Welcome Babson Miami!
Guest blog post by Carolina Pina, Director, Babson’s WIN Lab® Miami
It is such an exciting time to be at Babson College, and in Miami. Both are growing and garnering more momentum for the world of business, and now, the school known best for Entrepreneurial Thought & Action® is making its footprint in the Magic City even greater. I couldn’t be more thrilled to witness what is sure to be transformative growth and to welcome Babson Miami in Fall 2018.
Only one year ago, Babson settled in Miami with its Women Innovating Now (WIN)® Lab, an eight-month accelerator program for women entrepreneurs founded out of the college’s Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (CWEL). We have since seen very positive ripple effects in the community. The entrepreneurs (WINners) from the inaugural cohort have completely dominated local pitch competitions, and have collectively raised more than $2 million in funding. We also just recently selected the next round of high-impact women entrepreneurs who will start in the WIN Lab this Fall.
Now, adding a business education component, Babson is poised to make big waves. Babson identified Miami as a prime hub location given the high concentration of graduates in the South Florida area. When you add the number of members of the Latin America alumni community that spend time in Miami, that figure really grows! Leveraging this valuable asset has been a critical component of the success of WIN Lab and having a business school located in South Florida is sure to further the bridge between the Americas.
Miami’s entrepreneurial spirit, powerful network of connections, and its proximity to Latin America, will enable Babson to make lasting impact well beyond local and regional borders. The ability to travel to Miami and have access to programs and esteemed faculty from a top business school will not only give Babson MBA students the knowledge and tools needed to succeed, but also an environment that is highly entrepreneurial and thirsty for top talent.
Through this Miami hub strategy, envisioned by Babson College President Kerry Healey, Babson now has a tangible competitive advantage over some of the local offerings.
The new location will offer three of Babson’s world-renowned graduate programs— the Blended Learning MBA, a Master of Science in Business Analytics degree—in addition to its established women’s accelerator, WIN Lab Miami. We will be able to continue to increase our local economic impact by infusing intellectual capital with talented professionals and entrepreneurs who are ready to start ventures.
As Babson’s footprint becomes more global and impactful, I have no doubt that Babson will be a key player in the future of Miami and the region. Through our graduates, entrepreneurs, and highly engaged members of the community, we will make this hub a successful business case that can replicated in other parts of the world.