Google Funds a Design School That Works Like a Tech Incubator

Ponder this for a second: How different would HBO’s Silicon Valley be if the main character Richard had been a designer instead of a programmer?

The choice to feature a bumbling, awkward coder is illustrative of the greater Silicon Valley ecosystem, but it ignores a growing trend: Designers are playing an increasingly important role in leading startups and businesses.

Granted, the number of designers-turned-founders is still comparatively small, but a new incubator/school called 30 Weeks, is hoping to change that. The program is a collaboration between Google, The Cooper Union, education company Hyper Island and top-notch design schools including School of Visual Arts, Parsons and Pratt.

Starting this September, 20 designers will enroll in a 30-week program, working out of a co-working space in Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood in hopes of turning their ideas into full-fledged, scalable businesses. Sound cool? Good, because they’re still accepting applications until June 20.