Meet the First-Year Innovation Fellowship Fall 2025 Cohort!
The newest Fall 2025 cohort of students in the First-Year Innovation Fellowship (FYIF) has arrived! FYIF is a semester-long program at Innovate@BU that empowers Boston University first-years to explore innovation and entrepreneurship through hands-on projects, mentorship, and community-building. Applications for Spring 2026 will open later this semester. To be notified when applications open, sign up […]
Ishtiyaq Shajahan Shares His Vision For Food Equity in Boston
Sign up for notifications about the Enlight Fellowship Summer 2026! Ishtiyaq Shajahan (CAS’26), a political science major eager to make a difference in his community, spent his summer in the Enlight Fellowship through Innovate@BU, where he launched a new nonprofit and explored the systems behind community-driven change. Originally from Brooklyn, NY, with family roots […]
Zachary DaSilva-Grondin on Finding Community and Inspiration Within the Enlight Fellowship
Sign up for notifications about the Enlight Fellowship Summer 2026! Zachary DaSilva-Grondin (Sargent’28) began his summer feeling exhausted. Fresh off a medical brigade in Guatemala, he entered the Enlight Fellowship unsure of what to expect. But, by the end, the community he found reshaped his perspective on his role in tackling some of the […]
Introducing the Fall 2025 Innovate@BU Student Ambassadors!
At Innovate@BU, we believe that innovation thrives when fueled by curiosity, passion, and collaboration. That’s why we’re excited to introduce our student ambassadors—your go-to peers for all things Innovate@BU. These ambassadors are more than just student representatives, they’re experienced innovators who have been in your shoes. Our ambassadors can answer questions to help you get […]
Patricia Porekuu on Empowering Ghanaian Women with Financial Literacy
Sign up for notifications about the Enlight Fellowship Summer 2026! Patricia Porekuu is a seasoned development practitioner from Ghana with over 15 years of experience in HIV, TB, and malaria programs, and she has spent her career educating and supporting underserved communities across Sub-Saharan Africa. When she arrived at Boston University’s School of Public […]
Riya Sandler Starts Conversations About Cord Blood Donations with her Enlight Fellowship Venture
Sign up for notifications about the Enlight Fellowship Summer 2026! Riya Sandler (Sargent’27) spent her summer splitting her time between the labor and delivery floor of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the innovation lab at Innovate@BU. Through the Enlight Fellowship, she combined her clinical interests with her entrepreneurial drive to launch a new venture aimed […]
Daniel Wijaya (CAS’25) Bridges Tech Skills and Community Service in Enlight Fellowship Program
Daniel Wijaya (CAS’25) never expected a newsletter buried three swipes down in his email would reshape his approach to entrepreneurship. The computer science and economics double major with a business administration minor had exposure to entrepreneurship through his brother’s ventures, but uncertainty about the risks kept him on the sidelines. “Before the Enlight Fellowship program, […]
Success at Innovators’ Night 2025: $80k in Prize Money, Student Awards, and a Visit from President Gilliam!
Last night, 500+ innovators from Boston University and beyond gathered at Innovator’s Night to connect, celebrate, and find out who won the 2025 New Venture Competition! The awards didn’t stop at the New Venture Competition, however. From Students Innovators of the Year, to incredible mentors, to the cohorts of Innovate@BU’s selective summer programs, entrepreneurs from […]
Innovate@BU Selects a Diverse Cohort for the 2025 Enlight Fellowship Program
The 2025 Enlight Fellowship cohort brings together ten passionate students from six different BU schools, each receiving a $10,000 stipend to intern at Boston nonprofits while developing their own social ventures. From combating human trafficking to enhancing healthcare literacy, expanding financial education access to sustainable art supply redistribution, these Fellows are addressing crucial community needs through innovative approaches and entrepreneurial thinking.
Meet the Spring 2025 Innovate@BU Student Ambassadors!
At Innovate@BU, we believe that innovation thrives when fueled by curiosity, passion, and collaboration. That’s why we’ve introduced our student ambassadors—your go-to peers for all things Innovate@BU. These ambassadors are more than just student representatives—they’re experienced innovators who have been in your shoes. Here’s how they can help you: Answer Questions: Get insights into Innovate@BU’s programs, […]