Collaborative workspaces and virtual communities have been a key component of digital startup ecosystems, but only recently have they started to take hold in life science ventures. The panel will focus on tactics for making physical spaces conducive to creativity and collaboration while addressing challenges ranging from confidentiality concerns to preventing sample contamination. On the digital side, panelists will discuss best practices for community building online. The presenters will examine existing online communities and highlight tools you can begin using today to discover shared resources, meet potential collaborators, and share information relevant to your research and/or building your business. BAM Principal Dan will speak alongside Matt Owens of Harlem Biospace, Eva Cramer of BioBAT / SUNY Downstate, and Tiffany Phipps of BioMed Realty Trust as part of the NY Bioscience Economic Development Symposium. BAM was the architecture firm for Harlem Biospace, and continues a close collaboration with BioMed Realty Trust on a variety of projects.