You are invited to watch teams competing in this year’s $10,000 Impact Prize on November 14 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Bird Library. Coordinated by the Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars, this year’s event features the largest number of contestants in the three-year history of the event. The Impact Prize supports ventures that address issues with social impact — from energy and the environment, to education and training, health and mental health, community and social networks, social inclusion, poverty and literacy, inclusion and equity, and sustainability. It is supported through a generous gifts to SU Libraries from Dr. Gisela M. von Dran and Todd B. Rubin ’04, Minister of Evolution and President of The Republic of Tea. The event is a highlight of “The Republic of Innovation” celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week at SU.
Pitches will be between 3:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m in Bird Library rooms 606, 608, and 600B (Lemke Room next to the special collections area). Judges will deliberate from 4:45 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and awards will be announced at a 5:30 p.m. reception in the Peter Graham Scholarly Commons.
The event is open to all, and the community is invited to view the pitch. This year’s judges feature a number of LaunchPad alumni who started their businesses with earnings from LaunchPad business plan competitions.
This year’s Impact Prize teams are:
| Benjamin | Goldsmith | POPCYCLE |
| Caleb | Obiagwu | Attend Pro |
| Clinton | Garrahan | FreeSwing-Power Source |
| Daniel | Green | Dream Connect |
| Daniel | McMurray | Swip |
| David | Kestin | UniRide |
| James | LePage | EDGEModular |
| Justin | Diaz | EcoBamboo Living |
| Kerrick | Hahn | Rypple |
| Mohammed | Ali | Urban Coders |
| Matt | Shumer | VISOS |
| Maxwell | Boise | Porta- Splint |
| Nikita | Chatterjee | PAANI |
| Noel | Chang | Bluerem |
| Nicole | Souza | Film Junction |
| Peter | Mignacca | SustENABLE |
| Rachel | Kaiser | ICED |
| Sam | Hollander | Fiat Finance |
| Yuhang | Zhang | F.E.I. Technology LLC |