Applications for the Spring 2023 SVC cycle have closed.
Get help to develop your new idea, invention, or venture in the Skandalaris Venture Competition (SVC).
The SVC provides expert mentorship to new WashU ventures and startups to ready them for commercializing their idea, launching, and pitching to investors. Teams will develop materials focused on explaining the idea they are working on to a broad audience.
Teams will develop an IdeaBounce® post, a 2-minute video pitch, and a one-page written summary. If selected as a finalist, teams will create a financial projections page and pitch with slides that will be presented for a Q&A session with judges.
Up to $25,000 in awards available: The Skandalaris Center would like to thank Kishore Kanakamedala for supporting SVC each year. Skandalaris would also like to thank SVC Platinum Sponsor, Lewis & Clark AgriFood, for supporting the 2022-2023 Skandalaris Venture Competition.
Who is eligible: All current WashU students and all WashU alumni within one year of graduation with an early-stage venture or idea.
*Please note if you have received 1st place in a past SVC cycle, you are no longer eligible to compete.
Timeline for Spring 2023 Cycle:
- Initial application due by Monday, January 30th at 5:00 p.m.
- IdeaBounce® post and two-minute video pitch due Monday, February 6th at 5:00 p.m.
- Executive summary due Monday, February 13th at 5:00 p.m.
- Semifinalists announced Monday, February 20th
- Customer Discovery form due Monday, February 27th at 5:00 p.m.
- Semifinalists Pitch Thursday, March 2nd
- Finalists announced Thursday, March 2nd
- Revised executive summary with financial projections due Friday, March 24th at 5:00 p.m.
- In-person final presentations Thursday, April 20th
- Winners announced April 20th at the Washington University Innovation & Entrepreneurship Awards, presented by the Skandalaris Center.
PAST SVC WINNERS
1st Place: $10,000 Sobriety Hub, Clayton Canfield (BU ’23), Joseph Lanfersieck (EN ’24)
2nd place: $7,500 Tutors for Us, Angelica Harris (BU ’21, SI ’22), Brianna Chandler (LA ’23), Artorius Zhang (EN ’24)
3rd Place: $5,000 ChiChi, Chiara Munzi (LA ’23), Isabelle Gorton (LA ’25), Yemane Kidane (LA ’23)
4th Place: $2,500 MiDoc, Linda Wu (GB ’22), Katie Thai (EN ’23, SI ’24), Lili Hostetler (GB ’23, SI ’24), Hanyang Liu (PhD Candidate), Arthur Zhou (GB ’22), Alec Fields (EN ’22, SI ’22)
1st Place: $10,000 Grapevine Biosciences, Victoria Mityul (ME ’25)
2nd place: $7,500, Multiflex Neurovascular Catheter, Vinay Chandrasekaran (BS ’21)
3rd Place: $5,000, Tylmen Tech, Lloyd Yates (GB ’22).
1st place: $10,000, ClosetSwitch, Chiara Munzi (LA ’23).
2nd place: $7,500, Oystar, Lungile Tshuma (MBA ’21), Kevin Ko (MBA ’21), Tim Brandt (MBA ’21), and Abhinav Gabbeta (MBA ’20).
3rd place: $5,000, Speak Information Technologies (Speak IT), Kai Skallerud (MD/MBA ’23), Maxwell Popper (LA ’22), Chris Callan (MBA ’22), Quan Khuc (EN ’23), Afam Obioha (BU ’22), Mitchell Sampson (EN ’25), Ajla Salic (BU ’22), Maddy Singleton (LA ’24) Issa Cook (JD/MBA ’22/23), Julian Lu (LA ’24), and Michael Cafiero (LA ’24).
1st place: $10,000, HIVE Medical, Inc., Joe Beggs (Biomedical Engineering ’20)
2nd place: $7,500, Salentra Biosciences, Leonardo Velazco-Cruz (Ph.D. candidate in the DBBS program, School of Medicine graduating December 2021) and Punn Augsornworawat
3rd place: $5,000, SafeBeat RX, Rachita Navara, MD (Division of Cardiology) and Kunj Patel, MD, MSc.
Honorable Mention: $2,500, Jellie Rhodes Group, Angelica Harris (‘21 in the John B. Ervin Scholars program double majoring in Computer Science and Finance)
1st place: $10,000 cash, Cedars Health, Inc., Raphael Chung (BS’19, MS ’20), Kevin Park (BS ’20), and Dr. Arett (Associate Professor of Surgery, School of Medicine).
2nd place: $7,500, Lifted Pouches, Derek Leiter (MBA ’21), Tyler Edwards (MBA ’21), Marguerite Whitelaw (MBA ’21), and Zach Hechtman (BSBA ’21).
3rd place: $5,000, Golden Roots Essentials, Fanta Kaba (MBA ’21)
1st place: $10,000, Pareto, Mitchell Lynn (GM, ME), Rachel Heymach (SI’20), and Kelley Coalier (UG’15, PM’20)
2nd place: $7,500, Honeymoon Chocolates, Cameron (PM) and Haley Loyet.
3rd place: $5,000, Caralyst, Havisha Pedamallu (LA’21, BU’21), Matthew Millet (ME), and Owen Zhang (EN’23, BU’23).
1st place: $10,000 cash and $1,000 Lyft ride credits, SpectraServe, Chris Weber, Fei Xie, Michael Wong, and Maneesh Jey
2nd place: $5,000, Illumino, Cassie Davis (SI ’19)
3rd place: $2,500, HUM Industrial Technology, Byron Porter (GM ’20)
JUDGING CRITERIA
1.1 Submit online application (by 01/30/23 at 5:00pm Central)
1.2 Post your idea for a new invention, service, or startup concept (by 02/06/23 at 5:00pm Central)
IdeaBounce® Post-Two-Minute Video
Videos will be judged on the following criteria on a 1-5 scale:
1. Problem: Clear, concise description and understanding of the problem.
2. Solution: The solution is feasible and implementation is achievable by team and highlighted collaborators.
3. Target customer: Team has spoken to potential users and has a plan for ongoing customer discovery.
4. Value Proposition: This is an original solution and differentiated from established competitors.
5. Use of Medium: Creativity of video and storytelling using this medium.
1.3 Executive Summary (by 02/13/23 at 5:00pm Central)
Executive Summary will be written on the following criteria:
1. Problem: Clear, concise description and understanding of the problem.
2. Solution: The solution is feasible and implementation is achievable by team and highlighted collaborators.
3. Target customer: Team has spoken to potential users and has a plan for ongoing customer discovery.
4. Value Proposition: This is an original solution and differentiated from established competitors.
5. Minimally Viable Product or Service: Team has a plan for development of a working product or service.
6. Resource Support: Team has pursued other avenues for funding and resources, including non-WashU entrepreneurship competitions. Teams are strongly encouraged to enter outside competitions.
7. Team: The team understands their capabilities and has a plan to fill knowledge gaps. Diversity of disciplines encouraged
Semifinalists announced 02/20/23
- 2.1 Customer Discovery Evaluation (by 02/27/23 at 5:00pm Central)
1. What hypotheses did you test?
2. Who did you talk with and when?
3. What was the outcome?
4. How did you evolve the business?
5. What are your next steps?
03/02/23
Teams will be judged on the following criteria on a 1-5 scale:
-
- Problem: Clear, concise description and understanding of the problem.
- Solution: The solution is feasible and implementation is achievable by team and highlighted collaborators.
- Target customer: Team has spoken to potential users and has a plan for ongoing customer discovery.
- Value Proposition: This is an original solution and differentiated from established competitors.
- Minimally Viable Product or Service: Team has a plan for development of a working product or service.
- Team: The team understands their capabilities and has a plan to fill knowledge gaps. Diversity of disciplines encouraged.
Revised Executive Summary (03/24/23 at 5:00pm Central)
Written Summaries (40% of final score)
Summaries will be judged on the following criteria on a 1-5 scale:
- Problem: Clear, concise description and understanding of the problem.
- Solution: The solution is feasible and implementation is achievable by team and highlighted collaborators.
- Target customer: Team has spoken to potential users and has a plan for ongoing customer discovery.
- Value Proposition: This is an original solution and differentiated from established competitors.
- Industry Trends: There is demand for this solution, there is a significant market, and potential positive impact to society.
- Minimally Viable Product or Service: Team has a plan for development of a working product or service.
- Financial Modeling: Pricing, marketing, sales, revenues, and investment needed are realistic.
- Traction: Team has established and is meeting milestones, including having paying customers and/or partnerships. There is a clear plan for future growth.
- Resource Support: Team has pursued other avenues for funding and resources, including non-WashU entrepreneurship competitions.
- Team: The team understands their capabilities and has a plan to fill knowledge gaps. Diversity of disciplines encouraged.
- Use of Funds: The team clearly explains how much funding they need and a detailed description with a plan of how they will use the funds.
04/20/23
Teams will be judged on the following criteria on a 1-5 scale:
- Problem: Clear, concise description and understanding of the problem.
- Solution: The solution is feasible and implementation is achievable by team and highlighted collaborators.
- Target customer: Team has spoken to potential users and has a plan for ongoing customer discovery.
- Value Proposition: This is an original solution and differentiated from established competitors.
- Industry Trends: There is demand for this solution, there is a significant market, and potential positive impact to society.
- Minimally Viable Product or Service: Team has a plan for development of a working product or service.
- Financial Modeling: Pricing, marketing, sales, revenues, and investment needed are realistic.
- Traction: Team has established and is meeting milestones, including having paying customers and/or partnerships. There is a clear plan for future growth.
- Team: The team understands their capabilities and has a plan to fill knowledge gaps. Diversity of disciplines encouraged.
- Presentation: Team presented confidently, answered questions effectively, and has the motivation to succeed.
- Use of Funds: The team clearly explains how much funding they need and a detailed description with a plan of how they will use the funds.
Contact the Skandalaris Center with questions: sc@wustl.edu.