Experiential Project Spotlight

Guided by faculty experts, student teams in the College of Professional Studies collaborate with sponsoring organizations to address a wide range of business challenges. Currently, a team of Geospatial Studies students is learning how to apply geospatial mapping technology to strengthen the competitiveness of diverse small businesses. Watch for updates on how they tackle the challenge for a Boston area small business.

Promoting Supplier Diversity

Funded by a grant from Northeastern University’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, a faculty team is investigating ways to promote supplier diversity in higher education.

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We Help Small Businesses Scale Up

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What We Do

As a University Center designated by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, Northeastern Lab for Inclusive Entrepreneurship (NL4IE) seeks to assist small businesses, particularly ones in the Portland-Boston-Providence Corridor, in recovering from the COVID-19 damages and scaling up in the future.

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Our Approach

NL4IE is carrying out two major initiatives. First, we provide in-depth technical and managerial assistance to small businesses, particularly ones hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and ones owned by socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs. Second, we offer inclusive, equitable innovation and entrepreneurship IE fellowships for small business owners to take a sequence of micro-credential courses related to their survival and growth.

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Our Mission

The mission of NL4IE is to contribute to economic development in the New England region by promoting inclusive, equitable innovation and entrepreneurship and assisting small businesses in addressing their technical and managerial challenges.

Small Business Assistance

We select 20 small businesses and provide in-depth technical and managerial assistance to them every year. Northeastern eXperiential learNing (XN) teams, composed of faculty and students, spend 6 – 12 weeks solving challenges faced by small businesses.

About Our Team

Francesca Grippa

Professor of Business Strategy & Innovation

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Carl Zangerl

Professor of Organizational Communication

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Mikhail Oet

Professor of Commerce and Economic Development

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Youngbok Ryu

Professor of Commerce and Economic Development

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Aimee Freiner

Global Studies and International Relations (Master)

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Shehnaz Khan

Project Management & Entrepreneurship (Master)

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Salu Singh

Commerce and Economic Development (Master)

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Our Partners

Community Business Clinic

The Community Business Clinic is Northeastern’s primary transactional law clinic.

We offer students real-world experience in providing free, business-related legal services to startups, entrepreneurs and small businesses, especially those in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. The clinic’s work aims to support community-led growth.

Students help clients with a wide range of business-related needs, including:

Incorporation and choice of entity (corporation, limited liability company, etc.)
Contract negotiation, drafting and review (customer and vendor contracts, waivers, etc.)
Employment law
Licenses, permits, zoning
Intellectual property counseling
Commercial leases
Financing

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IP CO-LAB

The IP CO-LAB, an intellectual property clinic at Northeastern University School of Law, is here to help. Founded in 2014 to provide legal services to the Northeastern University “entrepreneurial ecosystem,” the clinic offers free assistance to any current or former Northeastern student, faculty or staff member. The clinic routinely provides trademark and copyright services and has a proven track record of success, most notably by protecting brand names and logos. And although not yet actively involved in providing patent assistance, the clinic can help protect trade secrets and advise on steps that may be needed to obtain patent protection. We work closely with Northeastern University’s Mosaic community and, as part of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Law School Clinic Certification Program, we offer IP-related assistance to individuals and entities throughout Massachusetts who cannot otherwise afford legal services.

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Women Who Empower

Northeastern University’s Women Who Empower initiative is grounded in the belief that diverse and inclusive communities empower a better world. Our network comprises strong, aspiring, and distinguished individuals dedicated to fostering positive environments, building lasting connections, and providing meaningful experiences where all people thrive.

We aim to inspire and enable future generations to be creative, innovative, and agile as they pursue powerful and transformative positions in the fields of their choice. And we are committed to supporting our community members through events, scholarship support, entrepreneurship, mentorship programs, ambassador opportunities, and more.

Together, we can overcome disparities and biases, connect by sharing inspirational stories, and lead change in our communities and beyond.

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Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion promotes the University’s commitment to equal opportunity, affirmative action, diversity, and social justice while building a climate of inclusion on and beyond campus.

Our mission is to provide leadership by cultivating an inclusive environment that denounces discrimination through innovation, collaboration and an awareness of global perspectives on social justice. We also promote compliance with relevant federal, state and local anti-discrimination laws.