Recently, Richie Karaburun, clinical professor and director of the Hospitality Innovation (HI) Hub at the NYU SPS Jonathan M. Tisch Center for Hospitality, led students from the Virginia Tech Founders Circle on a tour of the co-learning spaces at the HI Hub where they heard more about the many programs and events offered by the Incubator.
The Tisch Center launched the HI Hub to help foster entrepreneurship and creative solutions for the industries it services. The state-of-the-art facilities offer students and start-ups access to established industry partners and opportunities to learn, discover, innovate, and invest.
The Virginia Tech Founders Circle aims to help students develop the network and skills needed to grow their start-up ideas through workshops, treks, and pitch competitions. All students in the Founders Circle currently have their start-up or business, ranging from being in the early stages to having some years of experience.
On their visit, they learned how the HI Hub Incubator Program helps NYU-affiliated start-up entrepreneurs and innovators plan, launch, manage, and grow their businesses, including learning new skill sets when it comes to marketing, customer discovery, financial/legal setup, and much more.
From learning about upcoming events and information about the HI Hub’s mentors and investors to hearing about the success stories of past Incubator Program finalists, the students gained insight into the components that make the HI Hub the powerful resource that it is.
Students also had the opportunity to hear from Nicolas Graf, Associate Dean of the Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality and Virginia Tech Alum, on his career path and how the Incubator was created. “Allow yourself to push boundaries,” Dean Graf advised the students as they continue to pursue their business ventures and start their careers.