WashU startups took center stage on November 20, 2024, as the Skandalaris Center hosted the Washington University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards. This celebratory evening showcased the innovative spirit and entrepreneurial excellence within the WashU community. Following opening remarks and updates from the Skandalaris Center, the excitement continued with showcasing the achievements of student-led and recent alumni ventures. At the end of the evening, $50,000 in non-dilutive funding was awarded to 10 early-stage WashU startups, empowering them to grow and make an impact in their respective industries.
II Luscri, Managing Director of the Skandalaris Center and Assistant Vice Provost for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, kicked off the event with a brief highlight of several resources available through the Center. Countless programs, such as Skandalaris Launchpad and WashU Venture Network, offer support to startups regardless of where they are on their entrepreneurial journey. “Entrepreneurship is about more than just an idea; it’s about the dedication, learning, and resilience required to bring that idea to life,” said Luscri. “It is because of every person here—students, mentors, faculty, staff, and friends—that our entrepreneurial ecosystem thrives. And I encourage everyone to get involved, stay involved, share your expertise, and connect with the WashU community of thought leaders and changemakers!”
The celebration continued as Skandalaris Startup Associate, Tova Feinberg, recognized all the finalists in the fall 2024 cycle of the Skandalaris Venture Competition. These 16 teams have spent time throughout this program connecting with mentors, participating in workshops, refining their pitch, and more all while completing their academic and personal commitments. Earlier in the day, the SVC finalists delivered their final presentations to a panel of esteemed judges, who assessed the teams based on their identified problem and solution, value proposition, financial models, traction, and other key factors.
After a moment of recognition for the finalists, winners were announced across three funding levels. SVC winners were awarded a combined total of $50,000 to help advance their startups to the next level, thanks to the generous support from SVC Diamond Sponsor, Bob Skandalaris, and additional sponsors Connie Fry and Dr. Morin Hanson.
Our funding structure for this competition allows us to support as many teams as possible. We are incredibly proud to award funding to WashU student and alumni ventures at various stages in their development.
- Innovator Funding ($3,000): This fund supports startups that the Skandalaris Center believes are showing promise and potential, providing initial funding to explore their concepts further. Four teams were awarded funding at this level: 4 Her Sport, CERV, Menalated, and WUWA Textiles
- Disruptor Funding (up to $7,500): This fund supports startups that are refining their product and enabling them to advance towards market readiness. Four teams received this funding: Chick, Connect, Eagleland, and Portal
- Catalyst Funding (up to $10,000): This fund supports the launch of startups poised for growth and providing resources for the critical next steps in their development. Two teams received Cataylst-level funding: Phoenix and Rasa Chai
“We are beyond proud of all the teams who chose to take the first step back at the start of the semester and enter the Skandalaris Venture Competition,” shared Venture Development Manager, Cyril Loum. “We’re here celebrating 16 fantastic finalists, several of whom are walking away with some funding tonight, but we saw the passion and dedication from all the teams throughout this cycle. We can’t wait to continue to support these teams, and I’m excited to see what the competition looks like next semester!”
Applications for the next cycle of the Skandalaris Venture Competition will open in early January 2025. All current WashU students and WashU alumni within one year of graduation with an early-stage venture or idea are encouraged to apply.