Columbia Entrepreneurship

Info Session: CTV Fellows
2021-09-14 10:00 - 11:00 UTC
Columbia Technology Ventures (CTV), Columbia’s technology transfer office, will be hiring graduate students and post-docs for the Fellows Program. It is a unique internship opportunity that introduces scientists to technology commercialization.
CTV will host two virtual information sessions: one on Sept 14th at 10am and the other on Sept 15 at 5:30. Please check the CTV website for the meeting information if the provided links do not work. This is a paid position $25/hour for up to 10hrs/week. The application (due Oct 1) can be found here: https://ctvfellows.smapply.io/

CORE Town Hall - Virtual
2021-09-13 21:00
More info here.
Learn more about CORE, the Columbia Organization of Rising Entrepreneurs. This student club aims to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs at Columbia and Barnard through student-led programs, events, and initiatives. Applications to join CORE will go live after the Tuesday Town Hall.

Columbia University Hacking for Humanity
2021-09-10 - 2021-09-12
The cross-disciplinary event is open to all Columbia students.
Learn more here.

Columbia unites to propel early stage ventures addressing problems affecting people and the planet.
Hacking for Humanity is an opportunity to initiate and get traction for startup ideas that are focused on solving a problem for people and/or the planet. There are many terms used to describe such ventures including: “impact ventures”, “double bottom line”, “double impact”, “triple bottom line”, “sustainable”, “ESG”, and others. We use the term social ventures, which is inclusive of all solutions leveraging new technologies, research-based ideas, and innovations that can span a broad range of topics, fields, and industries. These ventures offer compelling business models which are scalable and attractive to impact investors and funders seeking targeted and (in most cases) large scalable market opportunities.

Deadline: 2021-2022 GSAPP Incubator Prize
2021-08-31
Open to GSAPP alums who graduated from 2007 and 2021; GSAPP alums may partner with other individuals.
Apply here.

Applications for the 2021–2022 cycle of the GSAPP Incubator Prize are now being accepted through August 31, 2021. As a platform for entrepreneurship and expanded modes of practice, the Prize supports projects led by GSAPP alumni that bridge critical discourse with active practice and engagement.
Read more here.

Deadline: Social Venture Incubator Course (Open to All Columbia Students)
2021-08-19
Open to all current Columbia Students
Apply Here

This course is an incubator for startups making a tangible impact on people or the planet. The spirit of the course is to foster cross-campus access and collaboration to leverage Columbia talent and resources to build your team, access any necessary technology, advance your venture, and gain investor interest.
Students will build new or advance existing social, environmental, health, and other impact ventures through collaborative investigation, experimentation, iterative design, network building, and compelling presentations to interested stakeholders. Potential ventures are mission driven, financially sustainable, and may span a broad range of sectors. Note that ventures may be structured as for-profit, a hybrid for-profit/nonprofit enterprise, or be a uniquely innovative nonprofit.
To foster team formation and connect with advisors and mentors, students are also invited to participate in Columbia’s Hacking for Humanity, which will be offered in Hyflex format on September 10-12. Students who have completed all ReopenCU protocols are encouraged to attend in person. Please view the recorded information session and website. A virtual networking event for participants will also take place in August.
Round 1 applications for this course are due August 19, 2021. Please be in touch with Professor Fairbanks if you have any questions about this course: jag32@columbia.edu or the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise if you have questions about Hacking for Humanity: socialenterprise@gsb.columbia.edu.

Deadline: Design for Social Innovation Course Fall 2021
2021-08-06 08:00 - 17:00
Open to all Columbia students
APPLY HERE

Are you interested in tackling complex problems through human centered design?
Design For Social Innovation (DFSI) is a semester-long course where students and faculty support social enterprises, nonprofit organizations, and the public sector to address complex, ambiguous global problems through human centered design. The course is open to students from Columbia’s 20 undergraduate and graduate schools, including Barnard and Teachers College, via an application and interview process.

The 3.0 credit course is a collaboration between the Columbia Entrepreneurship Design Studio and the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA).

The class will take place in-person on Wednesdays from 2:10pm – 4:00pm.

The application-only course will accept a total of 16 students for the Fall 2021 term.

This Fall we will work with NYC-based organizations around the themes of Education, Health, and Innovation.
Applications are now live and they will close at 11:59pm EDT on Friday, August 6th.

Info Session: 2021 Hacking for Humanity
2021-07-14 19:00 - 20:00
Are you someone with a promising startup? A highly skilled individual with interest in helping propel venture ideas to reality? Or a collaborative faculty or alumni advisor?
Join an information session about Columbia University’s Hacking for Humanity to ask questions, learn about the hackathon, and network with the cross-campus and beyond community of students, researchers, faculty, alumni, professionals, and community experts interested in startups that will make a tangible impact on humanity and the planet.
Hacking for Humanity Information Session
with Joy Fairbanks, adjunct faculty at Columbia Business School
Wednesday, July 14
10-11 AM ET | RSVP →
7-8 PM ET | RSVP →

About the Hackathon
Hacking for Humanity at Columbia University will harness the diverse talent and resources of the campus community and beyond to solve pressing global challenges affecting people and the planet. Such solutions will leverage new technologies and span a broad range of industries.
For three days, students, alumni, and researchers from across the campus will form interdisciplinary teams to design and develop innovative solutions to urgent problems, refine their ideas with advice from experienced mentors, and pitch their startups to expert judges.
These venture teams will develop valuable entrepreneurial experience, build professional relationships inside and outside the University, and compete to win both awards and prizes to further develop their ventures.

Event Organizers:
The Hackathon is organized by the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise at Columbia Business School, in collaboration with Columbia Entrepreneurship, Columbia Technology Ventures, School of Engineering and Applied Science, School of Bio-Medical Engineering, Columbia Data Science Institute, Climate School/Earth Institute, Columbia World Projects, Brown Institute at Columbia School of Journalism, GSAAP, Mailman School of Public Health, SIPA, Columbia Law School, Global Columbia Collaboratory, student groups across campus, and more.

Info Session: 2021 Hacking for Humanity Hackathon
2021-07-14 10:00 - 11:00

Deadline: Dragonfly, bootcamp for first time womxn & non-binary founders
2021-07-06
Impact America Fund and Silicon Valley Bank have launched applications for of our first, free, six-week annual bootcamp, Dragonfly, for first time womxn & non-binary founders. Dragonfly will provide you with tactical insights, best practices that can be immediately implemented within your business strategy and a valuable, strategic network. Upon completion of the Dragonfly, you will have developed a strategy to help your team hit benchmarks needed to raise a pre-seed and seed round. More details here. Applications are due June 28th.

Columbia-IBM Center for Blockchain and Data Transparency Showcase 2021
2021-06-16 10:30 - 14:00
The Columbia-IBM Center for Blockchain and Data Transparency brings together cross-disciplinary teams to advance innovation in blockchain and data transparency and closely associated topics for the good of society that will drive new science and technology, develop thought leadership, and influence policy.
Join the showcase to explore new topics, learn about upcoming initiatives, and celebrate the Center’s recent accomplishments. Each session will be led by senior representatives from Columbia University and IBM. Tickets are free.
RSVP

Virtual SBIR/STTR Intensive Workshop
2021-06-15 - 2021-06-16
Join Columbia Technology Ventures’ live Virtual Classroom for an interactive, 2 day SBIR/STTR workshop, led by experts from BBC Entrepreneurial Training & Consulting. The workshop will review the basics including program purpose; eligibility; and sources of funding. Then the workshop will provide proposal prep essentials of the NIH, NSF and DOE programs.
In addition to up-to-date information on the SBIR/STTR programs, the workshop will cover:

NIH and NSF grant mechanisms and where to find them
How to find the program officers, how to approach them, what questions to ask
How to do research using the web tools available (eReporter, SBIR.gov, etc.)
Common pitfalls and how to avoid them, and much more.

RSVP at https://cfbsbirtrain2021a.eventbrite.com
Registration fee: $25.00 (the fee may be waived for Columbia teams based on a license or option to Columbia IP – please contact your CTV licensing officer for more information).

Leading Creative Team Collaboration
2021-06-08 12:00 - 15:00
Enroll today here.

Program Overview
Creativity is a necessary team capacity as organizations respond to change. This interactive program provides an overview of techniques that leverage the innate creative potential of your team. You will learn how to establish norms that promote well-tested creative behaviors like divergent thinking, associative thinking, and problem reframing. The program will also introduce tools to manage the creative process of teams working remotely and in person. Lessons are equally applicable for leaders driving innovation and leaders who are simply looking to add a creative boost to their team.
The program taps into the thought leadership and unique resources of the Columbia Entrepreneurship Design Studio, which helps entrepreneurs, professionals, students, faculty, and alumni approach business challenges and opportunities in a more entrepreneurial, collaborative, and creatively confident way.
Learning Outcomes
✓ Learn three creative behaviors: divergent thinking, associative thinking, and problem reframing
✓ Understand how creative norms shape team output
✓ Acquire tools for generating and sharing ideas for in-person and remote teams
Topics

Introduction to Creative Behaviors
Creative Techniques
Team Norms
Collaborative Technologies

Third Thursday: Mix & Mingle End of Semester Social
2021-05-20 12:00 - 13:00
RSVP
Open to the entire Columbia community (including Barnard and Teachers College)
Join your fellow entrepreneurs, alumni and current students for this special networking event. This is a chance to get to know your entrepreneurial community. Come with a question you need help with from fellow entrepreneurs and be prepared to offer your advice to others.

Third Thursday is a recurring open forum and networking session for the Columbia University entrepreneurship community. It provides students, faculty, staff, and alumni the opportunity to hear ideas from across campus, form teams, and explore career options.

NSIN Propel
2021-05-19
Applications

Technology companies new to the defense sector are now invited to apply to participate in NSIN Propel, a program delivered by Newlab, Decisive Point, and the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN). NSIN Propel program enables the development of next-generation applications of emerging dual-use technology for government and defense. Apply today. NSIN Propel is collaborating with the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Information Directorate (AFRL)—the premier research organization for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) and Cyber technologies—to recruit companies new to the defense sector with technology solutions that can be adapted to address the needs of both the AFRL and the broader DoD community. We are seeking applications from technology companies working in areas including: smart cities, urban tech, mobility, agriculture, industrial automation, manufacturing, next-gen connectivity, logistics, and supply chain management.

Ignition Grants
2021-05-14
Ignition Grants are financial grants to assist Columbia University students in launching new businesses, social and not-for-profit ventures. Ignition Grants support the initial stages of early venture development from formation, IP protection, and incubation to building prototypes and creating proofs of concept.
Teams must have at least one SEAS founding member to be eligible for grants. Judges will decide the level of funding (ranging from $5k-$15k) for teams based on their applications.
Apply here

New York Defense Innovation Summit
2021-05-12
RSVP
The focus of this (virtual) summit will be on increasing the impact of NY startups, universities, and industry on Department of Defense missions by identifying strategic initiatives and partnerships that enhance collaboration across the community.
Keynote Address (10am)

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
Q&A facilitated by James Hendon, Commissioner, NYC Department of Veterans’ Services

Fireside Chat on Unicorn Startups (1030am)

Nick Beim, Venrock and Council on Foreign Relations

Panel Discussion with Early Stage Ventures (1100am)

Brian Streem, Vermeer – satellite and drone simulation, visualization, and control
Gordon Crovitz, NewsGuard Technologies – countering disinformation
Noel Goddard, Qunnect – quantum internet
Ryan Litt, 3AM Innovations – first responder tech
Tommy Hendrix, Decisive Point

Defense Innovation Partnerships (1130am)

Bryant Wysocki, Air Force Research Laboratory
Charles Green, AIS
Satish Rao, Newlab
Dan Clark, NYC Economic Development Corporation

NY and Defense Innovation (1200pm)

Mike Hayduk, Air Force Research Laboratory

[Break for lunch 1215pm]
State of NY Defense Innovation (1245pm)

Dan Madden, National Security Innovation Network

DoD Future Needs (1pm)

Air Force Research Laboratory core technical competency leads

Lee Seversky – autonomy, command and control, and decision support
Alex Aved – processing and exploitation
Nate Rowe – connectivity and dissemination
Sarah Muccio – cyber science and technology

Colonel Pat Mahaney (ret.), National Center for Urban Operations

New Partnership Models (130pm)

Karen Roth, Air Force Research Laboratory
Leonard Braverman, former chair, Army Science Board
Tommy Hendrix, Decisive Point
Matt Watson, NY Empire State Development

Collaboration Workshops (200pm, 5 parallel breakout sessions)

AI
Data and Analytics
Communications and Distributed Information Systems
Cybersecurity
Urban Tech and Public Safety

Workshop Summary (300pm)
Closing Remarks (320pm)

Janneke House, Office of U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
Dan Madden, National Security Innovation Network

[Event ends 330pm]
Additional participants from:

Columbia University
New York University
Army Cyber Institute
Easy Aerial

Summit Background Information

Columbia Alumni Virtual Accelerator (CAVA)
2021-05-11
CAVA’s mission is to enhance Columbia Business School alumni’s early-stage startups through resources and mentorship. Applications for its Summer 2021 cohort are now open until May 11.

Columbia Alumni Virtual Accelerator (CAVA) Info Session
2021-05-07 12:00 - 12:45
CAVA’s mission is to enhance Columbia Business School alumni’s early-stage startups through resources and mentorship. Applications for its Summer 2021 cohort are now open until May 11.
An information session will be held on May 7 to discuss the program and applications.

Nucleate Bio Info Session
2021-05-04 18:00
RSVP Here
Nucleate Bio is a nonprofit, non-dilutive entrepreneurship program for aspiring biotech startup founders. The program is advised by George Church and Robert Langer, among 100+ world-class innovators/startup founders and investors hailing from Lux Capital, Flagship Pioneering, Polaris Partners, Alexandria, Pfizer Ventures, Bayer, and many more.
Nucleate Bio is launching in Fall 2021 in New York. Participating teams will be early-career scientists and business-minded graduate students with an ambitious biology-driven vision. Teams will meet potential co-founders, receive one-on-one mentorship, and gain opportunities for non-dilutive funding and perks valued at $200,000. See attached for additional information and brief answers to frequently asked questions.
The info session on Tuesday, May 4th at 6 PM ET is an opportunity to meet the Nucleate Bio team, learn more about the program, and prepare for the application process.

NSIN Propel Information Session
2021-04-28 12:00 - 12:30
Information Session
Applications

Technology companies new to the defense sector are now invited to apply to participate in NSIN Propel, a program delivered by Newlab, Decisive Point, and the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN). NSIN Propel program enables the development of next-generation applications of emerging dual-use technology for government and defense. Apply today. NSIN Propel is collaborating with the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Information Directorate (AFRL)—the premier research organization for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) and Cyber technologies—to recruit companies new to the defense sector with technology solutions that can be adapted to address the needs of both the AFRL and the broader DoD community. We are seeking applications from technology companies working in areas including: smart cities, urban tech, mobility, agriculture, industrial automation, manufacturing, next-gen connectivity, logistics, and supply chain management.

Kickoff: Start Me Up Bootcamp Spring 2021
2021-04-26
Apply here, rolling admission
Open to Columbia (and Barnard and Teachers College)) faculty, staff, postdoctoral, graduate and undergraduate student researchers.

Join Columbia Engineering’s Lean Launchpad virtual course to test your idea in the market! Participants in this free, two-week course will receive entrepreneurship training and mentor support as they virtually talk with customers to identify the best product-market fit using the lean launchpad methodology. Faculty, staff, postdoctoral, graduate and undergraduate student researchers may apply with a team of one to three people. Applicants are expected to be available for all short-course sessions. Teams that successfully complete this bootcamp may become eligible to apply for the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps Teams program, which includes a $50,000 grant. Application Deadline: rolling; first come, first serve. Bootcamp Dates: April 26, 27 and May 5, 12.

2021 Columbia | IBM Launch Accelerator Virtual Demo Day
2021-04-23 10:00 - 13:00
RSVP here

You’re invited to the 2021 Columbia | IBM LAUNCH Accelerator Virtual Demo Day on Friday, April 23rd from 10AM – 1PM EST! The cohort of 9 early-stage teams are focused on a wide range of deep tech applications and have made incredible progress over the 12-week educational bootcamp leading up to this culminating event. The virtual session will feature pitches from each cohort team and a keynote address from the Chief Technology Officer of Global Industries, IBM Global Markets, Dr. Mahmoud Naghshineh.

Data Science Day 2021
2021-04-21 10:00 - 13:00
Open to the public
Register here

Data Science Day provides a forum for innovators in academia, industry, and government to connect. We hope you will join us in April for the keynote address, an interactive virtual poster session, and lightning talks by Columbia University researchers on their latest work in data science. Learn more at datascienceday.net.
The Keynote will be delivered by Pat Bajari, a Chief Economist at Amazon and Vice President of Amazon’s Core AI team. His team of software engineers and scientists in machine learning, statistics, operations research, and econometrics has helped to build scalable systems for supply chain, transportation, pricing, automated marketing, robotics, forecasting, human resources, and more.

CAVA: Spring 2021 Demo Day
2021-04-15 10:00 - 12:00
RSVP here

Launched in the fall of 2019, CAVA is a 12-week program providing promising Columbia Business School alumni-founded companies with mentorship and resources from CBS. The Spring 2021 cohort has 10 companies across the globe from Singapore to London and contains 2 recent winners of our Lang Fund Competition for alumni. The startups are typically looking to raise between $1M and $5M.
Demo Day is a great opportunity to view deal-flow from the CBS alumni network and to build relationships with talented entrepreneurs.

APPLY: Columbia Startup Lab (Deadline April 14)
2021-04-14
Grow your venture with tailored programming, subsidized space, and a vibrant community of Columbia entrepreneurs – applications are now live for the Columbia Startup Lab! We’re looking for alums who have graduated by June 1, 2021 and are ready to work on their venture full time.

Columbia Venture Competition Tournament of Champions
2021-04-13 15:00 - 17:00
RSVP Here
Open to the Public

More than 100 alumni judges from around the world ranked Columbia founders and their startups during six tracks of the 2021 Columbia Venture Competition. Now comes the moment of truth. Who is the outstanding Columbia early-stage venture for 2021? RSVP to watch it happen!

Almaworks Demo Day
2021-04-09 16:00 - 18:00
Open to the Columbia community including Barnard and Teachers College.
RSVP HERE

Columbia’s startup accelerator Almaworks is hosting its Cohort XI Demo Day on Friday, April 9 from 4-6pm. Come hear Almaworks’ incredible startups pitch to and interface with some of the top VCs across NYC. Register via Eventbrite and tell your friends! Please contact almaworks@columbia.edu with any questions.

Deadline: SUNY's 5th Annual Medical Device Innovation Challenge
2021-04-01
Learn more about eligibility and applications here.

The 5th Annual Medical Device Innovation Challenge (MDIC) hosted by SUNY Upstate Medical University’s CNY Biotech Accelerator (CNYBAC) is accepting applications through April, 2021.
The CNYBAC MDIC is an Empire State Development grant-supported 6-month program which has graduated companies such as EndoGlow, CathBuddy, Halomine, ZEPHYRx and many others. These teams have won competitions, received FuzeHub Commercialization Competition and Manufacturing grant funding, completed I-Corps courses, applied to student capstone programs, and received commercialization services through the Innovation Law Center, College of Law at Syracuse University, a key MDIC collaborative partner.

Spring 2021 Design Challenge: Upcycling out of Microplastics
2021-02-19 13:00 - 15:00
Join the Spring Design Challenge, focused on Upcycling out of Microplastics. Columbia students (including Barnard and Teachers College) are invited to join the challenge, learn about the issues in polymer use, pollution, and recycling, and to propose creative solutions. Prizes will be awarded to the best student team projects.
Sign up here
Timeline:

February 19th: Kick off, 1-3pm EST on zoom
February 20th: Team building session with course assistant
Fridays in between: Meeting with faculty leads on topics such as plastic imaging, sorting, and chemical processing. You will also hear from experts in industry and policy.
Weekly: Check in sessions with course assistant
April 2: Final meeting with student team presentations

Third Thursday - Pitch Practice
2021-02-18 12:00 - 13:00
Hosted by Columbia Engineering, this Third Thursday will feature pitch coaches, mentors, students and faculty to help you deliver the best pitch. This is a great opportunity to practice your pitch for CVC 2021!
RSVP Here
