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By Nikki Cabus

Watson Institute is launching a fully-funded Venture Accelerator program for next-generation entrepreneurs

Read Time 3 Minutes

The Watson Institute is launching a fully-funded Venture Accelerator program for next-generation entrepreneurs with the skills, resources, and experience to scale the impactful ventures they are building. 

Fellows will learn advanced skills in entrepreneurship and leadership, have the opportunity to earn seed funding (up to $6,000), garner experience, and build a global network, as they lay the foundation to empower many more individuals and transform their communities. This program is offered with virtual and in-person components. 

Watson Institute is a place where next generation entrepreneurs and leaders can find their community, discover their calling, and accelerate their careers. They provide the tools, network, mindset, and courage for the next generation to solve the toughest challenges facing the world, launch successful careers, and lead impactful lives.

Watson Institute has locations in Boulder, Colorado, and at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida and runs accelerators for leading corporations including Ford Motor Company Fund and Western Union Foundation. They are now building partnerships with innovative corporations and institutions of higher education in the US and globally.

With over 400 scholars and alumni representing almost 70 countries, they have raised over $175 million, created over 1,500 part or full-time jobs, and impacted over 5 million people around the world through initiatives they help lead. Watson Institute Alumni have been selected to Y Combinator, the Echoing Green Fellowship, and six have been named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 lists. Alumni continue their education at Harvard University, Princeton University, and Oxford Saïd’s Business School.

The Watson Institute students “major in their mission” as they obtain a Bachelor of Science in Social Impact and Entrepreneurship from Lynn University. They intern at leading corporations and nonprofits while developing the skills to lead successful careers or even launch their own ventures.

The Watson Institute Venture Accelerator is a 16-week program designed for impact-driven entrepreneurs seeking to elevate their ventures with access to a global network, training designed to strengthen skills, and mentorship with seasoned professionals, venture capitalists, and executives. The program will kick off with an in-person Immersive in Boulder, Colorado from July 20th – July 28th. The remaining 14 weeks is virtual and provides award-winning training, committed mentorship, and a powerful community of peers for next-generation entrepreneurs to advance their impact-focused ventures and lives. The time commitment for the 14 weeks is approximately 6–8 hours per week. This program is designed to complement the entrepreneurs’ existing venture work, allowing them to implement learnings in real-time.

Eligible participants will be entrepreneurs leading an early-stage social impact venture with demonstrated impact metrics and traction, those able to commit to the 16-week program including the in-person Immersive in Boulder, Colorado and can be from any geographical location with a preference to applicants from the USA, Brazil, China, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania.

Learn more and apply here.

By Nikki Cabus

Lynn University appoints Christian Boniforti as Chief Strategy and Technology Officer

Read Time 2 Minutes

Boca Raton, Florida, Nov. 12, 2018 — President Kevin M. Ross announced in his annual state of the university address Nov. 8, that Christian Boniforti ’02 will become Lynn University’s first chief strategy and technology officer (CSTO).

Editors Note: Chris Boniforti also serves on the Board of Directors of the Palm Beach Tech Association.

Boniforti served as Lynn’s chief information officer for the past 12 years. As CSTO, he will focus on organizational strategy to unlock value for students and identify large-scale business and technology solutions. He will help Lynn deliver measurable, cost-effective results to make the Lynn 2025 strategy a reality.

“Chris has been instrumental in developing Lynn as a personalized and innovative institution, supporting everything from our Lynn 2025 strategic plan to mobile learning,” said President Kevin M. Ross. “This new position will better represent his growing role that impacts our university beyond information technology.”

Over the years, Boniforti has advised Lynn leadership on technology strategy and infrastructure planning, managed campus network and information services, and designed and implemented the university’s award-winning iPad learning program. He also led extensive technology preparations for the 2012 U.S. Presidential Debate, which positioned Lynn ahead of other universities and enabled it to implement innovative campus design and mobile learning opportunities.

Boniforti is a South Florida Business Journal Top CIO; earned a position on the 2014 CIO 100 list; was a 2018 South Florida Business and WealthApogee Award winner, and has been featured as a technology expert in Campus Technology magazine, EdTech MagazineThe Chronicle of Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed. He regularly speaks as a guest at educational technology presentations at national conferences including eMerge Americas, EDUCAUSE, ACUTA, UBTech and others.

Boniforti earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Lynn University. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in educational leadership and management with a concentration in creativity and innovation at Drexel University. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

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About Lynn University | Lynn University is an independent college based in Boca Raton, Florida, with approximately 3,000 students from nearly 100 countries. U.S. News & World Report has named it among the most innovative and international universities. Lynn’s NCAA Division II Fighting Knights have won 24 national titles, its Conservatory of Music features a world-renowned faculty of performers, and its nationally recognized Institute for Achievement and Learning empowers students with learning differences. The school’s Dialogues curriculum and award-winning iPad program help Lynn graduates gain the intellectual flexibility and global experience to fulfill their potential in an ever-changing world. For more information, visit lynn.edu.

Watson Institute is launching a fully-funded Venture Accelerator program for next-generation entrepreneurs
Lynn University appoints Christian Boniforti as Chief Strategy and Technology Officer