About Opn CoLabs
We believe the value of a great idea shouldn’t depend on your job title, your degree, or the size of your network. Too often, only the “right” credentials get a seat at the table. On Opn CoLabs, your ideas are judged on their merit and tested against real challenges from others who are looking for collaborators or organizations looking for fresh thinking.
Our Founders
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Co-Founder & CEO
From restaurant kitchens in New York City to the halls of the U.S. State Department, Robert’s path has been anything but traditional. He grew up in the Bronx with a single mom and three sisters, and became a single dad at 21. Over the last five years, he rebuilt from the ground up—completing his undergraduate degree online and earning admission to Harvard for graduate school.
Through his journey, Robert has seen how too often the worth of an idea is judged by the title you hold or the school on your résumé. At Opn CoLabs, he believes ideas should be measured by their potential—and that anyone, anywhere, can have one worth pursuing.
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Co-Founder & President
Kirsten began her career in journalism, covering everything from politics to sports ... but what stayed with her was a love for problem-solving. That instinct has since guided her into ventures as varied as co-founding a company developing low-cost cancer diagnostics for underserved regions, and serving on boards supporting unhoused youth and survivors of trafficking.
Through her work around the globe, Kirsten has seen that lasting change doesn’t come from titles or résumés, but from people seeking solutions together. She envisions Opn CoLabs as the space where those ideas can finally take root and thrive.