ABOUT:
The Global Impact Award was founded in 2013 to support the vision and passion of Washington University in St. Louis students, postdoctoral researchers, and recent alumni who are creating ventures that are scalable, sustainable, and quick-to-market with proof of concept and a broad impact.
2020 GIA Winners:
GiftAMeal, 3Dux Design, and Wabbani
Get to Know The Finalists - GiftAMeal
Get to Know The Finalists - 3Dux Design
Get to Know The Finalists - Wabbani
HEAR FROM THE DONORS:
PROCESS
Five to seven finalists will be selected from the applicant pool to continue to the finals. All finalists will be connected to expert mentors in their relevant fields, which will help ventures connect with the right people to ensure success. This mentorship and preparation will last for 6 months. In April, all finalists will present to an esteemed panel of judges, and the judges will select one or more winners of the $50,000 award.
TIMELINE
- October - Applications open
- End of October - Applications are due
- December - Finalists are announced
- Spring - Finalist teams work with the SC and the GIA community to develop their deliverable materials
- April - Final presentations and award announcement at The Skandy Awards
ELIGIBILITY
In order to be eligible to receive the award, the founding team and venture are expected to meet certain criteria.
TEAM MEMBER REQUIREMENTS:
- The founding team must include one or more of the following: a current Washington University in St. Louis enrolled undergraduate, graduate or professional student; resident; a postdoctoral researcher; or an alumnus who has graduated within ten years of submitting his or her application for the award.
- The Washington University-affiliated team members must have a meaningful role in the venture at the time of its application for the award.
VENTURE REQUIREMENTS:
- The venture must have incurred less than million in total debt, equity, grant or prize funding at the time of application.
- The venture must have completed a proof of concept.
- The venture may be a commercial or hybrid for-profit/nonprofit legal entity, and is expected to have high impact, be sustainable and scalable.
- The venture may be based on faculty inventions or IP disclosures, provided the venture includes at least one Washington University-affiliated team member who meets the above requirements and holds meaningful equity (no less than 5%, including options) participation in the venture.
Previous Winners
2014 - Nanopore Diagnostics
2015 - Applied Particle Technology
2016 - Epharmix
2017 - Geneoscopy and Strayos
- Geneoscopy and Strayos Award Announcement
- Get To Know The Finalists - Geneoscopy
- Get To Know The Finalists - Strayos
2018 - The Women's Bakery
APPLICATIONS
Applications are closed for the 2020 cycle of the Global Impact Award.
Questions: GIA@wustl.edu