Monique Fuchs is a go-getter, the type of determined leader befitting the entrepreneurial spirit of Accelerate, Wentworth Innovation + Entrepreneurship Center, which she heads. Described as “Wentworth Unplugged,” Accelerate was launched in May 2012 to provide added thought partnerships, interdisciplinary engagement, and out-of-the-box ideas among students, alumni, industry, and the Boston community. In two years, Accelerate has expanded to include the Startup Challenge, the Social Innovation Lab, and College Think Tank Boston. Accelerate has produced 200 ideas from 500 students, worked with more than 130 external collaborators, and secured $113,000 in funding.
Why was Wentworth the right fit for Accelerate?
Wentworth has always had a knack for employing a “maker” culture and finding solutions to real problems. Before Accelerate, a high percentage of students here were interested in doing their own thing after graduation. We wanted to channel that energy.
Monique Fuchs
Have more students been inspired to join Accelerate after the successes of other groups?
Absolutely. We’re seeing more students looking for co-op and job opportunities in startups, and we’ve heard from students that when they apply for jobs and have Accelerate on their résumés, it’s automatic validation with many employers. Students are very interested in the entrepreneurial space, and we’re giving them the tools to succeed there.
Where is Accelerate heading?
Our big focus is product and social impact, and we want to continue that sort of maker culture—really own it. We’ve talked with a lot of people in the innovation space externally and they have noted that someone really needs to step up to own the product niche, and that’s what I see us doing.
