September 2017 saw the historic inauguration of a global campus on Roosevelt Island in New York City. Over 500 guests were present for the official opening of the innovation hives of the future: Cornell Tech and the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute. Guests included Mayor Bill de Blasio, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Cornell University President Martha Pollack and Technion President Peretz Lavie.
“It’s ambitious — it was almost an audacious dream when we started,” said Gov. Andrew Cuomo, prior to the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “In many ways, this project helps bring New York City back to the future,” said project visionary Michael Bloomberg.
President Peretz Lavie recalled thinking the Israeli institute had a slim chance of winning the bid. “Since we have such a slim chance of winning — be wild,” he recalled telling the Technion team. “Use your imagination, think outside the box.”
