The Social Enterprise Track of the HBS New Venture 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.
Each year, the New Venture Competition brings together expert judges from the field to evaluate plans based on the idea, its potential for social value creation, and the likelihood of achieving success. Over a six-week period, student teams progress through several stages of judging. Teams convey their idea through executive summaries, fully developed business plans, and live presentations, receiving valuable feedback from judges at every stage.
On March 20, the Social Enterprise Initiative announced the sixteen semifinalists for the Social Enterprise Track. These sixteen teams will present to judges in early April to determine the four finalist teams.
2017 SEMIFINALISTS
adapptED
adapptED provides the effectiveness of a tutor at the scale and cost of software. Siri for Learning.
Jesse Whelan (HBS '17)
David Micley
C16
C16 harnesses the power of synthetic biology to brew sustainable palm oil from microbes.
Shara Ticku (HBS '17)
David Heller
Harry McNamara (GSAS)
Andy Shumaker (GSAS)
E.merge
The easiest way to coalition build and economically mobilize Black and Latinx communities.
Patricia Alejandro (HLS)
Adrian Perkins (HLS)
Kristin Turner (HLS)
David Azcarraga (HLS)
Jameel Adeniji (HBS '17)
Amauche Emenari
Family Forward
Helping families of Alzheimer's disease patients seamlessly manage finances and coordinate caregiving.
Katharine Bodnar (HBS/HKS '19)
Deborah Pan (HSPH)
Pinpairoh Dhiranetra (HLS)
Matt Podolin (HBS/HKS '19)
Flare
Flare is reinventing personal security by creating tech-enabled safety devices for women.
Quinn Fitzgerald (MBA '17)
Sara de Zarraga (MBA '17)
GIVZ, LLC
GIVZ will facilitate two-click donations to elicit more frequent, spontaneous, and social giving.
Andrew Forman (HBS '17)
Aner Gelman (HBS '17)
Jay Henderson
hour72+ Insect Repellent
Our bugspray technology lasts 3-5 days (not hours!) and will improve the health of millions globally.
Andrew Rothaus (HBS '18)
Abraar Karan (HSPH)
Kenneth Rothaus
Mike Milbocker
Joro
Joro is an app that enables users to track their carbon impact in real-time through their smartphones, making decisions that save money and reduce carbon emissions.
Sanchali Pal (HBS '18)
Cressica Brazier
Juva Therapy
Juva Therapy effectively connects mental health patients to the right providers for their needs.
Stephanie Tong (HBS '18)
Qian Qian Tang (HBS '18)
Mozambique School Lunch Initiative
The Mozambique School Lunch Initiative links agricultural investment with school feeding programs.
Cara Myers (HKS)
Raphael Awuku (HKS)
Roberto Mutisse
New Shores
Reimagining refugee resettlement for refugees and host communities through the use of matching theory.
Johannes Lohmann (HKS)
Jenny Weissbourd (HKS)
Max Bode (HKS)
Planetary Health Watch
Crowdsourcing public concerns using big data to rapidly predict and prevent environmental hazards.
Ben Luxenberg (HBS/HKS '17
Yulin Hswen (HSPH)
Pooja Chandrashekar (HC)
Jeremiah Liu (HSPH)
Skillist
Skillist is creating a better way for community college students to find, apply for, and get hired into the jobs they want.
Ananth Kasturiraman (HBS '17)
Kate Pinto (HBS '17)
Caroline Fay (HGSE)
Synapse
Synapse provides social support for individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) through a network of student chapters.
Alissa Totman (HSPH)
Alexis Ball (HKS
Julie Kim
T-var EdTech
T-var EdTech creates affordable assistive hardware and apps teaching literacy and numeracy.
Alex Tavares (HGSE)
Nunzi Sapuppo
Amanda Zeligs Hand (HGSE)
Trey
Trey uses data to increase transparency in college athletics, thereby improving the long-term well-being of college athletes.
Rebecca Feickert (HBS '18)
Ivana Roulhac
