NYU Veterans Future Lab: Dedicated to veteran entrepreneurs around the country By Michael Frank In November 2017, the Future Labs at New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering turned its entrepreneurial expertise to a new community: Veterans. The 11-year-old start-up network, a partnership born out of the school of engineering and initially funded by the city to kickstart New York’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, launched a business incubator dedicated to the underserved group of veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs. In a few short years, the NYU Veterans Future Lab (VFL) has grown into a hub of innovation with a powerful network of founders building strong, sustainable companies. In fact, the greater New York City area is now the number one metro area for veteran entrepreneurs. The VFL offers two programs, each designed to help entrepreneurs at different stages in their journey; Apex, a ninemonth incubator program for pre-seed ventures; and Veterans Entrepreneurship Training (VET), 12-week programs for early-stage or aspiring entrepreneurs. Both are offered at no cost to participants and provide access to resources, mentorship, and a community of driven individuals.
“One important component of entrepreneurship is building a strong network, whether it’s to get support from other founders, enable access to funding, meet potential clients, or identify critical resources,” says Grant Fox, VFL Director and a US Navy veteran. “Veteran entrepreneurs, while having a strong community from their time in service, may not have had the time or opportunity to build these kinds of connections that can lead to successful ventures. The VFL, part of a worldrenowned university and a network of entrepreneurship programs, is uniquely positioned to offer that, making a powerful transition to civilian life.”
Throughout the program the VFL organizes guest speakers for participants to hear from a variety of industry experts.
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WWW.HomelandMagazine.com / FEBRUARY 2021