Nicole Fichera

Nicole's background is at the intersection of the innovation economy and the built environment. Her work centers around the powerful role that space plays in supporting and amplifying human and economic potential. She is the Innovation Engagement Manager for Autodesk, and is working on the launch of the BUILD Space, a 35,000 SF facility dedicated to supporting innovation in the building industry. Nicole was also the General Manager of District Hall, a civic gathering space for innovators and the first building of its kind in the world. In that role, Nicole oversaw the launch and first three years of operations, working for the Venture Café Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building connections in the innovation community. While at Venture Café, Nicole was also a Co-Principal of the Roxbury Innovation Center, a new program in the heart of Dudley Square focused on providing space and programs to support local entrepreneurs and innovators. Before joining the Venture Café team, Nicole was the Innovation District Manager for the City of Boston, managing the City's initiative to transform 1000 acres of underdeveloped land on the South Boston Waterfront into an urban environment that fosters innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration. Nicole also worked as a designer at Hacin + Associates, an award-winning boutique architecture and interior design firm in Boston's South End, where her work ranged from high end residential interiors, startup offices, mixed-use buildings, urban master plans, graphic design and styling. Nicole studied architecture at Northeastern University, and is fascinated by the connection between innovation and place.