“The University of Utah is now the place to be for young entrepreneurs.”
The first story I ever wrote for Beehive Startups was about the Lassonde Studios at University of Utah. (long pause while everybody wipes tears of nostalgia from their eyes) At the time, construction was starting on the 160,000 square foot structure with plans to have students living in it by the Fall 2016 semester. Naturally, I assumed I would be fired within the first 2 weeks of my employment so I never planned on writing a follow-up article about the grand opening.
Good news: I haven’t been fired. Even better news: the Lassonde Studios is now officially open, housing 400 students that will live in a much cooler place than the vast majority of other college students.
Taylor Randall, dean of the Eccles School of Business, had this to say: “The University of Utah is already among the best schools in the country for entrepreneurship. Lassonde Studios will help us reach the next level. We train thousands of students, help develop hundreds of startup companies and provide dozens of programs to all students. The building will amplify all of these efforts, allowing us to give every student at the University of Utah an entrepreneurial experience.”
In case you’ve forgotten about the Lassonde Studios, here’s a quick refresher:
-It’s basically a space-age dorm building for entrepreneurs, five floors worth of 3D printers, laser cutters, power tools, coworking spaces, student housing, a cafe, and other intriguing things.
-The first floor is open to all students, dedicated to providing a creative space for anyone who might be interested. If you’re interested in innovation and entrepreneurship, this is the place to hang out and create.
-1,300 students applied, 400 were chosen. These students are known as the Lassonde 400 and expectations are high, according to Troy D’Ambrosio, executive director of the Lassonde Institute: “We can’t wait to see what the Lassonde 400 accomplishes this year and in the future. We expect big things.”
-It cost $45 million to build. A big portion of this was covered by a $25 million donation from Pierre Lassonde, which seems logical because the building is named after him. He’s also fired up about the opening and envisions a world where Salt Lake is a hotspot for up-and-comers: “The University of Utah is now the place to be for young entrepreneurs.”
