Jodi Goldstein Tapped To Lead I-Lab

Jodi Goldstein, director of the Harvard Innovation Lab, was named Wednesday the i-Lab’s new managing director, the highest position within the organization. She will replace Gordon S. Jones, who is leaving Harvard for Boise State’s new innovation college in June.

Goldstein, who has been at the i-Lab since its inception in 2011, will assume her new position at the end of the academic year. The i-Lab, located in Allston, is a cross-disciplinary facility that serves Harvard students interested in innovation and entrepreneurship. In an interview earlier this month, Jones said approximately 3,800 students made use of the i-Lab in the past year.

By Y. Kit Wu

“I feel like we are still in the infancy of our development, and I’m looking forward to further developing the programs that we started,” Goldstein said. “It’s a nice time to step back and reimagine a version 2.0 of the i-Lab… and what this last iteration will be.”

Goldstein said in the coming months she will discuss the future of the i-Lab with Jones and the i-Lab staff. Jones said he is confident in his appointed successor’s ability to lead the i-Lab.

“[Goldstein’s] strength in the startup community and passion for Boston and Harvard students in particular is going to really serve the lab well as it moves forward into its next chapter,” Jones said, adding that Goldstein was a “natural choice” for the selection committee, which was composed of various deans and Provost Alan M. Garber ’76.

Jones said he and Goldstein share ideological similarities, but he also emphasized her unique skills. “Her own imprint will show itself over time,” Jones said.

While new plans for the i-Lab are still in the development stage, Goldstein said she will work to strengthen the platform already established at the i-Lab, making the facility more adept at “resourcing from a larger population” and encouraging heightened entrepreneurial activity on campus. Goldstein said she and the i-Lab team are looking forward to further “productizing” their offerings to better measure the i-Lab’s value.

According to Goldstein, the selection committee has not yet named her replacement as i-Lab director.

—Staff writer Ignacio Sabate can be reached at ignacio.sabate@thecrimson.com . Follow him on Twitter @TheIggySabate.