Make It in Brooklyn: Blue Ridge Labs

Blue Ridge Labs is a startup incubator that has served as a hub for early-stage founders committed to social and economic justice. They operate as part of Robin Hood, a nonprofit dedicated to lifting New Yorkers out of poverty.

Blue Ridge Labs operates three core programs: The Fellowship program supports the entire journey from idea conception to prototype development; The Catalyst program accelerates startups with a social impact focus by providing funding and connections; and The Design Insight Group comprises New York community members who inform all initiatives.

Startups emerging from Blue Ridge Labs span diverse sectors including affordable housing, healthcare, edtech, and financial equity. Entrepreneurs with technological expertise or domain-specific knowledge join the programs with initial ideas, refining them through interviews with representatives from underserved communities, and integrating feedback for iterative improvements. The core mission remains centered on impacting the lives of low-income New Yorkers, although founders need not exclusively focus on New York City.

Blue Ridge Labs has launched such successful startups as: Propel, a financial services software developer that has revolutionized access to SNAP benefits: Unlock NYC, which advocates for housing voucher users; Unlocked Labs, which trains formerly incarcerated individuals for tech careers; and Letterly.io which leverages AI to assist students with writing and application essays.

why downtown brooklyn?

Blue Ridge Labs’ choice of Downtown Brooklyn as its base is strategic. Brooklyn is a creative hub with abundant talent. It also has the most public housing units in New York City, close to the community the incubator serves. They also partner with government entities and advocate for effective solutions to promote upward mobility throughout New York City, leveraging their location to amplify their impact on local communities.

What’s next?

Looking ahead, Blue Ridge Labs anticipates expanding its impact. They are leveraging pandemic-induced shifts in in-person office work to strategically utilize their space and increase their annual support from 4-6 organizations to 15-20. The Catalyst Program and Fellowship Program are set to grow significantly, accommodating up to 30 innovators to foster even greater social change.