Today, Babson College's Center for Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership (CWEL) announced its latest WIN Lab(Women Innovating Now) initiative inside the Greenwood Women's Business Center (Greenwood WBC) in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The initiative is in partnership with the Greenwood WBC, the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Black Chambers Inc. (USBC), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and local Tulsa universities—Langston University (an Historically Black College and University), Oklahoma State University, Tulsa Community College, and Tulsa Tech. The WIN Lab is made possible through a grant given to Babson College from FedEx Corp. The Greenwood WBC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the SBA.
WIN Lab was first launched in 2013 by Babson's CWEL on the Wellesley campus. In 2016, the WIN Lab expanded to Miami. It's a first-of-its-kind program helping women entrepreneurs launch successful businesses and create economic and social impact.
Babson's Tulsa WIN Lab will reside in the Greenwood WBC, located in one of the remaining buildings left standing after the Tulsa Massacre 100 years ago. The building is a centerpiece in the initiative to "Help Rebuild Black Wall Street" preserving the legacy of this historic district. The center provides an array of resources designed to support women business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in achieving success.
Dr. Shakenna Wlliams, executive director of Babson's CWEL, spearheaded the Tulsa WIN Lab project. "We are grateful to have been invited by USBC and Greenwood WBC and look forward to working collaboratively with this distinguished organization in advancing opportunities for women entrepreneurs," said Dr. Williams.
The Tulsa WIN Lab is an extension of Babson's entrepreneurial leadership programming, designed specifically to meet the needs of women business owners in Tulsa and the Southwest region. The new site will offer programming from Babson's CWEL which includes workshops, networking events, accelerators, access to capital, and business development. The center also will offer local businesswomen access to other exclusive educational opportunities that are only available through Babson College.
"This initiative is a natural fit for Babson. Creating an environment where the talented women of Tulsa can be entrepreneurial leaders is critical to addressing our economic development challenges at the national level," said Stephen Spinelli Jr., Ph.D., President of Babson College. "Babson WIN Tulsa builds on Babson's strong track record in helping women leaders achieve success in business, government, and academia. We know that organizations that include women at all levels are more productive and successful," said Spinelli.
For more details about CWEL Tulsa and the Greenwood WBC, click here.
