In February 2019, the HBS New Venture Competition received 48 entries to the Social Enterprise Track, from student teams across Harvard University. After an extensive review and deliberation process with social enterprise leaders from across Harvard, the Social Enterprise Initiative just announced the 16 semifinalists in the Social Enterprise Track. These 16 teams will present to a panel of expert judges—including philanthropists, impact investors, capacity building organizations, and social entrepreneurs—in early April to determine the four finalists.
Below you’ll find an overview of the competition and our 2019 semifinalists. Stay tuned for more details on our finalists and mark your calendars for the New Venture Competition Finale on the evening of April 23!
NEW VENTURE COMPETITION OVERVIEW
Hosted each year by the School’s Arthur Rock Center for Entrepreneurship and the Social Enterprise Initiative, in partnership with HBS Alumni Clubs & Associations, the Harvard Business School New Venture Competition is open to all students and alumni interested in launching new business and social impact ventures.
The Social Enterprise Track of the Competition provides an opportunity for students to explore social entrepreneurship and test ideas for social innovation in a rigorous and supportive environment. Graduate students across Harvard University enter with new ventures that drive social change using nonprofit, for-profit, or hybrid models. Through March and April, student teams progress through several stages of judging, conveying their idea through executive summaries and live presentations, and receiving valuable feedback from judges at every stage. The Social Enterprise Track brings together expert judges from the field to evaluate entries based on the idea, its potential for social value creation, and the likelihood of achieving success.
2019 SEMIFINALISTS: SOCIAL ENTERPRISE TRACK
CareZooming: A platform connecting clinical leaders to tailored knowledge and expertise to improve care delivery.
Chord: Giving millennials access to debt-free capital to purchase a home.
DreamxAmerica: Joins storytelling and impact investing to support immigrant entrepreneurs across the U.S.
Gramhal: Unlocks post-harvest services of storage, credit, and market linkage for smallholder farmers.
HERA: A mobile application that enables Syrian refugee women and children to improve their health.
Hikma Health: Creates customized data management systems for healthcare providers caring for refugee patients.
ImmerLearn: Builds analytics solutions to help social enterprises make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Koldchain: Protects mothers and infants by securing vaccines and uterotonics using novel sensing technologies.
Loro: A smart companion for wheelchair users to navigate safely and to communicate efficiently.
Moby: SMS chatbot for health workers in developing countries to triage patients and manage supplies.
New Deal Capital: Private Equity style investing in the future potential of adult learners.
New Teachers Thriving: Too many early-career teachers are burned out. And then quit. Our trainings help them thrive.
Nexus Nutrition: Vertically integrated horticulture that provides an affordable, healthy diet to low-income consumers.
RiskBoard: A diplomat for your pocket that automates human rights risk assessments.
Vincere Health: We help people get paid for digitally proving health compliance, while keeping control of their data.
WellCalm: Our mission is to help people of high school and college students to overcome mental health barriers.
