Ethan Tyo ’17 G’22, founder of The AlterNative Project, captured the $10,000 grand prize and Adya Parida and Oliver Raycroft, co-founders of Scale Sense, earned the $5,000 second place award at the recent Impact Prize competition, hosted by the LaunchPad at SU Libraries. One of the largest cohorts ever, 33 student teams competed in the event that is designed to catalyze social impact entrepreneurship. It was open to all Syracuse students presenting business models for products, projects, services, or technologies that are practical, innovative, and sustainable solutions to societal problems.

The AlterNative Project’s goal is to change the way people think about Indigenous foods and Tribal food systems across North America. By combining experiential education sites, community-supported agriculture programming, and food business development, it helps empower Tribal communities to restore cultural foods and food sovereignty.

One of four people live with food security in Tribal Nations throughout the United States. Decades of land degradation and environmental damage by external polluters have left land infertile. Along with that, cultural erasure has affected the ability to pass down traditions and many Indigenous people feel a sense of both cultural and community loss. Ethan’s solution is based around food sovereignty, land remediation, cultural restoration, and nation-building.

He plans to work with Tribal Nation communities – there are 574 federally recognized Tribes with 6.8 million Indigenous Americans. His other focus is academic institutions and museums with Indigenous American collections. He will use his winnings to create a project with the Adirondack Experience Museum in Blue Mountain Lake and to build an educational website.

Scale Sense is a product that helps firefighters more easily orient themselves when they perform large area search and rescue operations. The project is easily attached to a firefighter’s rope and can show direction in a tactile way. It was developed by Adya Parida and Oliver Raycroft as part of Invent@SU. The team intends to file for patent and license it to a strategic partner in the fire apparatus safety sector who can bring it to market.

Of the 33 teams that pitched in the event, judges selected the “elite eight” teams were selected to go on to the final round. They were:

• Continual
• Happy Loose Leaf Tea
• Moody Mag
• Papex
• Polititag
• Scale Sense
• The AlterNative Project
• Vanir Meads

Competing in the event were the following idea champions and teams:

• Adya Parida and Oliver Raycroft, Scale Sense
• Alan Jos, Citron Solutions
• Anand Benegal, Spatika: 4D News
• Ben Ford, Fundwurx
• Bowen MacLennan, UVT
• Brandon Henry, Beyond the Box
• Cem Taviloglu, Vanir Meads
• Cherry Kim, Conformabelt
• Claire Chevalier, CMC
• Drew Bartelstein, Purescan
• Emma Lueders, Moody Mag
• Eric Hong, Scout
• Ethan Tyo, The AlterNative Project
  Frank Marin, Marhold Space Systems
• Frederick Pollard, Oasis
• Ian Storrs, ConCurrent
• James Barbato, Eudaimona
• Jan Tomasz Szuminski, Szuminski Solo Sound
• Jared Anderson, The Emergency Preparedness Project
• Jeremy Shinder, Jere Bear Films
• Katy Arons, Continual
• Lexi Cianfarani, ClubMATCH
• Manya Gadhok, Period.
• Mauricio Luna, Luna College Consulting
• Motolani Oladitan, E-Vend
• Nicolas Courbage, Paypex
• Noah Mechnig-Giordano, Happy Loose Leaf Tea
• Payton Dunn, Absurdist
• Ryan Peters, Polititag
• Sai Krishna Bolla, TelMeNot
• Siraj Dahal, Private Route Aggregator
• Ud Joseph, Mentorship for Young Immigrants
• Zirui Wang, Public Opinion

Judges were:

• Brad Banikowski
• Emma Spector
• Geena Matuson
• Jeff Fuchsberg
• Ocesa B Keaton
• Traci Geisler
• Vincent Plaza

Examples of impact ventures included business models or projects around:

• Agriculture
• Arts and culture
• Community revitalization
• Disability and accessibility
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Employment and training
• Energy and climate change
• Environmental sustainability
• Food access and nutrition
• Health and mental health
• Historic preservation
• Literacy and education
• Poverty
• Sustainability
• Transportation and mobility
• Underserved populations
• Youth leadership and empowerment
• Other public policy challenges

This year’s competition was supported through a $15,000 gift from SU Libraries Advisory Board Member Carl Armani and his wife Marcy, in honor of Linda Dickerson-Hartsock, retiring LaunchPad executive director, who created the Impact Prize. This is the sixth annual competition, designed to help see the greater good and make a difference in the lives of people around them. Social impact is a mission that Linda personally and professionally championed through her career and at the LaunchPad.

The Impact Prize is also a gateway to spring competitions like the ACC InVenture Prize, RvD iPrize, Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award and the Panasci Business Plan Competition.

In honor of Veteran’s Day last week, enjoy this SU News story about how Syracuse’s Blackstone LaunchPad supports student veterans with their business ventures, including partnering with the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families and the Defense Comptrollership Program on specialized training for veterans. The story also profiles two Syracuse University alumni U.S. Army Capt. Amanda Rylee ’19 and Brian Kam ’16 who served from 2003 to 2007 as a lance corporal with the U.S. Marine Corps. both started ventures as students, working with the LaunchPad. Read the story here.

Applications are still open for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Technology Transitions American-Made EnergyTech University Prize (EnergyTech UP). The SyracuseCoE is pleased to host this year’s regional EnergyTech UP, a collegiate competition challenging multidisciplinary student teams to develop and present a business plan that leverages high-potential energy technologies, including those developed at national laboratories and universities. This innovative prize asks student teams to identify an energy technology, assess its market potential, and develop a strategy for commercialization. Applications are open through Jaunaury 26, 2023, and there are still opportunities to learm more through upcoming information sessions. Learn more and see the competition timeline here.

Student teams will have the opportunity to compete for a total of $370,000 in cash prizes as they present their plans to a panel of industry judges.

Teams will first compete at the regional level, and the top teams will move on to compete with other regional winners from across the nation. Technology Bonus Prizes are also offered by eight DOE technology offices for the best proposals in their respective fields. In addition to the cash prizes, teams invited to the regional events will receive free access to the Office of Technology Transition’s Energy I-Corps curriculum, and regional winners will be provided with exclusive mentorship before competing in the final round of the competition at the Zpryme Energy Thought Summit.   

The SyracuseCoE was selected as one of 15 EnergyTech UP Regional Convening Partners, hosting the Regional Explore Event in collaboration with NYSERDA and CenterState CEO’s Clean Tech Center after a successful virtual event last year. In 2022, the regional winning team from the University of Connecticut went on to compete in the final phase of the competition with their “Smart i-Floor” proposal, which consisted of integrated, durable floor tiles with the ability to sense information and harvest energy from footsteps. Additionally, a student team from SUNY Binghamton was awarded the Technology Bonus Prize from the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management for their carbon negative cement replacement, Pantheon. This team has since seen great success in commercializing their technology as Klaw Industries. Klaw Industries has recently joined SyracuseCoE’s Partner Program and continues to develop sustainable materials solutions for the concrete and recycling industries.   

The EnergyTech UP competition offers students the opportunity to build their leadership and entrepreneurial skills, while providing exposure to all of the innovative energy technologies waiting to be commercialized. Prize administrators held an informational webinar on October 26 to share details about the $370,000 available to students, inspire ideas around energy technologies, and answer questions from potential participants.

Any interested students or faculty are encouraged to start following EnergyTech UP to stay up to date on submission deadlines, requirements, prize rules, and more.

Located near the heart of Haudenosaunee territory, Syracuse University is committed to empowering and supporting Indigenous students of any tribe or nation. From academic programs and resources to welcoming and supportive communities, as well as supporting entrepreneurial ventures, Syracuse University is invested in helping Indigenous students succeed. Read some of their innovation stories here in this SU News feature article. One of the students featured is our very own Ethan Tyo, recent winner of the Impact Prize, and the LaunchPad’s Todd B. Rubin Diversity and Inclusion Scholar.

The Central New York Biotech Accelerator (CNYBAC) is now accepting applications starting January 1, 2023 for its 2023 Medical Device Innovation Challenge.  The deadline to apply is March 31, 2023.

Syracuse University faculty, staff and students are invited to apply if they are working on a product, service or technology related to medical devices. LaunchPad students have participated in the past, and have even won the challenge.  We encourage you to learn more.

The CNYBAC Medical Device Innovation Challenge is a six-month mentorship / network expansion / resource rich program for early stage innovators.  MDIC accepts 5 teams to participate in the annual program.  To date, 33 teams have graduated from the program and have amassed milestone achievements during and following their participation. The MDIC serves as a complement from and a pipeline to other incubation/acceleration programs: 

Applications are accepted January 1 through March 31 each year and are reviewed through a due diligence process performed by The Innovation Law Center, Syracuse University with teams selected by the MDIC Review Committee.  The program starts August 1 (some teams receive early commercialization research in advance of program start by The Innovation Law Center).  

Teams may participate virtually or on-site. If on-site, teams can elect to work at no cost in during the six-month program in the CNYBAC Creation Garage, 841 E. Fayette St., Syracuse, NY.  All selected teams can utilize this facility at any point during the program.  

CNYBAC Medical Device Innovation Challenge (MDIC) Two-step Application Process

Step 1:  Confirm Eligibility

To be eligible to apply you must meet all of the following:

• Are a US-based innovation team/startup company.
• Are in early stage development of a medical device per FDA medical device definition.     
• Have a team.
• Your innovation is reduced to practice and you are able to apply for a patent, have a provisional patent filed, or patent approved.
• Agree to meet the requirements of the program:  attend all monthly mentor meetings, actively participate in progressing through your Project Plan goals, attend CNYBAC virtual education events (most are recorded/you can access at your convenience).  

Step 2:  Complete Application/Submit by March 31:  MDIC Application

Program details:

• Selected teams receive an MDIC Agreement for execution.  Program start date:  August 1.
• We cover the costs of student-based legal and commercialization research for each selected team through the Innovation Law Center, NYS Science and Technology Law Center, Syracuse University College of Law.
• Mentorship:  mentors are assigned to each team based on specific goals to be accomplished during the program (legal, regulatory, commercialization, CEO, product development experts, etc.).  Hour-long virtual mentor meetings are held monthly, scheduled Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. EST.
• Selected teams gain coordinated access to SUNY Upstate Medical University research partners and Core Facilities.
• 3D printer/wash station, additional on-site equipment available.
• Extensive Ecosystem:  We will provide targeted resource assistance and networking opportunities throughout the program.  

CNYBAC, Upstate Medical University’s Concept to Commercialization Virtual Series also provides information-rich workshops through July, 2023 (free/virtual/some provide Certificates of Attendance for recertification programs). These programs are open to all innovators and researchers, not just members of the Medical Innovation Device Challenge.

Concept to Commercialization spring dates are here:

Medical Device Risk and Regulations December 8, 2022, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Raymond Dromms, President, Raymond P. Solutions, Inc. and Kathi Durdon, CCRP, Executive Director, CNY Biotech Accelerator, Upstate Medical University This presentation will include an overview of how risk plays a prominent role in product development, research and regulatory submission and will include an overview of device classification, FDA submissions and the risk assessment. Register: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcvc–trD8iEtBWSH0s-c0w4t_fzaaFl4sn

FuzeHub Funding and Solutions Program January 12, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST Patty Rechberger, Innovation Fund Manager and Eric Fasser, Solutions Program Manager, FuzeHub Register: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpcO6oqD4jHtzdyNfBKAKq4SAufVNIyL4O

Navigating Government Grant Compliance January 31, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST Andrew Newman, CPA, ScienceDocs, Inc. When you accept a government grant, you are expected to understand and follow all the compliance requirements of the grant. This presentation is an introduction into the understanding of these crucial requirements and is the first in a series of presentations from ScienceDocs. Register: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYvdeGqpjMiGtcBFgCFM3rmIX4PZ-SpcPSM

Startup Funding February 16, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST Jeff Knox, Associate, Innospark Register: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIvc-6oqzIsHdQd0pMMQwYPXtqR4qSXgm5-

NY Ventures – New Funding Programs March 2, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST Silvia Codony, Senior Director, NY Ventures, Empire State Development Register: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwudOuppj0rHdQtcgnzSZwU-DMisD9faOAQ

It’s an AI Product Manager’s Job to help an Organization Succeed with Predictive Machine Learning March 16, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST Paul Ortchanian, Founder, CEO, Head of Product, Data and Strategy, Bain Public, Inc. In short, AI is a lifecycle that requires the integration of data, machine learning models, and the software around it. It covers everything from scoping and designing to building and testing all the way through to deployment — and eventually requires frequent monitoring. Product leaders need to ensure that data scientists are delivering results in efficient ways so business counterparts can understand, interpret, and use it to learn from. This includes everything from the definition of the problem, the coverage and quality of the data set and its analysis, to the presentation of results and the follow-up. Register: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEsce2spzIiGdIfDfcKAvqJpJVBD4W3R2Dx

Cybersecurity April 12, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST Reg Harnish, CEO, OrbitalFire Register: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAodO6hpzsqE9DhQQuyumzHmsGKGR2X49a8

Upcoming Biotech Innovation Ecosystem Events:

Launch NY Founders Go Big in CNY November 15, Oncenter, Syracuse, NY

Upstate Capital Association 7th Annual Awards Celebration December 7, Rochester, NY

16th Annual SOCRA Medical Device Conference – Scottsdale, AZ, April 27-28 with a basic pre-conference workshop on April 26 (additional registration).

See additional events at: https://cnybac.com/education/

November is National Entrepreneurship Month, celebrating “the doers, dreamers, and job creators whose vision and grit fuel our economy and capture the essence of America.” A record 5.4 million new businesses were started in 2021, which is more than 20 percent higher than any year on record. It’s also been a great year for entrepreneurship at Syracuse University. Here are highlights from the last year.

October 2021 to October 2022:

• 1,121 new LaunchPad participants
• $61 million new equity investments raised by LaunchPad ventures
• 65 new LaunchPad businesses incorporated
• $350,000 new student winnings in competitions

We celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurship each month at the LaunchPad, but this is a great time to salute our student entrepreneurs, using words from the national proclamation below:

“Starting and owning a business has always been a key path to the American Dream — a way to build wealth, serve your neighbors, and leave a mark in a community and on the world. Requiring risk-taking and daring, entrepreneurs faced additional challenges during the pandemic and the economic crisis that it created. America can be defined in one word:  possibilities. Entrepreneurs’ willingness to take risks, work hard, and never quit make those possibilities come alive. They turn vision into reality and ideas into products, profits, and national prosperity. This month, we celebrate their contributions as a point of national pride and recommit to giving them the space and support to make sure America wins the 21st century.”

The Whitman School of Management has announced details for its Panasci Business Plan Competition, a campus-wide student business plan competition open to Syracuse University students. Applicants are invited to write and submit a business plan for the chance to advance to the finals and a chance at more than $40,000 in prizes on April 14, 2023.

Key dates:

• Dec. 2^, 2022, 7-8 p.m.: First info session, Q&A to learn about the competition and hear from past winning teams: Zoom link here.
• Jan. 30^, 2023, 7-8 p.m.: Second info session, Q&A to learn about the competition and hear from past winning teams: Zoom link here.
• Jan. 31^, 2023, midnight, submit your expression of interest (not compulsory to compete but useful to stay up to date). Link here.
• Feb. 18/19, EEE458 weekend course to learn how to write a business plan (1 credit). Not a pre-requirement to compete, but useful to write a better business plan. For information about the course email Ken Walsleben at kpwalsle@syr.edu.
• March 26, 2023, deadline to submit your business plan to compete.
• April 14, 2023, Panasci Business Plan Competition

Learn more about eligibility, as well as rules and regulations on the Panasci website, here.

To celebrate National Entrepreneur’s Week, we are gearing up for competition season at the Blackstone LaunchPad at SU Libraries.   Bookmark key dates for spring competitions.

Syracuse University Spring Competition Schedule:

• November 14, 2022, Applications open for many spring competitions
• December 2, 2022, First Panasci Business Plan Competition info session
• January 30, 2023, Second Panasci Business Plan Competition info session
• January 31, 2023, Panasci Business Plan Competition expression of interest due
• February 1, 2023, Applications due for the ACC InVenture Prize campus competition. Apply here
• February 1, 2023, Applications due for the Hult Prize campus competition. Apply here
• February 10, 2023, ACC InVenture Prize campus competition
• February 17, 2023, Hult Prize, Syracuse University campus competition
• February 18-19, Panasci Business Plan competition weekend course
• March 15, 2023, Applications due for Raymond von Dran (RvD) iPrize; teams are automatically entered into the Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards.  Apply here
• March 24, 2023, RvD iPrize and Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards
• March 26, 2023, Applications due for the Panasci Business Plan Competition Apply here
• March 31, 2023, New York State Business Plan CNY regional qualifier Apply here
• April 5, 2023, Applications due for Intelligence ++ Competition. 
• April 14, 2023, Panasci Business Plan Competition, Whitman School of Management
• April 21, 2023, Intelligence ++ Competition
• April 27, 2023, New York Business Plan Competition – Venture NY, statewide event held in downtown Syracuse

Keep checking the LaunchPad website for information about all of these events.

About the competitions:

• ACC In Venture Prize:  Sponsored by the LaunchPad on behalf of Syracuse University and open to all undergraduate students or recent graduates within one year of graduation from their undergraduate program.  The prize competition pits top inventors and innovators of the ACC network against each other at a PBS-televised event.  It features a $30,000 prize package for the top ACC Conference winners at the finals at FSU. Click here to apply
• Raymond von Dran (RvD) iPrize:  Open to all graduate and undergraduate students working on venture ideas for products, services, technologies, and social impact ventures.  Sponsored by the iSchool, the competition typically features a prize package of more than $40,000.  Click here to apply
• Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards:  Open to undergraduate and graduate students at Syracuse competing in the iPrize, the competition features a prize package of $10,000 from 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. This competition is concurrent with the RvD iPrize.
• Compete CNY and New York Business Plan Competition:  Open to all undergraduate and graduate students at New York State Universities.  Click here to apply
• Panasci Business Plan Competition:  Sponsored by the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and open to all graduate and undergraduate students, typically with a prize package of more than $40,000.  Click here to apply
• Intelligence ++ Competition: Supported by a generous gift to SU Libraries by Gianfranco Zaccai ’70 H’09 and the Zaccai Foundation for Augmented Intelligence (Intelligence++), this challenge is focused on inclusive entrepreneurship and design. It is open to all undergraduate and graduate students from all disciplines, working on proposals for products, services or technologies that address problems or create new opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families. It is offered through a partnership between the LaunchPad, the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education (InclusiveU) and the  College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA). The LaunchPad team at SU Libraries is available to assist teams interested in competing.  To schedule a meeting to discuss your idea, get matched with a peer mentor, or participate in pitch workshops, please e-mail LaunchPad@syr.edu

Join us November 14 at 4 p.m. for a virtual discussion with Syracuse University alum Michael Steinmetz CPA about what startups need to know to wrap up their financial year and plan for the next one. The Zoom event is open only to Syracuse University students. What’s deductible and what isn’t?  How can you minimize tax liability?  What financial records you should be keeping?  What should you be reporting?  If you hired contractors, what forms do you owe them?  How do you handle competition prize winnings as taxable income? How should you be setting up your basic bookkeeping and accounting for the coming year?  What do you need to know about hiring 1099 employees?  If you’re hiring, what do you need to know about payroll taxes?  What quarterly reports should you be filing? What’s some good general advice on setting up your P&L, balance sheet and understanding the different models of accounting – cash basis or accrual basis.

Steinmetz is a CPA and trusted advisor within Citrin Cooperman’s business advisory department with over eight years of experience providing accounting and tax services to privately held companies. He has a specialized focus in servicing technology and early-stage start-up clients, however, his client base spans across a broad range of industries including manufacturing & distribution, hospitality, professional services and construction.

He takes a strategic approach to servicing his clients by specializing in profitability and growth. He works closely with his clients to improve efficiencies and productivity by analyzing their business operations and providing insight on budgeting, operations, and internal controls.

Steinmetz prides himself on not only grasping concepts and procedures, but being able to offer innovative solutions and insightful advice and to communicate these in a thoughtful and coherent manner.

Before joining Citrin Cooperman, he worked at Ernst & Young in Wealth and Asset Management Assurance. There, he provided services to several hedge funds, private equity funds and mutual funds, assisting them with compliance and operational efficiency.

He is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the AICPA. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Syracuse University from the Whitman School of Management and earned his M.B.A. from Binghamton University.

To register and receive the Zoom link, please e-mail LaunchPad@syr.edu

One of the largest cohorts ever – 33 student teams – will compete November 11 for $15,000 in prizes in this year’s Syracuse LaunchPad’s Impact Prize. The event, designed to catalyze social impact entrepreneurship, will be held in Bird Library from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and will feature student startups from across all majors who applied to compete. It is open to members of the campus community who want to attend and observe students presenting business models for products, projects, services, or technologies that are practical, innovative, and sustainable solutions to societal problems anywhere around the globe. Students from 134 countries are part of the LaunchPad.

The event opens with a 2 p.m. welcome by David Seaman, Dean of Syracuse University Libraries in Peter Graham Scholarly Commons, Room 114, Bird Library. Following remarks, students will pitch in this tentative order:

Room One – Bird 004
Time	Team Captain	Team Name
2:20	Ben Ford	Fundwurx
2:30	Zirui Wang	Public Opinion
2:40	Payton Dunn	Absurdist
2:50	Adya Parida and Oliver Raycroft	Scale Sense
3:00	Bowen MacLennan	UVT
3:10	Siraj Dahal	Private Route Aggregator
3:20	Nicolas Courbage	Receipts
3:30	Jeremy Shinder	Jere Bear Films
Room Two – Bird 606
2:20	Jared Anderson	The Emergency Preparedness Project
2:30	Ud Joseph	Mentorship for Young Immigrants
2:40	Cem Taviloglu	Vanir Meads
2:50	Sajjad Al-Hashami	Eye-N
3:00	Manya Gadhok (virtual)	Period.
3:10	Dylan Palmer and Alan Jos	Citron Solutions
3:20	Mauricio Luna	Luna College Consulting
3:30	Noah Mechnig-Giordano	Happy Loose Leaf Tea
Room Three – Bird 608
Time	Presenter Name	Team Name
2:20	Lexi Cianfarani	ClubMATCH
2:30	Ryan Peters	Polititag
2:40	Sai Krishna Bolla	TelMeNot
2:50	Frank Marin	Marhold Space Systems
3:00	Katy Arons	Continual
3:10	Natasha Abrol	Art X Ecology
3:20	Claire Chevalier	CMC
3:30	Frederick Pollard	Oasis
3:40	Motolani Oladitan	E-vend
Room Four – Bird 120
2:20	Emma Lueders	Moody Mag
2:30	Eric Hong and Franky Zhang	Scout
2:40	Brandon Henry	Beyond the Box
2:50	Drew Bartelstein	Purescan
3:00	Cherry Kim	Conformabelt
3:10	Ian Storrs	ConCurrent
3:20	Anand Benegal	Spatika: 4D News
3:30	Ethan Tyo	The AlterNative Project
Final Round – Bird 004
4:00	Winner of Room One
4:05	Winner of Room One
4:10	Winner of Room Two
4:15	Winner of Room Two
4:20	Winner of Room Three
4:25	Winner of Room Three
4:30	Winner of Room Four
4:35	Winner of Room Four

Judges will announce the winners at 5 p.m. during a closing reception at the LaunchPad.

Examples of impact ventures include business models or projects around:

• Agriculture
• Arts and culture
• Community revitalization
• Disability and accessibility
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Employment and training
• Energy and climate change
• Environmental sustainability
• Food access and nutrition
• Health and mental health
• Historic preservation
• Literacy and education
• Poverty
• Sustainability
• Transportation and mobility
• Underserved populations
• Youth leadership and empowerment
• Other public policy challenges

This year’s competition is supported through a $15,000 gift from SU Libraries Advisory Board Member Carl Armani and his wife Marcy, in honor of Linda Dickerson-Hartsock, retiring LaunchPad executive director, who created the Impact Prize. This is the sixth annual competition, designed to help see the greater good and make a difference in the lives of people around them. Social impact is a mission that Linda personally and professionally championed through her career and at the LaunchPad.

The Impact Prize is also a gateway to spring competitions like the ACC InVenture Prize, RvD iPrize, Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award and the Panasci Business Plan Competition.