The Lab for Inclusive Entrepreneurship

Helping diverse small businesses scale up

3rd Annual Symposium on Supplier Diversity in Higher Education

Watch for highlights.

The Good, The Bad, The Future: Reimagining Minority Business Development

Minority business development in the U.S. has seen remarkable progress over the past few decades, but it still faces significant hurdles. At the 3rd Annual...

Competing for Business in the Higher Education Market: What Can Diverse Suppliers Do? 

The barriers to entry into the huge higher education market for goods and services can be daunting, especially for diverse local businesses. Research...

Stay focused on the WHY of supplier diversity 

In the summer 2024 issue of the Education Procurement Journal, Veronica Fletcher Cook reflects on her inspiring work as the Executive Program Director for the...

Announcing Our Latest Research Report: “Taking the Pulse of Procurement Professionals: The State of Supplier Diversity in Higher Education”

The Lab for Inclusive Entrepreneurship has published its third major research report, "Taking the Pulse of Procurement Professionals: The State of Supplier...

Welcoming four new members to our Advisory Council.

The Northeastern Lab for Inclusive Entrepreneurship is delighted to welcome four new members to our Advisory Council. ➡ Jeffrey Roy is the Head of Category...

Beyond the Campus: How Massachusetts Colleges Drive Local Economies

Last year, the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts (AICUM) published a report that examined the economic and social impact...

The National Association of Educational Procurement and The Northeastern Lab for Inclusive Entrepreneurship Announce Educational and Research Partnership

The National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP) and the Northeastern Lab for Inclusive Entrepreneurship announced plans to collaborate on a range...

Taking the Pulse of Procurement Professionals in Higher Education

As a follow-up to a recent survey of 100+ higher education procurement professionals, the Lab conducted a series of focus groups to drill deeper into the...

Doing Business with Higher Education: Module for Diverse Small Businesses

We're delighted to announce a new online resource for diverse small businesses interested in selling products or services to colleges and universities. The...

Sit. Stay. Forever.

Steve Whitney is the owner Sit. Stay. Forever, a Maine-based company that makes and sells safe and sustainable pet products. He also participated in the Lab’s...

The Lab is now accepting applications for the 4th cohort of Inclusive Entrepreneurs.

This 20-week fellowship program, running from March 10 to July 25, 2025, is designed to help 10 small business owners from Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island enhance their market strategy and build their leadership skills. Click here to learn more about the program. And register for the online information session on Tuesday, December 10 from 6 to 7 pm ET.

Promoting supplier diversity in higher education

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which is dedicated to unlocking economic opportunity for all, has awarded the Lab for Inclusive Entrepreneurship a major three-year grant to continue its research on supplier diversity in higher education.

Looking for business assistance to help grow your company?

Our student consulting teams work with small businesses in Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island to help address key business challenges.

Strengthen your capabilities with lifelong learning opportunities

Interested in pursuing your business education at a top-tier global university? Northeastern University’s College of Professional Studies offers a wide range of degree and certificate programs.