and Columbia Entrepreneurship
Plus SIPA Student Groups:
The Social Entrepreneurship Club,
Technology and Innovation Student Association,
Women in Leadership

Studio Hours
2016-12-01 14:00 - 16:00 | Columbia Entrepreneurship Design Studio, 490 Riverside Dr., New York, NY, 10027, United States
Thursday, December 1
2:00pm to 4:00pm
The Design Studio (Riverside Church Room 430)
Do you have an idea and want to get personal design thinking feedback from the Design Studio? During Studio Hours, teams or individuals are invited to discuss their projects or ideas one-on-one with human-centered designers in the Studio. Teams of Columbia affiliates are also welcome to use the studio space for working independently on their entrepreneurial projects.
If you have questions, please reach out to us atdesignstudio@columbia.edu.

Startup Law Studio Office Hours
2016-12-07 14:00 - 17:00 | Riverside Church, MLK Building, 5th Floor, Suite 519-521, 490 Riverside Dr , New York, 10027, United States
Welcome to the Columbia Entrepreneurship
Startup Law Studio
Sponsored By

Apply for the next Startup Law Studio Here
Wednesday, December 7th, 2016
2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
The Riverside Church, MLK Building, 5th Floor, Suite 519-521
(Entrance mid-block on 120th Street between Claremont Ave and Riverside Drive)

Hurry, Space is Limited
Currently Enrolled Students Only Please
If You Receive a Slot We Will Contact You To Arrange Your 30-Minute Session
**Pre-Requisite: Must be a real startup team looking to get started or already operational. This is not for “general advice”
Columbia Entrepreneurship has partnered with Charles Torres, head of the Emerging Companies and Venture Capital and Partner at Perkins Coie to provide free professional startup law office hours for student startup teams in the Columbia community.

“The Columbia Entrepreneurship Startup Law Studio provides a unique window into real-world VC lawyering. The university-wide collaboration made possible by this Columbia Entrepreneurship-Perkins Cole partnership is an exceptional opportunity for Columbia Law Students.”
– Nathalie Russell ‛14CC

How it Works
We host regularly scheduled 30 minute sessions held both at the Columbia Startup Lab as well as on Columbia’s campus for legitimate student startup teams to address their legal questions.
All sessions will be conducted on a pro-bono basis. The sessions are observed by Columbia Law School Students, who seek to gain venture-law experience by observing the office hours. These participating law students gather with Charles and team afterwards to ask relevant questions and discuss the case confidentially.

“The Startup Law Studio was a fantastic experience that we would not normally be exposed to while at Law School. The Perkins Coie lawyers were able to talk about startup law issues that we would not have been immersed in during a traditional class. This is a win-win situation for all involved”
– James Induc Kim ‛16LAW

About Charles Torres
A fixture in New York City venture for over 15 years, Charles is a trusted advisor for emerging technology companies at all stages of development, as well as the institutions and individuals who invest in them. His practice focuses on counseling companies through formation, minority and control investments, debt financings, mergers and acquisitions and related portfolio dispositions. He has been a passionate contributor to the New York City tech ecosystem: he opened the first major law firm office in Brooklyn; he is the founder of the Startup Center at Brooklyn’s growing Northside Festival; he is creator of the Emerging Company Workshop, a lecture series he teaches at Columbia Business School and its downtown Columbia StartupLab; he was the creator of VCs on Skis, a venture networking event for the New York City community; and he was a founding partner of WomenInnovateMobile (a first in kind accelerator for female-founded companies).

“The session was especially helpful as Charles had not only legal expertise but also business insight and was well versed in the financial technology industry. It was a great opportunity for a startup like us to get professional feedback and clearly layout the regulatory environment of the industry PAIKON operates in.”
– Tak Yeong Do ‛14SEAS, CEO of PAIKON

Studio Hours
2016-12-08 14:00 - 16:00 | Columbia Entrepreneurship Design Studio, 490 Riverside Dr., New York, NY, 10027, United States
Thursday, December 8
2:00pm to 4:00pm
The Design Studio (Riverside Church Room 430)
Do you have an idea and want to get personal design thinking feedback from the Design Studio? During Studio Hours, teams or individuals are invited to discuss their projects or ideas one-on-one with human-centered designers in the Studio. Teams of Columbia affiliates are also welcome to use the studio space for working independently on their entrepreneurial projects.
If you have questions, please reach out to us atdesignstudio@columbia.edu.

Advanced Tactics Design Workshop: Facilitating Creative Teams
2016-12-09 13:00 - 16:00 | Columbia Entrepreneurship Design Studio, 490 Riverside Dr., New York, NY, 10027, United States
Are you interested in using design thinking to drive a creative team? Join us for our advanced tactic workshop where will we show you how to lead a team through a design process. The focus will be on developing environments that encourage creative behaviors leading to novel ideas.
The session is for people who have attended at least one previous Design Studio sprint or equivalent learning experience.
If you have questions, please reach out to us at designstudio@columbia.edu.

The Next Wave of Corporate Entrepreneurship with Steve Blank. What Comes After Innovation Theater?
2017-01-10 18:30 - 20:30 | Goodwin Proctor, LLC, New York Times Building, 620 8th Avenue, 26th Floor, Manhattan, 10018, United States
Join Columbia Business School Executive Education and
Columbia Entrepreneurship for an evening with
Steve Blank
in conversation with
Professor Rita D. McGrath, Columbia Business School and
Brian Murray, President and CEO, HarperCollins Publishers

The Next Wave of Corporate Entrepreneurship
What Comes After Innovation Theater?
Hosted by
Goodwin Procter, LLP
Offices of Goodwin Procter, New York Times Building
620 8th Avenue, 26th Floor
Corporate entrepreneurship is a very hot topic these days. Despite all the talk, however, actual innovation performance comes nowhere near to delivering on its promise. We are perhaps five years into the latest flurry of excitement about the prospects for innovation-fueled growth. Companies have traveled to Silicon Valley in droves, sponsored innovation boot camps, trained innovation ninjas, and otherwise promised their stakeholders that innovation is front and center on their agendas.
And yet.
Evidence suggests much of this activity is just ‘Innovation Theater’. Indeed, how many corporations focus their cultures around an innovation playbook, and train all staff in innovation practices.
In a recent McKinsey study, fully 94% of executives surveyed reported that they were unhappy with their organization’s ability to innovate. Similar research shows that corporations are spending a lot more of their profits on things like share buybacks and dividends than they are on innovation.
What’s next for corporate innovation?
Columbia University’s Senior Fellow for Entrepreneurship, Steve Blank is a retired eight-time serial entrepreneur-turned-educator and author. He has changed the way entrepreneurs around the world build their startups. His bestselling The Startup Owner’s Manual, and his earlier seminal work, The Four Steps to the Epiphany are both credited with launching the Lean Startup movement. His Lean LaunchPad class at Stanford, Berkeley, and Columbia has redefined how Universities approach entrepreneurship. His Innovation Corps class for the National Science Foundation forever changed how the U.S. commercializes science.
Professor Rita Gunther McGrath is a globally recognized expert on strategy, innovation, and growth with an emphasis on corporate entrepreneurship. Her work and ideas help CEOs and senior executives chart a pathway to success in today’s rapidly changing and volatile environments. Ms. McGrath was named one of the Top 10 Most Influential Business Thinkers by Thinkers50 in 2015 and 2013. Thinkers50 presented Rita with the #1 award for Strategy, the Distinguished Achievement Award (2013). She has also been inducted into the Strategic Management Society “Fellows” in recognition of her impact on the field.
Professor McGrath teaches Leading Strategic Growth and Change and will be launching Mastering Corporate Entrepreneurship, an online, seven-week executive education course in January. Registration is currently open.
Brian Murray is President and Chief Executive Officer of HarperCollins Publishers. Since being appointed CEO in 2008, Murray has led the transformation of HarperCollins from a traditional print publishing company focused only on English language publishing, to a dynamic print and digital publisher with broad expertise in foreign language publishing and more than $350M in digital revenues. Murray has led six acquisitions including Thomas Nelson and Harlequin. The acquisition of Harlequin in 2014 extended the company’s global platform and digital presence, resulting in the ability to publish in more than 30 languages and publishing operations in a dozen new countries. The Thomas Nelson acquisition in 2012 allowed for the formation of the HarperCollins Christian Publishing division, positioning HarperCollins as the leading publisher of Christian content in the world.

How VC Gives a Boost to NYC's Digital Health Innovation Economy
2017-01-26 17:30 - 19:00 | Hess Commons, Mailman School of Public Health, New York City, 10032
We are excited to announce the Spring 2017 HITLAB Seminar Series! Every Thursday at 5:30pm, the HITLAB Seminar Series brings together leading experts—scientists, physicians, IT architects, public health practitioners, investors, attorneys, and more—who share a single vision: to design and scale healthcare technologies that will improve health outcomes around the world.
Smart Venture:
How Venture Capital gives a Boost to
NYC’s Digital Health Innovation Economy
Maria Gotsch, President & CEO of the Partnership Fund for NYC
RSVP is required by Wednesday, January 25th.
Reception to follow at 6:30pm at
Coogan’s Restaurant, 4015 Broadway at 169th Street.

Questions? Contact seminars@hitlab.org
See the Seminar Series website for the full schedule and to register

Immigration and Entrepreneurship
2017-01-26 18:00 - 20:00
Third Thursday is a recurring open forum and networking and info session for the Columbia University entrepreneurship community. It provides students, faculty, staff, and alumni the opportunity to hear ideas from across campus, form teams, and explore career options. You’ll hear from Columbia alumni and other experts on their experiences working in the field, how they’ve applied their Columbia experience in their careers, and more.
Thursday, January 26 (technically Fourth Thursday instead of Third Thursday due to the late start of the semester) will feature Megan Kludt, an attorney at Curran & Berger, LLP, a boutique law firm specializing in all areas of immigration, including business, achievement, investment, family, and humanitarian bases for immgration status.
Megan is very knowledgable on visa options for students after graduation, and specializes in complex immigration cases in the areas of business, academia, scientific research, and the arts. Additionally, she was selected by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) to provide emergency legal aid to children at the US/Mexico border and was honored as one of AILA New England’s Pro Bono Champions in 2016.
Megan holds a BS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, a Master of International Relations from Boston University, and a JD with an international concentration from Boston University School of Law.
At this month’s Third Thursday event, Megan will discuss

Options and requirements for various visas, such as: J1, O-1B, and H-1B
Visa options and NYC/NYS immigration resources for foreign startup founders
How much of an impact a lawyer/representation has on a visa application
How to find out whether or not a startup is qualified to help employees file for work visas
The process of hiring and granting a visa for a non-USA citizen that just finished school in the USA
The STEM extension of the OPT for foreign entrepreneurs launching startups (non-employed by existing and EVerify companies)
Shareholding issues that may caused by the immigration status of foreign entrepreneurs in start-up companies

This should be a particularly interesting discussion given the close timing of the event to the inauguration of President Elect Donald Trump, which will take place 6 days before the event. As Trump has promised to make many changes to the USA’s immigration policies, we are all curious to hear Megan’s thoughts on how his policies may affect international students looking to work in the USA upon graduation.
Food & Drink will be served! Catering will be provided by Eat Offbeat, a CU startup that delivers authentic and home-style ethnic meals that are conceived, prepared and delivered by refugees resettled in NYC.
Join us!
Have an announcement or idea to pitch to the group? Contact Ivy Schultz (is2350@columbia.edu) in advance and come prepared to pitch it!

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Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Charlie Rose
2017-01-27 15:00 - 16:15 | Watch Live Stream by Clicking “Register Now” Below
This event is sold out.
Please see Columbia’s Facebook page January 27th at 3:00 PM
To See This Event On Facebook live.
Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., will discuss a wide range of topics—from their friendship, philanthropy, and business; to global health, innovation, and leadership. Moderated by Charlie Rose, executive editor and host of the Charlie Rose Show. Welcome by President Lee C. Bollinger. Q&A with the audience to follow.

APPLICATION DEADLINE - Congressional Internship Program
2017-01-30 23:50 - 23:55 | Washington D.C.
University and College Entrepreneurs
Congressional Internship Program
Application Deadline January 30, 2017
Program runs mid-June to mid-August

The National Council of Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer (NCET2) announces a University and College Entrepreneurs Congressional Internship Program. This highly competitive program aims to educate and cultivate student leaders in policy issues that impact entrepreneurs and startups. The Program also seeks to build the student’s professional networks in the startup and policy communities in Washington D.C., in Silicon Valley, and at their home university and communities.
University and college students will intern in the offices of members of Congress – in the Senate or in the House of Representatives – with a high level of involvement in startups, tech transfer and/or entrepreneurship, at the pleasure of the office. Before beginning at Congress, interns admitted into the Program will also participate in a one-week Silicon Valley immersion to experience startup culture from entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, startup companies and corporations in the valley.
The internship program will run mid-June to mid-August 2017. The application deadline is on January 30, 2017. For more information about the program, visit: http://www.ncet2.org/internship.html or email interns@ncet2.org

Spark Workshop: Hacking Community Solar
2017-02-01 18:00 - 20:00 | Uris Hall, Calder Lounge 1st Floor, Columbia Business School, 3022 Broadway , New York City, NY, 10027, United States
The Democratization of Solar Energy
Featuring Donna Sanders ’17BUS, co-founder of Social Solar,
with special guests Gary Skulnik, Founding Partner of OurPower, and Annie Su, Senior Analyst of Ecogy Solar
Pollution that arises from the burning of fossil fuels has several environmental, financial, and health consequences. As a result, international, national, and local laws are being enacted favoring renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. New York State, specifically, has enacted a Clean Energy Standard that mandates 50 percent of all energy come from renewable sources by 2030.
Social Solar, founded by Columbia University alumni, caters to NYC residents and businesses who are dissatisfied with being excluded from solar simply because they live in co-ops and condos, or because their business rooftop is too small. Social Solar’s service is a new shared solution that provides consolidation of solar needs to form one solar community as an inclusive option for solar power, utility savings, and cleaner air. Join us to discuss:

What are some of the financial and structural barriers prohibiting widespread community solar adoption in NYC?
What are viable community solar solutions?

For more event information, please click here. This workshop is supported by the Lang Center for Entrepreneurship, Social Enterprise Club, Green Business Club, and Tamer Center for Social Enterprise at Columbia Business School; and the Columbia Organization of Rising Entrepreneurs (CORE) at Columbia University.
About the Spark Workshop Series
Spark Workshops provide social innovators with an opportunity to explore resources, connections, and potential solutions to help their social ventures. These workshops tap into the collective knowledge within Columbia University and the larger entrepreneurial and social impact community.
This workshop is open to all who are willing to bring their ideas, experience, and connections to help solve social and environmental challenges that these social innovators aim to address.
If you are unable to attend this event but would like more information on Spark, please register for our mailing list.
If you would like to suggest a future Spark workshop, please contact:
socialenterprise@gsb.columbia.edu

Building Credible Financials for Early Stage Investors
2017-02-02 18:30 - 20:30 | General Assembly, NYC, 10 East 21st, Third Floor, New York City, NY, 10010, United States
Please join us for an evening with David Ehrenberg, a long-time friend, partner and mentor to Columbia University Entrepreneurship. He started Early Growth Financial Services to provide a service that didn’t exist when he was working at early stage companies – high-quality accounting and strategic financial consulting services on demand.
David will conduct 90-minute interactive workshop, which will lay out

What angels are looking for in a set of credible financials
What really impresses them
What they DON’T want to see

What You’ll Take Away:
Founders of early-stage ventures are in love with their products, and all too often, they want to tell the whole, long story. Early-stage investors are all to often jaded, cynical and well, just real busy. If they even give you 10 minutes, it is likely that they’re distracted. How can founders make the most out of their pitch? How can you edit your the financial side of your story down to the most compelling bits?
David has seen it all, from both sides of the conversation. In this workshop, he’ll help you understand what is most relevant to investors and what is superfluous. He’ll help you gain an understanding how to build credibility by telling a credible story through numbers.
Why It Matters: If you’re raising capital for the first time, you’ll be a novice going up against a hardened veteran. Most founders can clearly articulate their value proposition, but sometimes struggle when it comes to telling a concise and credible numbers story.
About the Expert

David Ehrenberg Founder, Partner and Chief Executive Officer,
Early Growth Financial Services
David Ehrenberg founded Early Growth Financial Services (EGFS) in 2008 to address the lack of on-demand financial support available to startups. David’s passion for mentoring entrepreneurs, and helping early-stage startups to thrive, led him to create the integrated financial solution that EGFS provides, from day-to-day accounting to strategic finance, tax, and valuation support.
As CEO, David has overseen incredible growth at EGFS, leading to its being ranked #5 in Silicon Valley Business Journals’ annual Fastest Growing Private Companies award for 2013. David’s articles and insights are frequently posted in such prestigious publications as Forbes, Inc, VentureBeat, Huff Post Small Business, Yahoo! Small Business Advisor, Startup Nation, and more. He is an active speaker and event leader who presents regularly to founders and others within the startup ecosystem. He also co-founded and moderated Pitch Flip LA 2013 in which investors from Silicon Valley presented to a broad sampling from the LA startup community.
David has strategic and operational expertise in all areas of early-stage finance, including strategic planning, forecasting, venture funding, debt financing, and M&A. Prior to founding EGFS, David was the first CFO for Abound Logic, playing an integral role in building out the company’s finance and administrative infrastructure. Before that, David was a Controller for Microsoft, in a division that focused on creating new products and business solutions. Earlier in his career, David was a key member of the finance team at Extreme Networks and Voice Stream Wireless and VP of Finance for Radiant Research, where he was responsible for selling the company in two transactions and ensuring a successful exit for investors and management.
About Our Partners

Columbia Startup Lab - Applications Open
2017-02-08
Apply Now for the FY 2017
Columbia Startup Lab Cohort
Application
What is CSL?
CSL is Columbia University’s recent-alumni co-working space. It is a cross-school initiative between Columbia Entrepreneurship, Columbia Business School, School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, Columbia College, Columbia Law School, and School of International & Public Affairs. Resident ventures form a 71-person cohort of entrepreneurs from each of the partner schools. Together they comprise more than 40 startups. In its third year, the Lab has been “corporate headquarters” for more than 110 Columbia-founded ventures. To date, about 20% of the teams are hiring, raising funding, and are cash flow positive with about 10% driving annual revenue of more than $1M. The Lab has become the symbolic nexus for Columbia’s commitment to entrepreneurship.
Eligibility
CSL is open to recent alumni founders within five years of graduation, and their teams, from each of the partner schools listed above who are committed to working on their venture full-time. Recent-alumni who graduated in May 2012 or later are eligible to apply.
Application Process, Details and Dates
Sunday, March 12 at 11:59 PM EST: Applications Due

Teams must select one Columbia University-affiliated founding member from the above mentioned schools to apply
Only one application per team will be considered, regardless of the school in which the founder is affiliated

Week of March 14: Review of Applications
Weeks of March 20-31: In-person interviews
Week of April 3: Admissions decisions announced
Quick Facts

Admitted teams may spend up to one year in the space and are required to commit to a minimum of four months.
The space is administered by WeWork and includes: furnishings (desk and chair), WiFi, water/coffee, cleaning/maintenance and access to common facilities across the global WeWork network.
CSL provides ongoing workshops, office hours, networking events, and community building activities to help resident ventures advance their businesses. All CSL teams are encouraged to participate.
Columbia University affiliated tenants are required to commit to a four-month term in the space at a rate of $250 per month/per seat. The cost per seat for non-Columbia University team members is $400 per month/per seat.

Questions? Contact Sandra Merrill at skm2147@gsb.columbia.edu.
Application
