Innovation & Entrepreneurship Challenge

Award Details: The Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Awards support up a Johns Hopkins undergraduate-led startup with grant funding of $10,000. The awards enable students to focus on building a successful company. Ideal applications will show validation for the business’ technical and revenue approach and demonstrated success in securing other grants or investments. Winners of previous awards have typically already been incorporated (or done so shortly after winning).
Award Size: $10,000. Award money has to be spent within one year.
Eligibility: Ventures with at least one JHU current undergraduate student as a founder. Graduating seniors are eligible to apply.
Acknowledgement: The Undergraduate award is supported by Jeff (KSAS ’03, SAIS ’04) and Laura (KSAS ’03) Raider.

Award Details: The MedTech Awards support up to a JHU student-led startup working on medical technology to make significant progress on their venture. The awards are coupled mentorship from experienced medtech entrepreneurs who can offer guidance for the next steps to market.
Award Size: $10,000. Award money has to be spent within one year.
Eligibility: Ventures with at least one JHU current student (undergraduate, graduate or post-doc) as a founder.
Acknowledgement: The Medtech Awards are supported by Karthik Seshan and the Seshan Family Foundation (WSE ’10, ’11).

Award Details: The Pava Marie LaPere Center for Entrepreneurship Thalheimer Graduate Student Awards (GSA) supports up to three Johns Hopkins graduate student ventures aiming to solve major challenges through entrepreneurship. Ideal candidates are actively prototyping or close to a working MVP.
Award Size: $10,000. Award money has to be spent within one year.
Eligibility: Ventures with at least one current JHU graduate or post-doc student founder.  Ventures can be at any stage, focus on any industry/vertical/problem and may utilize technology or not.
Acknowledgement: The Graduate Student Awards are made possible with the generous support of Louis B. Thalheimer.

Award Details: This award supports up to two ventures founded and run by a Hopkins alum who has graduated in the last five years (2021-2025), who currently resides in or is committed to relocating to Baltimore, and is growing their business in the local ecosystem.
Award Size: $10,000. Award money has to be spent within one year.
Eligibility: Ventures with at least one JHU graduate as a founder. Graduating seniors are eligible to apply.
Acknowledgement: This award is made possible by the generous support of venture capitalist, John Avirett (KSAS ’05).

Award Details: The Bisciotti Foundation Prizes for Student Entrepreneurship are non-dilutive grants designed to help student startups scale their businesses as they graduate from our FastForward U student entrepreneurship programs on campus. The Bisciotti Student Prizes create a runway for our most promising student entrepreneurs and recent alums, providing them with valuable funding to transform their early stage startups into high-growth companies, especially those considering staying in Baltimore. Ideal applicants will be pre-Series A, but have received significant grants, venture funding, or revenue.
Award Size: 1st – $30,000, 2nd – $20,000. Award money has to be spent within one year.
Eligibility: Ventures led by at least one current JHU student (undergraduate, graduate or post-doc), or ’20 – ’25 JHU alum.
Acknowledgement: Bisciotti Student Prizes are made possible with the generous support of the Stephen and Renee Bisciotti Foundation.