Northeastern University

The proposed project aims to alleviate the negative impacts of COVID-19 on minority- and women-owned small businesses (MWSBs) and promote technological innovation and entrepreneurship by offering in-depth technical and managerial assistance through the establishment of a Northeastern Lab for Inclusive Entrepreneurship (NL4IE) and initiating the Inclusive, Equitable Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IE^2) Fellowship. Taking advantage of Northeastern University’s world-renowned innovative approach to hands-on learning through co-ops and internships, faculty and student teams will work collaboratively to solve various challenges faced by vulnerable MWSBs through its unique experiential learning (XN) framework. This framework allows teams of students and faculty to solve unprecedented problems through in-depth research and transdisciplinary approaches. s. In this regard, NL4IE seeks to provide underrepresented entrepreneurial students and business owners with the IE^2 Fellowships to experience coaching/mentoring services and IE^2-related digital badges, which are micro-credential courses focused on specific skill sets.