Rob Shelton

Harvard Innovation Labs

The Harvard Innovation Labs is a vibrant, cross-disciplinary ecosystem for the Harvard community to explore innovation and entrepreneurship while building deeper connections. It is an excellent example of the One Harvard vision and a leading catalyst for the Allston Science and Enterprise District. The Harvard Innovation Labs began in 2011 with the opening of the i-lab, and has expanded since with the additions of the alumni-focused Harvard Launch Lab in 2014, and the Pagliuca Harvard Life Lab, a co-working life-sciences community, in 2016. The approach differs from that of other entrepreneurship centers in its breadth, operating model, and governance. First, it accepts any student from any Harvard school with any idea, fostering cross-disciplinary, cross-university collaboration. The i-lab resources support student ventures spanning social and cultural entrepreneurship, health and sciences, technology, and consumer fields. Second, it is student centered and faculty enabled, with programming supplied by schools across Harvard to help students take their ideas as far as they can go. Third, the i-lab serves as a new model for university collaboration as it is co-governed by the Provost and Deans of Harvard.