Columbia University
IN-2: Innovation 2

In February 2011, Mayor Michael Bloomberg launched the Corporate Alliance Program, a new initiative that will connect certified Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) to contracting and capacity-building opportunities in the private sector. This program is a first of its kind public/private partnership that allows corporations and institutions to collaborate with the city to create greater opportunities for M/WBE firms. The CAP corporate partners are: Accenture, American Express, AXA/Equitable, BNY/Mellon, Citi, Colgate-Palmolive, Columbia University, Con Edison, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, IBM and National Grid. The launch brought four new program services to M/WBE firms to assist them with learning how to do business with the corporate sector. These include M/WBE Recruiting & Referral Services, The Corporate Coaching Program, The Corporate Alliance/Columbia University Construction Trades Certificate Mentorship Program and the Corporate Skills Training program. The Corporate Alliance/Columbia University Construction Trades Certificate Mentorship Program is a joint Columbia University-New York City Small Business Services mentorship program for minority, women and local entrepreneurs. Since the program's inception in January 2008, professionals from 53 firms have graduated and garnered more than $60 million in contacts with the City of New York and Columbia. Participants are trained in such topics as marketing and communications, disputes and negotiations, insurance and bonds, project planning and sustainability. They are assigned mentors, who are building and business experts from banks, unions and large construction firms. Additional URLS: http://www.mikebloomberg.com/index.cfm?objectid=58C5F753-C29C-7CA2-FB309929B30EF707 http://www.nyc.gov/html/sbs/nycbiz/html/summary/cap_info.shtml