News

Actions

ODU Innovation Center officially launches in downtown Norfolk

Posted at 11:10 AM, Jul 20, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-20 17:54:15-04

NORFOLK, Va. - Governor Terry McAuliffe joined Old Dominion University President John R. Broderick and Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander at the ribbon-cutting and dedication of the Old Dominion University Innovation Center on Wednesday.

The center was created through a partnership between ODU's Center for Enterprise Innovation (CEI) and the City of Norfolk. According to a release from ODU, the center "provides area entrepreneurs with collaboration space and a comprehensive program of services provides area entrepreneurs with collaboration space and a comprehensive program of services designed to grow a community of scalable entrepreneurial businesses within Norfolk's Innovation Corridor."

"We are eager to use our strengths to actively engage entrepreneurs, the future job creators of our region," says ODU COO David Harnage said. "The ODU Innovation Center - Norfolk will help fuse the campus and Norfolk community, and provide a dedicated downtown location where we can offer business startup training, mentorship and space for entrepreneurs to innovate."

The ODU Innovation Center - Norfolk will also be an extension of programs offered by the University's Strome Entrepreneurial Center and the College of Continuing Education and Professional Development. It will be a place where Old Dominion students, faculty and alumni can gather to build relationships with local businesses, staff members of the city's Department of Economic Development and like-minded students and faculty from partner institutions.