How Bamboo Collaborates with Universities & Students

At Bamboo, our mission is to build a more inclusive and innovative economy. Universities are anchor institutions in our communities that help to support talent and innovation. 

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Bamboo recently opened in Ann Arbor, Michigan, home to the University of Michigan. The University of Michigan is well known for their innovation landscape - creating thousands of inventions, many of which spin-off into companies. In addition to this great work, the University of Michigan continues to lead the way with entrepreneurship programs cultivating the next generation of startups and small businesses in our region. 

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In many of our cities, anchor institutions like this university, play a vital role in creating a vibrant community. Entrepreneurial hubs like Bamboo co-working, can serve as connection points helping students and local companies collaborate together. 

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Currently at Bamboo we have 1,400 members. Many of these members are fast growing teams with opportunities to hire or mentor our local student talent. Below are a few ways Bamboo’s coworking and entrepreneurial spaces work in partnership with universities to create impact in our communities together. 

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Supporting Student Entrepreneurship Programs

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When Bamboo Ann Arbor opened our doors, we hosted Optimize, a social entrepreneurship program. For two months, students came to our classroom space at Bamboo in downtown Ann Arbor and not only learned about entrepreneurship but utilized our facilities around other entrepreneurs. This gave them a place for inspiration and connection, a place to envision their work in an environment outside of a traditional classroom.  

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Maximize Catalyst Accelerator is an additional program for students to cultivate their entrepreneurship journey. A hybrid program between Detroit and Ann Arbor, this program provides additional hands-on cohort educational support to help students transition to a full time entrepreneur. Participants learned fundraising and key business model skills such as getting their first sales, building a team, and more. This program especially helps students get further connected to entrepreneurs, investors, and resources in the greater ecosystem. 

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Creating a Network for Students 

Students can also attend many of Bamboo’s professional and educational events for free -- subscribing to our public newsletter or following our website for networking opportunities. Students who come out and attend meetups or events can connect with professionals in the area for potential opportunities. Some students also send us their resumes if they are looking to join a local Michigan based startup or small business. We then share this out to our membership community or make introductions when available. 

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Student Membership Rates - Flexible and Affordable 

Some students are seeking to find space outside of their home or library to work on their research or innovations. Space at Bamboo is very affordable for university students discounted at a rate of $99/month. This allows students the time and resources to focus on their work in a focused and collaborative environment, while tapping into the other perks mentioned at Bamboo. 

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As we continue to grow our network in the State of Michigan, we welcome all universities to consider partnering with us, engaging or hosting programs at our facilities, and working together to create a more innovative and inclusive economy. 

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