March 26, 2024
Entrepreneurship at Cornell
Inspire, connect, educate, support, and engage with an entrepreneurial mindset
⭐=New Addition
🟩Upcoming Events
Tuesday March 26 Noon-12:45pm ET – Virtual RSVP here
Calling all researchers! If you have been working on a technology innovation and wish to explore its commercialization potential, I-Corps can provide you with entrepreneurial education, mentoring, and up to $50,000 in funding for customer discovery.
Hosted by the Interior Northeast I-Corps Hub (IN I-Corps), this is designed for busy graduate students, postdocs, and faculty interested in learning more about I-Corps regional and national programming. I-Corps alumni Ruben Trujillo, a Ph.D. candidate at Cornell University, and Nancy Guo, a professor at West Virginia University and recent NSF SBIR awardee, will be in attendance to share their experiences and answer questions.
The National Science Foundation created I-Corps (Innovation Corps) to bridge the gap between fundamental research discoveries in science and engineering and the commercialization of technologies, products, and processes with the potential to benefit society.
🟩Unshackled Ventures X Adro: Immigrant Entrepreneurship
Tuesday March 26th 6-8pm New York City RSVP Here
First-Gen Founders Networking Event NYC. Dive into insightful panel discussions featuring Nitin Pachisia from Unshackled Ventures and Amarildo Gjondrekaj from Adro.
⭐🟩Innovations in Women’s Health: Entrepreneurship Panel
Wednesday March 27 Noon-1pm EDT | Zoom Webinar
Female founders are bringing innovation, technology, medicine, wellness, and their own lived experiences together to advance women's healthcare. Our Cornellian entrepreneurs will share their journeys starting women's healthcare businesses, and how, through their companies and technologies, they're addressing women's unique needs and solving our most pressing health challenges. Join us to wrap up Women’s History Month with a look into the future!
Thursday March 28th 5:30-8:30pm San Francisco CA
This is an in-person event, registration is required by 6pm March 27; hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served.
Join Cornell Silicon Valley, eLab, Runway Startups, Entrepreneurship at Cornell, and Student Agencies Foundation as we showcase student startups and highlight innovation at Cornell during this one-of-a-kind West Coast event at the Autodesk Gallery.
The event will feature a keynote by Carl Bass '83, the former CEO of Autodesk, Entrepreneur, Artist, and pitches from student startups in eLab and the Runway Startup programs.
🟩Startup Hours
Thursday March 28th 7:30-9pm eHub Collegetown RSVP Here
Weekly gathering to connect with other entrepreneurial students over Chipotle
Wednesday April 10th 12–1pm ET Upson Lounge 116 RSVP Here
Join us for this exclusive faculty lunchtime discussion hosted by the Engineering Entrepreneurs in Residence program where David Putnam, the Associate Dean of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, will speak on the topic “So You Think You Want to Start a Company: Do’s and Don’ts”. Cornell Engineering alumni who have leveraged college resources to found and scale successful startups will be in attendance.
This event is open to Cornell faculty in the College of Engineering only. Lunch will be served.
🟩Networking@Rev: Campus to Community Connection
Wednesday April 10th 6-8:30pm 314 E. State St, Ithaca RSVP Here
Whether you’re a grad researcher at Cornell, an innovator working on the Commons, or an IC student on South Hill, there’s one thing that connects us all — the support and energy within Ithaca’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Networking@Rev will feature guest speakers sharing their stories of their startup journeys and shouting out the resources and mentors that have supported them along the way. Select startups and programs will also be tabling at the event and giving YOU the information you need to take the next (or first!) step on an entrepreneurial journey of your own.
🟩Entrepreneurship Celebration
Thursday and Friday April 11 & 12 Register Here
This two-day entrepreneurship conference held on Cornell’s Ithaca campus every spring. Join hundreds of alumni, faculty, students, staff, and community participants as we gather for startup pitches, fireside chats with featured speakers, Student Business of the Year recognition, and the honoring of our 2024 Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year
🟩2024 Cornell Business Impact Symposium: Sustainable Innovation: From Ideas to Impact
Saturday April 13th 10am-4:45pm Register Here
This event is focused on the distinct, positive impact that the private sector is having on social and environmental challenges. The symposium provides a unique opportunity for students to engage with professionals, expand their professional network, and learn about career pathways. Discuss topics such as impact investing, the energy transition, alternative materials, food innovation, green buildings, and more. All interested students, staff, faculty, and professionals are welcome!
Early Bird Registration: Cornell Students: $10; Non-Cornell Students: $20; General Public: $30
Lunch & networking reception included!
🟩Big Red Ventures Annual Meeting
Thursday April 18 Tickets Here
Join Big Red Ventures, Cornell’s early-stage venture capital fund, for the 2024 Annual Meeting on Thursday, April 18 at the Verizon Executive Education Center in NYC!
The annual meeting will highlight the performance of the student run portfolio, and showcase the portfolio products in action. The meeting will also introduce the class of '24 fund manager teams, and the opportunity to network with active Cornell alumni in the startup and venture ecosystem.
General admission tickets for the event are $40. Ticket includes access to networking, content, appetizers, and a light bar.
🟥Upcoming Deadlines
🟥Green Technology Innovation Fellows
Application Deadline March 27 Apply Here
This program pairs doctoral researchers with MBA students to collaborate on practical technology-based startup creation. Through an exclusive six-credit workshop course, NBA 5185, cross-disciplinary teams will test their hypotheses and thereby de-risk their potential business models. Upon successful completion of the program, you’ll have the entrepreneurial judgment you need to either launch a startup based on your research or lead in the global transition to clean energy and climate technology. The program begins in August 2024 with monthly workshops throughout the academic year. Questions? Contact techinnovation@cornell.edu
Application Deadline March 27 Apply Now
Formerly known as the BioEntrepreneurship Initiative, this program pairs PhD and postdocs with business students to collaborate on practical technology-based startup creation. Through an exclusive six-credit workshop course, NBA 5175: Life Science Entrepreneurship in Practice, cross-disciplinary teams will test their hypotheses and thereby de-risk their potential business models. Upon successful completion of the program, you’ll have the entrepreneurial training, mindset, and judgment you need to launch a startup based on your research or become a leader in the growing life science technology economy.
The program begins in August 2024 with monthly workshops throughout the academic year. Questions? Contact techinnovation@cornell.edu
Application Deadline March 31 Apply Here
Spend Summer 2024 Working on Your Startup!
Open to graduate student-led teams from the SC Johnson College of Business, the Johnson Summer Startup Accelerator is a 10-week summer intensive featuring hands-on entrepreneurship training, networking opportunities, and one-on-one mentorship from Entrepreneurs in Residence.
The program will begin in May and conclude with a Demo Day pitch event in August. Outside of required virtual programming on Tuesdays, a kickoff weekend in Ithaca and networking trek to New York City, participants can work on their startups and meet with mentors on their own schedule.
The Professor Vrinda Kadiyali Student Entrepreneur Fund provides $10K stipends to MBA students so they can focus on their startups full time while participating in the Johnson Summer Startup Accelerator. First-year MBA students who are enrolled in the two-year residential program and have applied to JSSA are eligible for this opportunity, and they will be evaluated for the award by a committee under the administration of the Dean.
⭐🟥Women in Community-Engaged Leadership Symposiums
Apply to attend by April 8
NYC event on June 20; Washington, DC event on July 10
This summer, the Einhorn Center for Community Engagement is sponsoring two daylong Women in Community-Engaged Leadership Symposiums, one in New York City on June 20 and one in Washington, DC on July 10. These events will connect Cornell students with alumnae leaders in government, nonprofits, philanthropy, public interest law, advocacy, volunteerism, academia and elected office. Learn more and apply by April 8 by reaching out to Amy Kuo Somchanhmavong ayk3@cornell.edu.
⭐🟥Cleantech Open
Application Deadline: April 14 Apply Here
Cleantech Open is the oldest and largest accelerator for cleantech startups. It's a national program. It's like a mini MBA with expert mentoring, lots of professional connections, opportunities to compete for cash prizes, and access to various offers of goods and services. The cohort is selected in May, and the accelerator runs from the end of May through October, with core programming June to August. This is especially for early-stage (typically pre-seed and pre-revenue) cleantech startups that have solutions to improve the environment. This accelerator is sponsored by MassCEC, NYSERDA, and the NJEDA, and it does not take equity from the startups. Info session April 2nd
Application Deadline April 23
ERA invests $150,000 on a post-money SAFE in return for 6% of each company selected, with the potential for follow-on funding. ERA provides a unique advantage to founders— access to NYC’s largest network of expert mentors with a 1,000+ mentor network including 500+ alumni founders and 500+ expert mentors across all major industries. We also have NYC's strongest alumni network representing 330+ engaged companies. Since its founding in 2011, ERA alumni companies have raised more than $2 billion in investor capital and collectively exceed $10 billion in market capitalization.
Virtual Information Sessions happening weekly, view here.
⭐🟥Regeneron Health Tech Innovators (Hackathon/Competition)
Deadline: May 15th 10pm
Unleash your creativity and expertise to develop digital, scalable solutions that enhance patient care and work to propel clinical research forward.
Entrants should aim to create digital, scalable solutions that improve patient care while also potentially accelerating clinical research, examples include but are not limited to consented data for observational research, or a warm base of patients for clinical trial recruitment. Entrants can either submit a project to Track 1 or Track 2. $20,000 in prizes.
🟥Grow-NY Food and Ag Business Competition
Deadline: May 15 Learn more and apply
The Grow-NY business competition provides funding, mentorship, business development support, and other key resources to leading food and ag startups from across the globe. Innovative startups are encouraged to apply for their chance to win up to $1 million. A total of $3 million in prizes will be awarded to seven startups.
Interested companies can attend an upcoming virtual information session hosted by the Grow-NY team to learn more about the program and gain additional insight on how to make your application competitive. Register for an information session.
Applications Deadline May 19
Given the quality and volume of applicants, we’re bringing our Tech x Games accelerator to Los Angeles later this summer. SR003 will run for 12-weeks starting July 29th, culminating in a Demo Day during SF Tech Week.
⭐🟥SEED SPOT Retail Brand Accelerator
Application Deadline June 23
Supports BIPOC and underrepresented founders to gain access to the network and resources needed to take their product to the next level. This program is dedicated to leveling the playing field for underrepresented founders by providing support, mentorship, and opportunities for growth in the retail space. Expand your customer base and market reach with the 10-week virtual Retail Brand Accelerator (July 8-Sept 13).
Attend an Info Session March 27, April 24, May 29, or June 19
🟦Employment & Opportunities
🔹Entrepreneurship at Cornell: Summer Internship Program
Students & Business Owners!!! Start thinking about your summer plans!
Entrepreneurship at Cornell provides entrepreneurial students with opportunities to gain essential experience in small to mid-sized businesses throughout the US & abroad. Students from any of Cornell’s schools and colleges are eligible to apply for these paid opportunities.
Businesses – to help offset the cost of an intern potential funding may be available to you
🟪Meet with a Mentor
🟪Blackstone LaunchPad at Cornell
BLP provides mentorship and venture creation support to Cornell student, alumni, faculty, or staff at any stage of their entrepreneurial journey. Whether you are interested in learning more about the entrepreneurship community at Cornell, have an idea, or need help with later-stage startup challenges, BLP mentors are there to guide you. Visit the BLP site so you see the areas of expertise for the 32 BLP mentors and view their schedule to make an appointment with them here.
🟪Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurs in Residence Office Hours. Entrepreneurs in Residence meet one-on-one with students to talk about business ideas and plans, career experience and guidance, and more. The program enables students to learn through ongoing personal interaction with successful entrepreneurs. You can schedule one-on-one meetings using your StartupTree account. Don’t have an account? It only takes a minute to create one!
View upcoming EIRs and their key areas of expertise by visiting our website.
🟪Cornell Family Business Mentorscape
The Cornell Family Business Mentorscape is a vast network that connects current Cornell students and recent alumni with scholars, advisors, and family business leaders for one-on-one mentoring and coaching sessions. Students have the exceptional opportunity to select their own agendas and interest areas for exploration during the time spent with their mentors. Cornell Family Business mentors are carefully selected to provide for a diversity of experience and expertise. Learn more here
🟪Engineering Entrepreneurs in Residence
This program partners experienced entrepreneurs with engineering faculty, postdocs, and students who are interested in learning more about commercialization and entrepreneurship. Set up a meeting to explore the entrepreneurship landscape, introduce you to like-minded alumni, and connect you to programs to get started. EiRs offer guidance and support to: