Google gives Cornell’s NYC tech school free space in its headquarters

Google is donating 22,000 square feet of its New York City office to CornellNYC Tech for classes and other uses, Mayor Bloomberg and Google announced today. The science and engineering school won the bid to become a Stanford of the East back in December, and this partnership with one of the largest and most influential tech companies gives it a running start.

The first phase of construction on Cornell University and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology’s $2 billion New York City campus won’t be completed until 2012, and the full Roosevelt Island campus (pictured above) won’t be ready for 30 years. But the school isn’t just twiddling its thumbs until then — classes are scheduled to start this year.

The city of New York is blowing up as new tech center, drawing talent and big companies which could help it compete with Silicon Valley. CornellNYC Tech will aim to encourage innovation in its classes and programs, as well as keep the talent it churns out local after they graduate with resources for startups, including legal advice, competitions, and pre-seed financing for research. Startups that go on to stay in the city for at least three years will have access to the school’s $150 million startup fund.

“The key is engagement between world class academics, companies and early-stage investors to catalyze innovation,” Cornell’s President David J. Skorton said in a statement. “That’s what we’ll be creating on Roosevelt Island, and thanks to Google it’s what will be happening here starting this fall.”

Google is donating the space free of charge for the next 5 years and 6 months, or until the first phase of construction on Roosevelt Island is completed. The school will also be able to grow over time, expanding into 58,000 square feet of Google space over the next five years.

Image of proposed Roosevelt Island campus by Skidmore Owings & Merrill