New Corporate Enterprise Growth Initiative to be led by FIU Foundation board member Jason Saltzman

By Todd Ellenberg

Jason Saltzman—entrepreneur, investor, author, and a member of the FIU Foundation Board of Directors—has been named vice chair of enterprise growth for the FIU Foundation Board of Directors. He will lead the new Corporate Enterprise Growth Initiative, created to adapt to the shifting philanthropic landscape and help ensure the foundation’s continued success.

The Corporate Enterprise Growth Initiative will focus on the recruitment of large enterprises through the creation of a new robust communication and fundraising platform that supports the research and workforce needs of corporate partners by engaging them with the outstanding faculty expertise and graduates of FIU colleges and schools.

The impact philanthropy of participating companies would support interdisciplinary curricula and research that address emerging trends and prepare students for positions in a rapidly changing industry landscape. The program would advance student success, while creating a talent pipeline for the region’s companies, particularly those in the booming technology sector.

“I am deeply honored and excited to activate my resources, skills and network to bridge the gap between innovation, enterprise and philanthropy—and do my part for the next stage of growth for our FIU,” said Saltzman. “During my tenure, I will be working on innovation programming and creating robust systems that will have a direct positive impact for the entire ecosystem within FIU. Our world is filled with challenges, and the work that we will be doing will be a direct reflection on how we can effect positive change for us all, starting with the deserving student body at FIU.”

Saltzman became a member of the foundation board in early 2019. He and Alley—a membership community for entrepreneurs that offers workspace, business services, curated content and corporate innovation founded by Saltzman—have partnered with FIU on several innovative, forward-thinking programs.

The Alley-FIU Journalism Solutions Partnership, supported by a generous gift from the company, is housed in New York and Washington, D.C., and provides journalism students with ready access to countless stories that are shaping the fabric of our nation and world. Alley furnishes co-working spaces and content studios equipped with video and audio recording and editing technology.

Alley has teamed up with FIU on its Ratcliffe Art + Design Incubator, an initiative that helps student artists and designers transform their ideas into viable businesses. Saltzman also is working with the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management’s X Bacardi Virtual Incubator & Challenge, a new program of mentorship and workshops focused on the future of hospitality and the vision of bars in 2040.

“Jason’s entrepreneurial vision and experience, as well as the generous support of Alley, have been responsible for highly successful, groundbreaking programs at FIU,” said Howard Lipman, CEO of the FIU Foundation, Inc. “We are grateful that he will be leading this critical new endeavor, which will advance the foundation’s support of FIU as a driver of educational, cultural and economic well-being.”

Alley has locations in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Boston. Saltzman has also co-founded Alley powered by Verizon and countless other startups, including the tech company SeamlessDocs. He advises and invests in a variety of early-stage companies and is a mentor for the Techstars accelerator program. Saltzman has worked with the U.S. State Department, traveling the world to assist the growth of startup communities. He has published content for CNN, The Wall Street Journal and Fast Company and is a frequent contributor to Entrepreneur, INC. and Forbes.