If you walked through the doors of the Leslie eLab this past semester, you likely felt a different kind of energy. It is not just the buzz of students “getting out of the building” to test their hypotheses. It is the tangible sense of an ecosystem that is shifting gears. We are moving from establishing a culture of entrepreneurship to scaling it into a global powerhouse for innovation.

As we wrap up the fall semester, I asked my team to help me reflect on the blur of activity since the end of the summer. When we listed it all out, it became clear that this was not just a busy semester. It was a transformative one.

Here is a look at how we deepened our impact this fall, from the lab bench to the marketplace.

A Transformational Gift

The headline of the semester is undoubtedly the incredible $25 million gift from Mark and Debra Leslie.

Since 2014, the Leslies’ generosity has anchored our work at the Leslie eLab. It gave us the physical space to collide and collaborate. Their new gift is a game-changer. It is dedicated to "supercharging" our ability to commercialize faculty research and turn breakthrough discoveries in AI, healthcare, and sustainability into viable ventures. It effectively ensures that NYU will remain a leader in the deep tech revolution and provides the resources to help our researchers navigate the journey from scientific discovery to societal impact.

Deep Tech and Research Commercialization

We are already seeing the appetite for this kind of rigorous, evidence-based entrepreneurship. This semester we saw a record number of participants in our Tech Venture Workshop, our program designed specifically to help researchers test the commercial potential of their work.

To further bridge the gap between the lab and the business world, we launched the Tech Venture Teamup. This initiative paired 9 faculty teams with MBA students to bring business discipline to scientific brilliance. We also introduced Innovation Happy Hours specifically for PhDs and postdocs to build a community where deep tech founders can find their tribe.

The results speak for themselves. The NYU Innovation Venture Fund just closed its 45th investment in Synaptrix Labs (Summer Launchpad '24), a startup developing neural interfaces for individuals with cerebral palsy. This is exactly the kind of "tech for good" that defines NYU innovation.

To see what this journey actually looks like, you only need to read our Beyond the Bench blog series, which has been on fire this semester profiling our deep tech founders. We highlighted OraLiva, which is redefining oral cancer diagnostics; MICSI, a team revolutionizing radiology with AI-powered imaging; Omios Biologics, who are reimagining oncology with cancer-killing viruses; Heliotrope Photonics, a startup brightening the future of solar energy; and most recently Vital Audio, whose team is turning the human voice into a powerful biomarker for health. These stories aren't just technical wins; they are proof points of the commercial pathways we are building here.

Empowering Student Founders (and using AI to do it)

While we double down on research, our commitment to student founders has never been stronger. We launched the Leslie Founders community which is a curated program for our most promising student ventures. We selected 69 ventures for this inaugural cohort and provided them with dedicated resources, workspace, and a community of peers serious about execution.

We are also practicing what we preach on innovation. We launched Leslie, our new AI Co-pilot. For years I have taught that you cannot outsource customer discovery to an algorithm. That remains true. You still have to talk to humans! However, "Leslie" helps our founders prep for those interviews, synthesize insights, and sharpen their hypotheses faster than ever before.

The demand for these tools is real. We had a record number of participants in our Startup Bootcamps this fall which proves that the entrepreneurial spirit at NYU is growing rather than plateauing.

Recognition and Results

The wider world is taking notice of what we are building here. NYU was recently honored with the Fast Company / Inc. Magazine Ignition Award which ranked us #8 on their list of institutions shaping the next generation of entrepreneurs.

We also hosted our largest NYU Entrepreneurs Festival to date with the most RSVPs in the event’s history. It was fitting that our keynote speaker was Denis Yarats, Courant alum and co-founder of Perplexity. He reminded us all that massive and industry-disrupting companies are being born right here in our classrooms and labs.

Our alumni continue to lead the way as well. We saw numerous fundraising success stories this semester, highlighted by Rilla (Summer Launchpad ‘18) raising a massive $70M Series B. It is a testament to the power of sticking with a problem and relentlessly listening to customers.

Looking Ahead

Finally, I am proud that our team published more blog posts this year than ever before. Whether it is sharing lessons on why AI can't replace customer discovery, our NYU Founder’s Guide to VC series or highlighting founder stories, we are committed to sharing our playbook with the world.

As I look back on these months, I am incredibly grateful to my team, our mentors, the Leslies, our many other generous donors and sponsors, and the broader NYC startup ecosystem that supports our work every day, as well as the founders who trust us to be part of their journey.

We are just getting started.