This week 19 mission-driven UChicago teams advanced to the next round of the 2023 John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (SNVC). The selected teams will work on a range of innovative solutions, including using machine learning to overcome language barriers to healthcare, minimizing food waste with reminders and recipes, and a community-driven approach to increasing employee ownership.
With the announcement, the teams advance to Phase II of the competition, during which they will work throughout Spring Quarter to launch a nonprofit or for-profit enterprise with a social mission at the core.
Finalists will compete for at least $150,000 in cash prizes on Tuesday, May 23.
The Edwardson SNVC is the social impact track of New Venture Challenge (NVC), the University of Chicago’s nationally ranked accelerator program. The SNVC is run by Chicago Booth's Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation, along with the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
This year marks the 13th year of the Edwardson SNVC, which has helped to jump-start more than 150 startups that have gone on to raise more than $150 million. Notable alumni include solar-powered light company LuminAID, online voter guide BallotReady, autism therapy provider AIM Clinics (now Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers), Africa-based e-commerce platform Wasoko, Chicago-based nonprofit Debate it Forward, and the 2022 winner, together.science.
Click here to read the full story.
This story was first published by the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation.
