The Weissman Foundry

The Weissman Foundry, established in 2018, by Babson College, was envisioned as a student-operated, open-door, design-to-prototyping studio, inspiring transdisciplinary, innovative collaboration between Babson, Olin, and Wellesley (BOW) colleges.

As an example of this complexity, BOW students (stakeholders) as a group have a broad range of skill sets, from novice prototyper to advanced engineer. This requires a balance of equipment specifications to provide functionality regardless of skill level. Physical safety protocols, as well as strict, robust training practices were custom developed to insure that all BOW stakeholders remain physically safe, while gaining full access to all of the Foundry equipment. Ultimately, this required the purchase and installation of nearly a quarter of a million dollars of equipment and the implementation of a bespoke system that continuously analyzes BOW student safety.

The Foundry BOW community represents the broadest range of backgrounds, identities, disciplines. This diversity was identified as the Foundry’s greatest opportunity and most valuable asset. As the facility took shape, the interplay of the BOW stakeholders wide array of perspectives and skills resulted in an inclusive, fun and exploratory design-to-prototype environment. This produced new perspectives which allowed stakeholders to view their work from a range of angles , opening up new understanding and generating greater value.

To firmly define and establish this community, the Foundry Scout program was developed. Scouts are student workers, empowered to be leaders, mentors, Foundry ambassadors and liaisons to the BOW colleges. To ensure that the Scouts became the foundation of Foundry culture and creative leadership, ten students were hired from each of the three partner BOW colleges. Scouts brought awareness to their peers and grew the Foundry community through inventive programming, experimental courses, a social kitchen, and unique social events. In addition, Scouts are trained on equipment and technical processes so that they may instruct and advise BOW stakeholders on the successful completion of their entrepreneurial or passion projects.

The BOW Foundry community became known as the 4th Culture. The diversity and creative exploration of the 4th Culture required two additions to the physical safety; emotional and cognitive safety. This included emotional and cognitive trainings for Scouts including the development of an honor code. The data showed that the safer the culture the more creative the culture.

By becoming an environment that protects BOW stakeholders’ “minds and bodies”, the Foundry naturally grows an inclusive culture that promotes openness and the sharing of ideas. This did not depend on discipline-imposed restrictions which  could inhibit the development of new ideas. These new ideas open the user’s imaginations and release unfettered creativity. Hidden value is uncovered. Discovering unexpected value can drive individuals to make important and valuable things. The trifecta of safety (physical, emotional and cognitive) provided by the 4th Culture, encourages BOW stakeholders to develop any type of project, to view their work from a range of perspectives, and discover  that all efforts have value.

As the Foundry is a Babson College Center, the program needed to become financially self-supporting. Therefore a process was developed to streamline the 4th Culture to provide a wide range of viewpoints and find value for external partners.

This process led to the establishment of a corporate partnership program. The program offers both day-long sprints and semester-long “follow-ons”, to creatively solve problems defined in corporate clients project briefs. In the pilot of the program, the Foundry established a partnership with an international Pet Food supplier. The results far exceeded both the project brief and the expectation of the partner. As expected, leveraging the 4th culture resulted in a range of end-to-end solutions that found value far outside of the landscape normally explored by the partner.

Within 18 months of the building opening, the corporate partnership program funded 10% of the Foundry operational budget and was on its way to deliver %80-90 by year three.