It is no secret that Harvard has been hot for entrepreneurship. Today the University announced the inaugural Director of its soon to open Innovation Lab, a venture accelerator and incubator for Harvard entrepreneurs. Gordon S. Jones, a former prof at Bentley University with degrees from Stanford and Brown, is the man who will officially assume the position on May 9th.
Momentum in 2010 built quickly around entrepreneurship at Harvard thanks to the Startup Tribe and other student and administrative driven initiatives like HackHarvard at the ugrad level and the $50k MVP Fund at the graduate level. This momentum has continued stronger into 2011 (check out this infographic around HBS’ startup activity by the numbers), most recently with presentations from 9 finalists in the annual HBS Business Plan Contest. Judging by his profile on LinkedIn, Jones has a nearly perfect mix of academic, large company (in product development roles), and startup and patent experience to fit the position’s bill and continue the entrepreneurial movement at the school.
“Innovation will play a vital role in sustaining and building U.S. competitiveness in the global economy,” said Jones. “I was bitten by the entrepreneurship bug at an early age and having helped launch several startups, I understand what it takes to bring a business concept from idea to fruition. I am very excited to be a part of the innovation lab and to work with local business people and the Allston community to make it a valuable resource for all.”
The University announced plans for the Harvard Innovation Lab the beginning of October 2010, with a $50 million commitment from India’s Tata Group. The Lab is slated to open in the fall semester of 2011 in its Allston campus at 125 Western Ave. HBS plans to fund, develop and connect the lab to the rest of Harvard’s campus and bridge academic divisions. Students will have co-working space at the lab, access to top-tier Entrepreneurs-in-Residence like Eric Ries, faculty, and a full program of related activities. The teams working in the building will come from academic courses, current centers across campus, teams entering their annual business plan competition, and more.
“With his extensive background helping undergraduate and graduate students, as well as his work with entrepreneurial ventures and his strong ties to Harvard University, Gordon is superb choice for this new and important position,” said Joseph Lassiter, at HBS and Faculty Co-Chair of the Harvard innovation lab. “He has the skills to build relationships between students and local entrepreneurs, create partnerships with area small business organizations, and develop a center of innovation that fully brings to life the spirit of innovation present throughout the wider University and community.”
Here is Jones’ full bio, sent in an email from Harvard earlier this morning:
“Jones has a long history of entrepreneurial activity. Having participated in the new product development of over 12 products and providing consulting services to small and large companies, he has extensive experience working with entrepreneurs, investors, partner organizations, and other key stakeholders. He currently serves as a business advisor to numerous startups, providing them with strategic and tactical marketing and sales direction. He has also been awarded two U.S. patents.
Earlier in his career, Jones was an equity partner and head of marketing and sales for the privately-held Universal Pest Solutions. He has also served as the senior vice president of marketing and sales for American Biophysics Corporation, and has ten years of experience working with The Gillette Company in a variety of marketing, new product development, and business development positions.
Jones also brings a deep understanding of the world of education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and, most importantly, a proven commitment to mentoring the next generation of thought leaders. Since 2008, he has served as an Adjunct Lecturer at Bentley University, teaching marketing to MBA and undergraduate students. Since 2007, he has worked with the Admissions Office at Harvard Business School in evaluating applicants for admission to the MBA program. He graduated from Brown University (BA) and earned an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.”
We also recommend you read Scott Kirsner’s opinion around some of the challenges Jones faces in the new role here. (Let’s be honest: We adore the headline on his article, too!)
