Category: Competitions & Contests

September 2021 Entrepreneurship events

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September is jam-packed with events and opportunities for Cornell entrepreneurs!

 

Tuesday, September 7 (11:00 a.m. ET) – Manufacturing Hardware Accelerator Information Session

Register for the virtual information session.

Tune in to a virtual information session to learn more about Rev: Ithaca Startup Works’ Manufacturing Hardware Accelerator. The Manufacturing Hardware Accelerator is a cohort-based program open to startups based anywhere in the U.S. that have a fully functional prototype and have identified their customer market. The second cohort of the 60-week program will begin in October 2021. Applications are being accepted through September 20.

Wednesday, September 8 (1:00 p.m. ET) – Scientist to CEO: Turning Life Science Innovations into Startup Success
Register for the virtual keynote.

Most of our modern life science innovations are born from the efforts of talented research scientists. The journey these innovations take to get into the hands of the public is quite complex. Meanwhile, the researchers behind the innovations also undergo a significant journey to adopt new skills and transition from biologist to businessperson. In this webcast, hosted by the SC Johnson College of Business’ BioEntrepreneurship Initiative and the Cornell Engineering, you’ll gain hard-earned advice from leading scientists who overcame industry challenges and who have collectively raised over $275M to launch and scale successful health tech startups.

 

 

Thursday, September 9 (11:00 a.m. ET) – SBIR Workshop: Application Funding Process & Funding for Startups
Register for the virtual information session.

Join Kirk Macolini, President of InteliSpark, LLC for this workshop as he shares insight on the SBIR application process and how to find other non-dilutive funding sources. Macolini will discuss and answer questions related to strategies for writing and submitting a successful proposal and the SBIR/STTR Assistance Program, which can help eligible companies, based in upstate New York, hire a qualified grant writing consultant to help them develop a proposal. After you register, you will receive access to the SBIR / STTR video series, a set of short videos that we encourage you to view prior to the workshop with valuable background information.

 

 

Friday, September 17 (12:00 p.m. ET), Upson Lounge (Room 116) – Cornell Engineering Entrepreneurship Information Session

Register for this in-person event.

Drop into the Upson Lounge (Room 116) on Friday, September 17 (12 – 1:30 p.m. ET) to learn more about entrepreneurship opportunities at Cornell Engineering and beyond. Representatives from the following programs will be on hand to share information and answer questions: Black Entrepreneurs in Training (BET), Cornell Engineering Commercialization Fellowship, eLab, Kessler Fellows, Rev: Ithaca Startup Works’ Hardware Accelerators, W.E. Cornell, and more.

 

 

Wednesday, September 22 (4:30 p.m. ET), Sage Hall – BioEntrepreneurship Information Session
Register for this in-person event.

Cornell’s BioEntrepreneurship Fellowship offers Johnson MBA students and life science researchers from across Cornell’s campuses the opportunity to immerse themselves in real-world startup creation. Participants receive the tools, training, and connections they need to launch their own life science startups through a certificate program offered by the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management.

Attend an information session on Wednesday, September 22 (4:30 p.m. ET) at Sage Hall to learn more about the program and hear from Cornell alumna, Marla Beyer MBA/MHA ’20.

Beyer is the CEO and Founder of Hopscotch, a software company designed to support the unique needs of pediatric behavioral health professionals. Hopscotch competed against over more than 60 student teams from the U.S. and Ireland to win the $25,000 first prize at this year’s Blackstone LaunchPad’s Startup Grind Pitch Competition and a week after launching the company, Beyer garnered over a thousand active users.

 

 

Thursday, September 23 (12:00 p.m. ET), Upson Lounge (Room 116) – Cornell Engineering Faculty and Graduate Student Luncheon: Lessons Learned from SBIR Awardees
Register for this in-person event. 

Interested in learning more about Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding? Join us on Thursday, September 23 (12:00 p.m. ET) at Upson Lounge (Room 116) for a complimentary luncheon (take-away lunches will be provided) hosted by Cornell Engineering’s Entrepreneurs in Residence. A panel of successful Cornell Engineering alumni and SBIR awardees will be present to share their experiences with SBIR funding, including best practices for applying and challenges faced during the application process, as well as updates on the progress they have been able to make on their innovations since being awarded an SBIR grant.

 

 

Thursday, September 23 (6:00 – 8:30 p.m. ET) – Networking@Rev: Former Student Startups Take Flight
Register for this in-person event.

Based in a college town, Rev: Ithaca Startup Works has been a touchpoint for many student startups over the years. Some of those students stepped away from their original pursuits, some pivoted and changed directions, and others took flight. Join Rev: Ithaca Startup Works on Thursday, September 23 (6:00 – 8:30 p.m. ET) to catch up with several former students about their startup journeys and see where they have landed. All are welcome and admission is free. Because space is limited, you must RSVP in advance to attend.

Nominate or Apply for Student Business of the Year

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Applications are open for Entrepreneurship at Cornell’s Student Business of the Year Award. Emphasis is on the business and the team behind it, not just on the entrepreneur. The award will recognize commitment to developing and operating a successful business while pursuing an education. The cash prize is $5,000. Apply now.

Applications are open for 2021 Commercialization Fellowships

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Please think about applying for a Commercialization Fellowship, an opportunity for Cornell Engineering Ph.D. students to take a deep dive into the commercialization process and potential real-world applications of university technology. The program supports fellows financially so they can focus on the work, instead of dividing their energy between multiple projects. By doing this, Cornell is putting an emphasis on commercialization skills as an academic pursuit, instead of an extracurricular activity. Applications close Feb. 22. Apply now.

Applications Now Open for Cornell Engineering Commercialization Fellowship 

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The Cornell Engineering Commercialization Fellowship is an opportunity for engineering Ph.D. students to take a deep dive into the commercialization process and explore the potential real-world applications of university inventions.  

Commercialization Fellows spend a fully-funded semester and summer in an intensive entrepreneurship program with a personal mentor to explore commercializing a product of the student’s choosing. From intellectual property management to supply chains, students will learn the tools, methods and skills for bringing a product or technology to market.  

 Applications close February 22, 2021. Apply now.  

eLab Early-Stage Pitches

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Wednesday, December 2, 1:00-3:00 p.m. EST

Find out what business ideas and innovations this year’s eLab student startups are working on and help shape their path forward. Student startups have been making progress in this year’s eLab accelerator for only a few months, but you can catch an early glimpse at their business plans when they present their early-stage pitches to Cornell alumni and friends.

After all the pitches are complete, there will be individual virtual meeting rooms to directly share your feedback with the students. Your feedback is incredibly valuable in helping these students progress their startups. You will also be able to share your feedback in the chat tool throughout the pitch sessions.eLab is a student accelerator that empowers and trains participants to launch scalable businesses. Student teams spend one year evolving their business plans, speaking with potential customers, pitching to investors, and preparing for launch. eLab is a program of Student Agencies Foundation and Entrepreneurship at Cornell.

Register for the eLab Early-Stage Pitches event.

Hospitality Pitch Deck competition Finals and Awards Announcement–Thursday, November 12th 6pm to 8pm

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We invite all students, faculty, and staff to join us for the final presentations of this exciting competition. Four teams will present their final pitches to a panel of industry leaders in hopes of winning the grand prize of $3,000! Presentations and awards will be streamed online from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. More details about this year’s event can be found here.
View last year’s presentations here.

Hospitality Business Plan Competition Student Networking Session–Wednesday, October 28 at 7:00pm ET

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Are you looking to form or finalize a team in order to participate in the Hospitality Business Plan Competition? If so, this session is for you!

Students will have the opportunity to pitch their concepts AND/OR pitch themselves in order to make connections based on interests and skill-sets. This will be an informal activity, but an important one that can help you complete your team.

Please register in advance by using this link. Upon registering, you will receive an automatic follow-up email via Zoom with the URL to join the meeting, as well as options for adding the event to your calendar. Please reach out to Michelle, mlc296@cornell.edu, with questions!

Cornell startup Combplex wins $500K in 76West competition

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The latest achievement by a Cornellian-led startup dedicated to protecting honeybees – a $500,000 runner-up prize at the fifth annual 76West Clean Energy Competition – is creating quite the buzz in New York’s Southern Tier.

Combplex, founded by doctoral students Hailey Scofield and Nathan Oakes, former research fellows with the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, was among 19 finalists selected from 183 applicants worldwide to compete in the virtual pitch competition in mid-August.

Cornell impacting New York State

The 76West winners – including $1 million grand prize recipient ThermoAI of Montreal, and fellow $500,000 awardees COI Energy Services (New York City) and AGreatE of Carlsbad, California – were announced by Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Oct. 19 at a virtual awards ceremony, co-hosted by Empire State Development and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).

Read the rest of Sara Baier’s story from the Cornell Chronicle by following this link: https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2020/10/cornell-startup-combplex-wins-500k-76west-competition

Cornell Design and Tech Initiative to host incubator

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Cornell Design and Tech Initiative (DTI) is a project team that builds websites & apps used by thousands of students. This semester they are running Propel, an incubator for ideas or projects that you may have.

At Propel, DTI will provide $150 in funding, resources, networking opportunities, and mentorship for Cornell undergrads to build and scale their projects, whether it’s just an idea or already a prototype. To learn more, check out our the program website.

Apply here by September 21, 11:59 PM EST.