The work begins
We began in New York by providing small businesses with practical technical, marketing, and operational support while giving students meaningful project experience.
About Novus
Students doing work that matters.
Novus connects high school and college students with real projects for NYC small businesses. Businesses get useful support; students build experience they can show.
Our mission
“To close the digital and financial equity gap for small businesses by connecting them with the next generation of tech, finance, and marketing talent.”
Students build websites, marketing materials, grant applications, and operational tools that neighborhood businesses can put to use. Along the way, they gain practical client experience and learn to take responsibility for work they can explain with confidence. Novus means “new”: a new resource for businesses and a first opportunity for students to contribute work that matters to a client.
Our impact
230+
Total businesses
200+
Website projects
40+
Marketing projects
30+
Community organizations
Our history
Building Novus, one step at a time
A timeline for the moments, partnerships, and people that shaped our work.
Fall 2025
Winter 2026
First community connections
We recruited our first student cohort and began reaching out to neighborhood partners, including organizations in Park Slope.
Late Winter 2026
Meeting businesses in person
Students visited neighborhoods and spoke with business owners to understand where support was most useful.
Spring 2026
First projects launch
Our first student teams began client projects while continuing outreach in Sunnyside, North Flatbush, Bayside, and other neighborhoods.
Early Summer 2026
Growing local partnerships
We connected with NYC Small Business Services, the Small Business Resource Network, and Chambers of Commerce across the five boroughs.
Summer 2026
Becoming Novus
The organization became Novus, with a clearer identity, updated systems, and teams built around the work we do with businesses.
Fall 2026
Building capacity
We are bringing in new students, improving our systems, and preparing to support more projects during the academic year.
Next 2027
Next steps
We will continue building reliable student teams and long-term partnerships with neighborhood businesses across New York City.
Our core values
The standards we use to decide what to take on and how to do the work.