Are you a genius, or do you know one on campus? OZY is selecting ten college students to receive grants of up to $10,000 to help them pursue their dreams. The contest has just launched and applications are open until April 30, 2021. If you have a big idea you want OZY to get behind, here is a chance for funding and incredible media exposure.

The OZY Genius Awards will also pair you with a mentor who will help launch your project. This year’s judges include a field of experts from TV host Padma Lakshmi to investor Marc Lasry, to activist and former NBA star Jalen Rose.

The competition runs through April 30, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Get your application in early to get noticed.  Winners will be announced on the weekend of May 15-16, 2021.

OZY is known for identifying talent.  For example, Amanda Gorman, who gained acclaim for her poem at the 2021 presidential inauguration was first an OZY Genius Award winner.

OZY) is an international media and entertainment company launched by former CNN and MSNBC news anchor, journalist, and businessman Carlos Watson and Goldman Sachs alumnus Samir Rao.  

With headquarters is in Mountain View, California, and an office in New York City, it is a digital media platform that includes a digital magazine that profiles rising stars and trends, a daily newsletter, content partnerships with other leading publications, daily news podcasts, special feature podcasts hosted on the iHeart Media podcast network, and non-fiction television shows for networks including Hulu, Amazon Prime, PBS, BBC Worldwide, A&E and History.  It also produces talk-show and town-hall formats, all hosted by Watson, including Emmy-nominated Black Women OWN the Conversation, produced for the Oprah Winfrey Network. The Carlos Watson Show, which airs on YouTube, was named the “fastest-growing talk show in YouTube history” by Good Morning America.

Watch the inspiring OXY Genius Awards application video here.

Apply for an award here.

Questions?  Reach out to the OZY EDU team at Genius@ozy.com.

We are super excited to join our colleagues at the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ESC) and the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) School of Design to invite students from all academic disciplines to apply to this summer’s Invent@SU program.  It’s no secret that the best ideas on campus come out of this program that helps develop undergraduate students into inventors and entrepreneurs as they design, prototype and pitch original devices.

The program is open to all Syracuse University undergraduate students who have not previously entered their invention idea in another business plan or entrepreneurship competition.  Apply here.

For summer 2021, the program will run from Monday, July 5 to Friday, August 13 on the Syracuse University campus.  Students will learn about design, product development and intellectual property, then conceive an original invention, prototype the invention and refine it in response to weekly feedback from guest evaluators.

In addition to 4 teams being awarded cash prizes, students will receive:

• A $1,500 stipend
• A $1,000 budget per team for prototyping materials
• Guidance from engineering and design faculty, consultants and evaluators
• Access to laser cutters, 3D printers, a machine shop, and professional machinists
• Daily lunch, coffee, and snacks

Please note that participants will need to arrange their own housing.

During Week 6 of the program, teams will present virtually before a final judging panel of accomplished Syracuse University alumni and entrepreneurs.

All prizes will be equally split among team members.  They include:

• First place – $7500
• Second place – $4500
• Third Place – $3000
• Honorable mention – $1500

During Week 5, guest evaluators will also award prizes to teams in specific categories during initial judging.

Many student teams go on after Invent@SU to work with the Blackstone LaunchPad & Techstars at SU Libraries to turn their invention into a venture.  Some have gone on to legally incorporate and file non-provisional patents.  Most actively compete in campus business plan competitions and raised additional funds, refining their product roadmap and business model, based on the important work they created at Invent@SU.

Some accomplishments of past Invent@SU teams include:

• 2021 ACC InVenture Prize campus winner (SugEx)
• 2020 Impact Prize, iPrize and Spirit of Entrepreneurship Winners (PAANI)
• 2019 EMPowered to Serve $50,000 First Place Award (SugEx)
• 2019 Panasci Business Plan Competition Winners (MedUX)
• 2019 Syracuse ACC InVenture Prize (MedUX)
• 2018 New York State Department of Health Aging Innovation Challenge (Pneu-Strength)
• 2018 Impact Prize Winners (MedUX, Prioritage)
• 2018 SU ACC InVenture Prize Winners (In-Spire)
• 2018 RvD iPrize Winners (In-Spire, Fibrefree)
• 2018 Panasci Business Plan Competition Winners (In-Spire)
• 2018 New York Business Plan Competition Winners (In-Spire, Fibrefree)
• 2017 International James Dyson Finalists (Fibrefree)
• 2017 Impact Prize Winners (In-Spire, Fibrefree)

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply?

You can apply right here – https://invent.syr.edu/apply/

Do I need to have an idea before applying?

No – the Invent@SU faculty can work with you and your teammates on developing ideas for usable and feasible inventions.

Can I continue work on an invention that I have already came up with, a project created for another competition or a project from a class?

No. Invent@SU is an invention accelerator for original ideas that have not been previously pitched, entered into an entrepreneurship competition or developed for a class.

Are there resources on campus that can help me after I finish Invent@SU?

Yes – the LaunchPad at Bird Library has worked with several Invent@SU teams on business plans and entrepreneurship competitions and has helped some teams turn their ideas into actual businesses.

Is food provided?

Yes. Lunch and snacks are provided each day. If you have specific dietary needs, just let Invent@SU know.

When will I receive my stipend?

Stipends are sent out shortly after the program ends.

Do I have to pay taxes on a stipend?

Stipends are considered income by the IRS.

Do I have to sign a photo/video release to participate in Invent@SU?

Yes. All Invent@SU participants have to sign a standard Syracuse University photo/ video release. We will be taking photos and videos of your team as you develop your project and will help you put together a one-minute video pitch.

Can I have another job or miss some days?

No. Six weeks goes quickly so you need to attend every day.

The SOURCE and the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA) invite fist year students to apply to the Young Research Fellows (YRF) program for its 2021-23 cohort.  Young Research Fellows, guided by a faculty mentor, engage in two years of group mentoring in early research and creative inquiry development and have access to up to $7,000 in funding towards research expenses during their undergraduate career.

The deadline for applications for the YRF 2021 cycle is Friday, April 16.  The program is open to students in all disciplines.

To be eligible students must:

• Be a first-year student
• Have a minimum 3.75 grade point average
• Have the endorsement of a faculty member willing to serve as faculty mentor for the two-year program
• Have a demonstrated commitment to research/creative inquiry

Apply here.

Here’s an opportunity to learn about how to pitch your research from the SOURCE at these upcoming research workshops.  Whether you’re interested in getting started, are already working on a project, or looking for help in presenting your work, please join the SOURCE for one or all of the sessions.

Wed, March 17th, 11am-12pm | Getting Started in Research

Tues, March 23rd, 4-5pm | Writing a Literature Review

Tues, March 30th, 3:30-4:30pm | Writing an Abstract

Fri, April 2nd, 11am-12pm | Crafting a Research Elevator Speech

Thur, April 8th, 4-5pm | Getting Started in Research

Fri, April 16th, 1-2pm | Crafting a Research Elevator Speech

Wed, April 28th, 11am-12pm | Crafting a Research Elevator Speech

Register here

It’s the entrepreneur’s dilemma:  How to build a team and find team members?  You’re not alone.  All startups struggle with this.  At the same time, so many talented creatives, innovators and technologists would love to be part of a startup but don’t know how to find one and join an entrepreneurial team.  We turned this challenge over to our amazing LaunchPad problem-solvers and our Rubin Family Innovation Mentors created a simple solution.  It just launched and it’s brilliant.  Check out how to build your own startup team, or join a great startup team.  Postings will populate a new LaunchPad ventures on-line opportunity board here. We will also be publishing them in upcoming issues of our newsletter.

It works like this:

1. Post your team opportunity here.  It’s simple and fast.  Post each opportunity separately (i.e., content manager, technical lead, business development, etc.).  The simple drop down will guide you through some quick questions.
2. Your team opportunity will be prominently displayed here. It’s a great way to build your brand and show the traction you’re creating with your startup. The more positions you create, the more notice you get.
3. Students who would love to join teams can post their skill sets here. There are lots of categories — from business development and sales, to content development, digital media and marketing, finance, graphic design, hardware and software, UX/UI, web development and more. Build incredible portfolio work that will get you noticed.
4. Based on the smart matching system our LaunchPad team created, you’ll get a push e-mail that there is a match.  Connect on your own from there.
5. Your posting will be live for 30 days.  If you haven’t filled the slot and want to keep looking, simply post it again.

The goal is not to replace other team building and matchmaking platforms like Handshake and LinkedIn, but to help better connect startup talent across campus through a very strategic new matchmaking tool.  Build your teams and connect all in one simple place.  

Now we’ve got one ask: Share this out with folks in your network to help make this the very best one-stop talent hub for Syracuse University’s innovation ecosystem.

Who will represent Syracuse and Central New York in the 12th Annual New York Business Plan Competition?  Find out on March 26 when the winners are announced of the regional qualifier for NYBPC, New York’s statewide intercollegiate business plan competition.  This year’s competition is being held online, and student entrepreneurs will have networking opportunities and visibility to investors, potential customers and partners, and business leaders from across the state.  The Blackstone LaunchPad & Techstars at Syracuse University Libraries hosts Compete CNY, open to all college students from across the Central New York region.

This year’s tracks include:

• AgTech & Food
• Infrastructure, First Responder & Defense
• MedTech & Life Sciences
• Education & Well-Being
• Consumer & Business Products
• Software & Services

The grand prize for this year’s state competition is $10,000.

Special prizes will also be awarded at the state level competition for:

• Venture-Backable Startup
• Social Entrepreneur
• BIPOC Founder
• Female Founder
• Veteran Founder
• Pandemic Response

Student competitors are gearing up this month to compete at the semi-final competitions hosted by partner colleges and universities held in all 10 regions of New York State – Western New York, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Central New York, Mohawk Valley, North Country, Capital Region, Mid-Hudson, New York City, and Long Island. Top teams from each region advance to the statewide finals.

Since 2010, over 5,000 students from more than 100 public and private New York colleges, community colleges, and universities have pitched their ventures at the NYBPC. Winners are selected each year by judging panels composed of venture capitalists, angel investors, investment bankers, business leaders and seasoned entrepreneurs.

More than 150 companies and social ventures have been launched, contributing more than $100 million in economic value over the past decade. 

“The NYBPC showcases the next generation of entrepreneurs. Supporting innovation at the earliest stages improves our local economies and addresses our global challenges,” said Noa Simons, Executive Director of the Upstate Capital Association of New York. “This program enjoys significant support from major sponsors, philanthropic donors, and community leaders who work together to advance the mission. It is more important than ever to continue moving forward.”

NYBPC sponsors and partners include NY Ventures, NYSTAR, Thompson Hine, FuzeHub, Saile Ackerman LLC, SUNY Research Foundation, Stewart’s Shops, Sciarabba Walker & Co. and Phillips Lytle, and philanthropic donations from Chet Opalka through the Opalka Family Donor Advised Fund and Vikram Agrawal.

Learn more at nybpc.org

This year’s iSchool’s RvD iPrize and the Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award competitions will be held virtually on March 26 from 1:45 p.m. to 5 p.m.  They can be viewed in real time over Zoom by any students, family and friends who want to watch. The competitions feature a combined prize package of $50,000 and are one of the highlights of the spring semester.  Watch them here.

The RvD Fund is named after former iSchool dean Raymond Von Dran, who served from 1995 until his passing in 2007. Von Dran was a longtime academic entrepreneur and staunch supporter of student innovation. He started several innovative programs in higher education. To honor his memory and ensure that her husband’s infectious spirit for innovation continued, his wife Gisela generously created the RvD Fund. Prizes totaling $40,000 will be awarded to top performing Syracuse University students across categories through the RvD Fund.

The Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards are funded through the Hunter Brooks Watson Memorial Fund (Hunter’s Fund) in memory of Hunter Brooks Watson, a Syracuse University iSchool student who passed away in a 2016 distracted driving accident. The competition is concurrent with the RvD iPrize. $10,000 will be awarded to Syracuse University student teams through the Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award.

All monies are awarded as non-dilutive seed funding.

Students will be pitching ideas for products, services and technologies in the following categories:

• AgTech & Food
• Infrastructure, First Responder & Defense
• MedTech & Life Sciences
• Education & Well-Being
• Consumer & Business Products
• Software & Services

The RvD iPrize and Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award competitions are right around the corner.  To help get students ready, the LaunchPad will be hosting a “Pitch Perfect” workshop on Friday, March 19 from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. via Zoom.  The session will include tips on presentation techniques, as well as info on what to include in pitch decks.  The Zoom link is here.

The workshop will include:

Presentation style

• Tips on an effective presentation, and how to create a compelling story
• How to pitch with polish in a way that connects with the audience and judges
• How to create effective visuals and infographics to demonstrate your points
• Do’s and don’ts of presentations, and how to create impact

What the judges are looking for

• Problem identification, customer discovery and validation
• Viability and feasibility of solution
• Market opportunity and effective identification of target customers and end-users
• Competitive advantage and value proposition
• Strength of the business model the product/service or technology being developed, solid assumptions and realistic projections of cost and revenue drivers
• Expertise of the team, and a network of supporting advisors who bring expertise
• Passion, drive and team commitment
• Clear, convincing and engaging pitch

Components of the pitch

• Problem and its significance (tell a story and create a context)
• Solution and what makes it unique
• Problem/solution validation
• Size of the market opportunity and customer/end-user you are targeting
• Competitive landscape and where you fit
• Marketing and sales channels to reach your market
• Your plan:  product roadmap and business development roadmap
• Financial model and a breakeven analysis
• Your funding strategy, and projected sources and uses of funds
• Your team, and expertise it has to tackle this problem and bring this solution to market
• Your wrap and how to hit it out the park.  Make the ask and give the judges a reason to invest in your idea and your team

The LaunchPad team, mentors, and professional service providers are available to help develop investment-ready business models, create more competitive pitches, and coach teams on the art of successful pitching. 

The LaunchPad team of peer mentors will be available for pitch practices the week of March 22. Make reservations by e-mailing LaunchPad@syr.edu