Inside Johns Hopkins’ new Remington innovation hub

Johns Hopkins University students interested in entrepreneurship have a new place to gather and build this fall.
FastForward U Homewood is opening in a former factory building across from R. House on 29th St. in Remington this month. It’s right near the JHU campus that’s home to most of the university’s undergrads, as well as the schools of engineering and arts and sciences.
Of the 10,000 sq. ft. space, a little more than two-thirds is dedicated to coworking. There are also conference rooms to meet, and common areas for gathering and hosting events. Indicating potential interplay with academics, it’s already playing host to a weekly class.

The first FastForward U Homewood event! – The Baltimore and Entrepreneurship students began their program yesterday at @FastForward_U Homewood. They learned about @JohnsHopkins @FastForward_U, and how they can utilize its resources in the future. https://t.co/ueTNhwFGqL pic.twitter.com/PptIzL6vuy

— JHTV (@JHTechVentures) August 23, 2018

It’s designed to provide space for students across the whole university. Kerrie Carden, JHTV’s Director of Student Ventures, said the space aims to provide resources for students creating a startup, social enterprise or nonprofit at any level, from the “curious to committed.”
“This is not just a place for founders. It’s meant for anybody who wants to solve problems,” said Carden who started in the role in August.
Whether they are undergraduate or graduate students, “we want to be a place where you can come in and ask any question whatsoever,” Carden said.
There’s also room for hardware, with a 2,000 sq. ft. makerspace. Operated by the Whiting School of Engineering, the space has tools to work with wood and metal, as well as lasercutters and 3D printers. It provides new tools for student clubs that previously worked at a separate building in Homewood.  In Colocating the two kinds of spaces also provides potential for students working on hardware and software to interact, Carden said.
Expanding on the initial home at the hub within the Rangos building on the university’s hospital campus in East Baltimore, the space is part of the effort under FastForward U to up resources for student entrepreneurs. With entrepreneurship already happening among students, Johns Hopkins Tech Ventures set out to centralize offerings and provide an entry point. FastForward U also provides funding for student ventures at various stages and hosts events such as monthly pitch nights.
Johns Hopkins Tech Ventures also operates two other innovation hubs geared toward entrepreneurial efforts by faculty and the wider Hopkins community at 1812 Ashland Ave. in East Baltimore, and in the same building as R. House.
Here’s a look at more photos inside FastForward U Homewood:

Inside Johns Hopkins’ FastForward U Homewood (Photo by Stephen Babcock)

Inside Johns Hopkins’ FastForward U Homewood. (Photo by Stephen Babcock)

The metalsmithing area inside FastForward U’s makerspace. (Photo by Stephen Babcock)