John Edwardson, '72, Social New Venture Challenge

In 2011, given growing student interest in social entrepreneurship, Chicago Booth and the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship developed a new track of the NVC uniquely focused on new social ventures. The Social NVC, co-organized by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and the Social Enterprise Initiative at Chicago Booth, helps students launch for-profit and nonprofit ventures that have a social impact mission and a model for financial sustainability.

The SNVC spans several months, allowing students to conceptualize, develop, and launch new social ventures through classroom instruction, mentorship, and coaching. Qualifying companies and organizations can be structured either as for-profits or nonprofits but must show a focus on social impact as well as a model for financial sustainability - either through profits, earned income, philanthropy, government aid, or some combination thereof.

Students accepted into the SNVC take the New Social Ventures course, which includes case studies, lectures, and readings about social organizations and related institutions and focuses on various topics relating to launching a new social enterprise - including evaluation, financing, management, performance and impact measurement, and governance.

In 2012, 20 teams were selected and given the opportunity and resources to develop their social venture, create a detailed plan for its creation and growth, and pitch the plan to faculty, social entrepreneurs, domain experts, foundation officers, and philanthropists.

Apply to the SNVC

Download the entry kit for the Social New Venture Challenge » (DOC)

Please email one copy of the application to Hannah Williams by 10 a.m. CT on Monday, February 11, 2013.

Before starting, students should read the NVC Official Rules and Guidelines (PDF) and become familiar with other available resources.

Note: SNVC and NVC applications are the same. Teams may apply to both programs; however, applications must be emailed separately to each track for consideration. Teams will only be allowed to compete in one track.

Contact Hannah Williams with questions related to the SNVC application.

Calendar

See the calendar for important dates.

Prizes

The SNVC typically awards $55,000 in cash prizes to the winning and finalist teams.

Learn more about winners of the SNVC »