A collection of upcoming events and opportunities, both from VentureWell and the innovation & entrepreneurship community.
from venturewell
E-Team Grant Program
Applications for the E-Team Grant Program are now open! Student innovator teams who are developing science- and engineering-based inventions with the potential to have a positive impact on a significant social, health, or environmental challenge are encouraged to apply. We offer up to $25K in catalytic funding along with entrepreneurship training, to help teams bring their innovation to market! Learn more and apply by October 6.
OPEN 2022 Call for Proposals is now Live!
Each year, OPEN offers content on the most pressing issues in I&E education today. During highly interactive and immersive sessions, you’ll gain effective new practices to apply to your class or program and collaborate meaningfully with fellow attendees—faculty, practitioners, and funders. We are seeking diverse ideas and perspectives for conference sessions across 4 tracks with 4 interactive format types. Sessions are 30-60 minutes in length. Learn more and apply by October 8.
Course & Program Grants
Applications are open for our Fall 2021 Course & Program Grant opportunity! We are seeking proposals from faculty or staff at US higher education institutions who are committed to developing courses or programs to engage students in science and technology innovation and entrepreneurship. Our Course & Program grants are designed to help you strengthen existing curricular programs or to build new, inclusive courses and programs that engage student teams in developing and pursuing scalable solutions to real world needs through science and technology innovation and entrepreneurship.
Learn more and apply by November 3.
2021 Year in Review
In response to an unprecedented convergence of global challenges over the past year, VentureWell has stepped into new challenges, evolved, and grown. The digital publication spotlights our many accomplishments and capabilities—despite a year filled with obstacles, challenges, and pivots. Read more.
Community Conversations for Advancing Equity: Navigating New Terrain
Looking for ways to advance equity in your innovation and entrepreneurship programs? Attend our interactive online series to share and learn action areas and best practices to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in your programs. The one-hour conversations will focus on the topics covered in our series, Advancing Equity: Navigating New Terrain. You’ll have an opportunity to connect with the authors of each publication—please come prepared to share experiences, insights, and ask questions! The first community conversation, Transforming Programs Through an Equity Lens, takes place on Thursday, September 23 at 1:00 PM Eastern. The discussion will focus on two assessment tools designed to facilitate deep and thoughtful conversations among staff about how to integrate ongoing DEI practices and learnings into programmatic work. Register today.
from the i&e community
HBCU Founders Initiative
In partnership with AARP, Mastercard, and Franklin Templeton, The HBCU Founders Initiative is hosting the Cultivate Pitch Competition: Closing the Wealth Gap. The virtual event taking place on November 12th targets pre-seed and seed stage companies aimed at reducing race, gender and/or generational wealth and income gap disparities. Applications open Sept. 13 – Oct. 13. Learn more and apply.
Patents for Humanity – U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Patents for Humanity is the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) awards competition recognizing innovators who use game-changing technology to meet global humanitarian challenges. The program provides business incentives for reaching those in need: winners receive an acceleration certificate to expedite select proceedings at the USPTO, as well as public recognition of their work. Applications will be accepted until September 30. Apply now!
NACCE Annual Conference
The NACCE Annual Conference unites community college presidents, educators, administrators, and center directors focused on igniting entrepreneurship on their campuses and in their communities. The event will take place Oct. 3-6. Register today.
Race and Digital Inequity Webinar
Join the Michelson 20MM Foundation for their next panel discussion, “Race and Digital Inequity: The Impact on Poor Communities of Color”. You’ll hear from digital equity leaders on the intersectionality of the digital divide, and the racism entrenched in the issue. The event will take place on September 23 at 11 AM PST. Register today.
Innovating within Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Learn how to innovate within Equitech at the Tsai Center for Innovative Thinking at Yale’s upcoming event. Led by Monica Wheat, the Managing Director of the Techstars Equitech Accelerator, the workshop will explore working with technology that can help increase diversity, equity, and inclusion. Sign-up today and learn more.
Technology Entrepreneurship: Lab to Market Course
Developed in collaboration with the Laboratory for Innovation Science at Harvard and the University of California San Diego, this self-paced, introductory course is being offered free on the edX platform. Enroll today to learn how entrepreneurs match technology with customer needs and bring cutting-edge innovations to market. The course will run over 5 weeks, with the option to pursue a verified certificate. Learn more.
ACRE @ Urban Future Lab
Rapidly scale and transform your startup into a vehicle for solving the world’s greatest challenge, climate change. ACRE provides unmatched access to strategic advisement, introductions to industry stakeholders, marketing and branding support, investor networks, and access to a community of like-minded founders solving real challenges in energy, water, waste, infrastructure, transportation, and resiliency. Learn more and apply.
Dorm Room Fund
Dorm Room Fund (DRF) is a student-run venture fund, backed by First Round Capital, that supports college students and recent graduates looking to grow their startups. Selected teams receive a $20,000 investment, plus access to mentors, resources, and the DRF community. At least one team member must be an undergraduate or graduate student to be eligible for the program. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program
Hosted by the National Science Foundation, the SBIR program aims to support scientific discoveries and technological innovation that is moving from the lab to the market. The program provides non-dilutive funding and entrepreneurial support at the earliest stages of company development. Consider applying if your discovery can be transformed into an innovation with commercial potential and/or societal benefit. Applications are accepted throughout several seasonal cycles. Learn more.
Wells Fargo Startup Accelerator
The Wells Fargo Startup Accelerator allows new ventures to tap into a growing global network of business mentors, venture capitalists, and enterprise executives. The program helps startups enter the Fortune 500 market and provides up to $1,000,000 in potential investments if your company is selected. Over the course of 6 months, companies will get access to coaching and learn how to commercialize their business. Applications for this virtual, non-exclusive program are accepted year-round.
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