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SPARK WORKSHOP

The American Bionics Project: Promoting Revolutionary Technology for People with Disabilities

Facilitated By Steven Galeazzi ‘10BUS

Tuesday, February 20, 2018
6-8 p.m.
Refreshments included with RSVP

Columbia Entrepreneurship Design Studio
Riverside Church
490 Riverside Drive, Room 430
New York, NY 10027

OVERVIEW
There is a gap between the needs of people with physical disabilities in the United States and the solutions available to meet those needs. 

Promising technologies exist, either in labs or as early stage ventures, but the rate of innovation in this space is slow due to a limited investment pipeline committed to disability-related technology and related biomechanical solutions. This lack of investment (and subsequent lack of rapid innovation) stems from traditional funding sources not seeing the large profit potential necessary to justify adding such investments to their portfolios. 

What if technologies for people with physical disabilities can be profitable while also helping those in need? What if they can be designed not only to serve people with disabilities, but also to spur innovation for broader consumer markets? 

By providing early stage funding and business advisement, The American Bionics Project will serve as the catalyst for advanced technologies and medical solutions for people with physical disabilities. 

AREAS FOR DISCUSSION

  • Where should The American Bionics Project focus as they build and scale the organization?
  • What are the areas of intersection between the broader commercial market and disabled technology?
  • What should be the investment criteria for innovative assistive and adaptive technology? 

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY
Steven Galeazzi is the founder of the American Bionics Project, a nonprofit dedicated to revolutionizing technology for people who are physically disabled. Ever since he was young, Steve has been passionate about service to others, but when his younger brother lost both of his legs during a deployment to Afghanistan, the nature of that service evolved into a calling.

Steve is a former Captain in the US Army, serving as an intelligence officer in Latin America and Afghanistan. His professional experience ranges from management consulting to startups and private healthcare. 

Steve’s education includes a BBA from Loyola University in Maryland, an MBA from Columbia University, and an MA from New York University. In his spare time, Steve can be found seeking outdoor adventure, trying new recipes in the kitchen, or traveling to places that make his mom worry.  

 


 

Spark provides Social Innovators with an opportunity to explore resources, connections and potential solutions to help their social ventures. These workshops tap into the collective knowledge within Columbia University and the larger entrepreneurial and social impact community.

Spark is a platform for ventures to make valuable connections, as the audience is a self-selected group interested in the topic area. Ventures are also able to gather ideas through group brainstorming to help them address specific questions or problems within the business organization. 

These workshops are free and open to all who are willing to bring their ideas, experience, and connections to help solve social and environmental challenges that social innovators aim to address.

If you are unable to attend the above event but would like more information on Spark, please register for our mailing list.

For more information, or if you would like to suggest a future Spark workshop, please contact socialenterprise@gsb.columbia.edu.

This workshop is supported by the Lang Center for Entrepreneurship and the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise at Columbia Business School.

When
February 20th, 2018 from  6:00 PM to  8:00 PM
Location
490 Riverside Drive
Riverside Church, Room 430
New York, NY 10027
United States
Contact
Phone: 212-854-2176