The Collaboratory developed as an outgrowth of the successful Empowering Women in Technology Startups program (EWITS®). The expansion now brings The Hub incubator space to 100,000 square feet and builds on the incubator’s record of success in growing technology-based startups since it opened in 2011. The Collaboratory launch coincided with The Hub’s Phase II expansion in early 2018. The location provides great synergy between the UF campus and the Gainesville startup community. Recently launched in March 2018, the Collaboratory is part of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and is located in the new wing of UF Innovate | The Hub, the technology business incubator formerly called the Innovation Hub at UF. Research correlating diversity in leadership with market outcomes shows that companies with 2-D diversity out-innovate and outperform more homogenous companies: Diverse companies were 45 percent more likely to report market share growth and 70 percent more likely to report that they captured a new market. Diversity is a crucial element for innovation: Approaching problem-solving from unique viewpoints and bringing varied experiences to the table maximizes an organization’s ability to discover the most effective, efficient solutions. The Collaboratory aims to be an inclusive space that promotes diversity within innovation. This may mean stepping up more in their current positions and taking on more leadership roles within their companies.Īnd despite the name, many of the Collaboratory programs are open to all genders. This may include starting a company themselves or going to work for a technology or startup company. At a fundamental level, we want to help women stretch beyond their comfort zones and support them in recognizing and pursuing opportunities in entrepreneurial and innovative fields. We also work with academics to help them recognize that their research projects may have commercial potential. We have programs to engage women at earlier stages, perhaps when they are interested in learning more about the entrepreneurship process. The Collaboratory offers a portfolio of programs and resources to support women at various stages of their journeys. We created the Collaboratory for Women Innovators to help address some of these issues by providing strategic solutions to increase the number of women involved in creating new innovations and bringing them to market. Systemic reasons are behind this, but at a fundamental level, women are significantly underrepresented in all aspects of technology commercialization: the process of inventing, developing and bringing products to market. On the contrary, as serial entrepreneur Danielle Kayembe pointed out, “Most of the structures, design, technology and products we interact with are designed with males as the default.” Nine out of 10 women will be responsible for their own or their family’s finances at some point in life.ĭespite this market share domination, industries have been surprisingly slow to capitalize on opportunities to provide products that take women’s perspectives into account. Women are often the decision-makers behind less tangible purchases (financial decisions) such as family healthcare services and insurance. This phenomenon is not limited to product purchases. Globally, that number rises to $20 trillion annually. It may not surprise you to hear that women drive the majority of consumer spending in the United States - reports cite that women influence up to 85 percent of consumer spending, which translates to $7 trillion annually. In your home, who makes the majority of your purchasing decisions?
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