About Summer with Skandy This blog is part of the Summer with Skandy series, highlighting the experiences of participants in the Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s summer programs at Washington University in St. Louis. Throughout the summer, Launchpad founders, Launchpad interns, and Skandalaris Internship Program (SkIP) participants work alongside startups, innovators, and entrepreneurs across the St. Louis…
About Summer with Skandy This blog is part of the Summer with Skandy series, highlighting the experiences of participants in the Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s summer programs at Washington University in St. Louis. Throughout the summer, Launchpad founders, Launchpad interns, and Skandalaris Internship Program (SkIP) participants work alongside startups, innovators, and entrepreneurs across…
Successful businesses don’t start with perfect products—they start with a deep understanding of the problem they’re trying to solve. As part of the Skandalaris Center’s summer programming, interns and founders heard from entrepreneur and social worker Talia Goldfarb, founder of Myself Belts, who shared practical lessons on product-market fit, customer discovery and the realities of…
Several Washington University in St. Louis-affiliated startups represented the university at the 2026 Midwest Deep Tech Demo Day in San Francisco, joining 40 ventures from leading research institutions across the Midwest to showcase breakthrough technologies to investors, industry leaders, and venture capital firms. The event, held during San Francisco’s Deep Tech Week, highlighted startups working…
On June 17, students and founders participating in the Skandalaris Center’s summer programming came together for an afternoon of collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving during the Summer Hackathon. Unlike traditional hackathons that focus on hypothetical scenarios, this year’s event challenged participants to develop solutions for real issues facing startups and organizations within the Skandalaris ecosystem. Prior…
What began as a WashU research project has grown into a rapidly expanding agtech venture with the potential to reshape how fresh food reaches communities across the St. Louis region. Tova Feinberg, founder and CEO of VertiGreens and a Startup Associate at the Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship, is on a mission to…
Building a successful career often starts with building meaningful relationships. As part of the Skandalaris Center’s summer programming, students participated in The Fundamentals of Effective Business Networking, led by entrepreneur, connector and business development professional Chris Ruzicka. The session challenged interns to rethink networking—not as a transactional activity, but as an opportunity to create genuine…
The Skandalaris Center officially launched its 2026 summer programming on June 1, welcoming Launchpad founders and interns, SkIP interns, and venture teams for the start of a 10-week experience focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, and community.The day began with a kickoff breakfast and orientation at the Skandalaris Center, bringing together participants from both the Skandalaris Launchpad…
This summer, the Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship will once again bring together WashU students, startup founders, and innovation leaders for a hands-on experience that immerses participants in the St. Louis startup ecosystem. Beginning June 1, students participating in the Skandalaris Internship Program (SkIP) and Skandalaris Center Launchpad will spend the summer working…
A platform that turns everyday dining into meaningful impact is entering its next phase of growth. Swipe Savvy, a customer engagement and rewards platform, has acquired GiftAMeal, the restaurant marketing platform that transforms guest photos into meals for local food banks. Founded by Andrew Glantz, a former Skandalaris Global Impact Award (GIA) winner, GiftAMeal has…
The Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship has announced the Spring 2026 Global Impact Award (GIA) winners, recognizing ventures that combine innovation with the potential for meaningful, large-scale impact. Founded in 2013, the Global Impact Award supports the vision and passion of WashU students, postdoctoral researchers, and recent alumni who are building scalable, sustainable,…
ST. LOUIS, MO — Four St. Louis-based startups have been named the latest recipients of the WashU Venture Network (WVN) Follow-on Investments, marking the second year of a strategic university initiative designed to scale high-growth companies emerging from the WashU ecosystem. A joint effort between the Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the…
