01. Application02. Selection03. Celebration
President’s Innovation Challenge

PIC

President’s Innovation Challenge

2024

The Harvard President’s Innovation Challenge is an opportunity for Harvard student and alumni founders to build something necessary and new, to join an inspiring community of innovators who care as much about the problems as the solutions, and to get the feedback and funding they need to make an impact on the world.

Meet the 2024 semifinalists.

01. Application
Eligible ventures prepare and apply for the President’s Innovation Challenge.
TIMELINE: October 19 – December 7
02. Selection
Semifinalists refine and drive their ventures forward.
TIMELINE: January – March
03. Celebration
Finalists pitch to judges. The Awards Ceremony is held on May 1.
TIMELINE: April – May 1

ACT ONE

START HERE

Harvard students and select alumni and affiliate founders: You’re invited to apply for the chance to win a share of $515,000 in non-dilutive funding from the Bertarelli Foundation – the fuel you need to propel your venture further, faster.  

More good news: You’re not in it alone. You’ll develop your venture with robust support from the Harvard Innovation Labs at every step of the way. 

Student applications are due December 7, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

 

Apply for the challenge today!

Where will your courage take you?

 

Why Join  |  Who’s Eligible  |  Selection Process  |  Tracks  |  Timeline  |  Student Resources

 

01. The Application

WHY JOIN THE PRESIDENT’S INNOVATION CHALLENGE?

Tailored Resources

As a participant in the PIC, you have access to all of the venture-building resources at the Harvard Innovation Labs. Take advantage of 1:1 industry-specific advising, expert office hours, mentorship opportunities, pitch review and coaching, and more.

Expert Feedback

We assemble a top-notch panel of 150+ judges across different industries who are founders, investors, operators, and industry experts. They provide valuable, tailored feedback to semifinalists and finalists. Finalists gain valuable experience pitching online to our judges as well as in-person to a live audience at our May 1 awards ceremony. 

Visibility

Throughout the spring, the Harvard Innovation Labs showcases PIC ventures on our website, in social media, and in press releases. Finalists are invited to participate in the May 1 awards ceremony, which is attended in person and online by thousands of members of Harvard’s global innovation community. 

 

Prize Money

Ventures compete for the opportunity to win a share of $515,000 in prize money, generously provided by the Bertarelli Foundation. Two winners in each track are awarded $25,000 and $75,000, respectively.

Community

The conversations you have and the relationships you cultivate are vital to your venture’s progress and your growth as a startup founder. As a PIC participant, you’ll get access to the i-lab’s passionate innovation community of like-minded entrepreneurs who are available to celebrate your successes, help you through frustrations, and support you well beyond the PIC experience. 

 

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE PIC?

We welcome and encourage teams and founders from a diversity of backgrounds and industries to apply.

Eligible Alumni & Affiliate Ventures

Alumni and affiliate-led ventures currently participating in Launch Lab X GEO (Harvard Innovation Labs’ alumni accelerator) and/or the Pagliuca Harvard Life Lab or Blavatnik Harvard Life Lab Longwood (Harvard’s launchpads for biotech and life science ventures) are eligible to apply for the PIC.

If selected as a semifinalist, your venture will be placed in the appropriate alumni and affiliate track. For more information, please contact your program administrator.

Eligible Student Ventures

Ventures led by at least one fully matriculated, degree-seeking Harvard student, from any Harvard school – including undergraduates, graduates, postdoctoral fellows, and clinical fellows – are eligible to apply for the PIC.

While we encourage collaboration with entrepreneurs, scientists, and industry executives – and welcome team members who are outside of the Harvard community – we require that a Harvard student be a founder, committed leader, and integral part of each venture. The Harvard student will be the primary point of contact and will be required to pitch on behalf of their venture.

General Qualifications

Ventures that qualify for the PIC typically have made substantive progress beyond the initial ideation and validation stages. They usually have gained market traction such as customers, revenue, pilots, partnerships, engaged users, or funding from professional investors or donors. High-impact biotech, life sciences, or tough tech ventures that have done substantial technology validation and initial commercialization explorations are also encouraged to apply.

To see which ventures have been successful in this competition, browse last year’s PIC finalists and winners.

If you are unsure whether your venture would qualify for the PIC, we recommend meeting with an i-lab advisor.

Application & Elibility Guidelines
  • All student ventures must submit an application by December 7, 2023, to be considered.
  • Ventures may only submit one (1) application.
  • Applicants may be listed on only one (1) application and not be part of multiple teams.
  • For student applicants, one of the venture’s founders must not graduate from Harvard until May 2024 or later.
  • For ventures with additional team members who are not Harvard affiliates, the Harvard founder must submit the application and serve as the primary point of contact.
  • Use of the i-lab and its resources will be subject to the i-lab’s Terms of Use.
  • Ventures or team members may be removed from an i-lab program and/or the President’s Innovation Challenge at the discretion of i-lab staff.
  • The limit for capital raised is $750,000 or less in dilutive funding. Ventures that have raised more than $750,000 by the application deadline of December 7, 2023, are ineligible to participate.
  • Ventures that have won a $75,000 or $25,000 PIC prize within the past two years, across any track, are not eligible to participate in the 2024 PIC.

SELECTION PROCESS

Rounds

There are three selection rounds in the PIC:

Round 1

An internal PIC selection committee reviews initial student venture applications and selects 100+ semifinalists. 

Round 2

Over 150 online judges review and score semifinalist student venture applications, provide feedback to each venture, and select five finalists in each track. PIC judges represent a variety of industries and experiences as founders, investors, operators, and industry experts. 

Round 3

Finalists in each track pitch to a panel of judges who evaluate their pitch, ask questions, and help select the $25K and $75K winners. 

Scoring

Applications are scored on four main categories: 

Problem and Customer Definition

Your problem is clearly identified, your solution aligns with the problem you’ve identified, and your customer is well understood. 

Business Model

You have a business/financial model that appears both achievable and sustainable. If you are a nonprofit venture, you should be clear about how you will build sustainably. 

Product, Prototype, or MVP

Your team has a product, prototype, or MVP that you have tested with your customers. 

Impact

Your idea, once implemented, will have a material impact on the world as measured by directly or indirectly improving the quality of peoples’ lives. 

If You Are Selected As a Finalist

We require all finalists to attend the Awards Ceremony on May 1, 2024, to pitch in front of a live audience and, if selected, to accept your prize.

If You Receive an Award

If you are the $25,000 or $75,000 winner in your track, the award money is a prize, and you decide what to do with it. It is also non-dilutive, which means you don’t have to give up any equity in your venture to accept the award.

If You Are Not Selected

If your venture is not selected for the challenge, or if your venture does not have enough traction (yet!) to advance in the competition, don’t be discouraged!

Take advantage of the plethora of resources available to you at the Harvard Innovation Labs to continue developing your venture. Then consider applying again in the future. Many past PIC winners have applied more than once. PIC participants gain valuable feedback and experience throughout the process that helps them further develop their ventures and put forth a stronger application in subsequent years.

COMPETITION TRACKS

Accepted ventures are placed into one of five tracks, based on industry and whether the founder is a Harvard student or alum/affiliate. Each track awards $100,000 in Bertarelli Foundation prize money.

Health & Life Sciences (Alumni & Affiliates Track)

The Health & Life Sciences Alumni & Affiliates Track is open to ventures in Launch Lab X GEO, the Blavatnik Harvard Life Lab Longwood, or the Pagliuca Harvard Life Lab that are improving the efficacy of healthcare services, including therapeutics, devices, healthcare, and digital health. Ventures may address a wide range of issues, from improving access to personalizing therapeutics.

Health & Life Sciences (Student Track)

The Health & Life Sciences Student Track is open to any student-led venture improving the efficacy of healthcare services, including therapeutics, devices, healthcare, and digital health. Ventures may address a wide range of issues, from improving access to personalizing therapeutics.

Open (Alumni & Affiliates Track)

The Open Alumni & Affiliates Track is open to ventures in Launch Lab X GEO, the Blavatnik Harvard Life Lab Longwood, or the Pagliuca Harvard Life Lab. These commercial enterprises could sell to businesses and/or consumers. Popular industries include education technology (whether selling to government, schools, or families), finance, e-commerce, information technology, Web3, consumer products, food and beverage, and virtual and augmented reality applications.

Open (Student Track)

The Open Student Track is for student-led commercial enterprises, selling to businesses and/or consumers. Popular industries include education technology (whether selling to government, schools, or families), finance, e-commerce, information technology, Web3, consumer products, food and beverage, and virtual and augmented reality applications.

Social Impact (Student Track)

The Social Impact Student Track is open to student ventures that make our planet safer, more equitable, sustainable, and beautiful. The critical sectors these ventures address include social and economic inequities, climate change and sustainability, education, preservation of arts and culture, and more.

PIC TIMELINE

OCTOBER–DECEMBER

  • Student venture applications are due by December 7, 2023, at 11:59 pm EST. 
  • The selection committee evaluates which stage your venture has reached.

JANUARY–FEBRUARY

  • Student semifinalists are notified. 
  • Student semifinalists update their application with new milestones and traction for the finalist selection. 
  • Alumni and affiliate ventures apply.

MARCH

  • Judges select 15 student ventures and 10 alumni and affiliate ventures as finalists (five per track) to pitch for the awards.
  • Finalists are notified at a special Finalist Selection Event at the i-lab. 

 

APRIL

  • Finalists pitch live in front of a judging panel who will determine the grand prize and runner-up award winners in each track. 

MAY

  • At the President’s Innovation Challenge Awards Ceremony on May 1, 2024, grand prize and runner-up awards are announced for the $75K and $25K Bertarelli Foundation prizes in each track.

But wait, there’s more

 

PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD

The i-lab offers lots of resources to help you put forth the strongest application possible. Take advantage of recorded sessions, pitch deck workshops, panels with past PIC participants, and more.

Apply today!

Recorded Prep Sessions

Top Tips for Building Your First Pitch Deck

Oct. 19, 5:30 PM ET, In person at the Harvard Innovation Labs 

Learn the best ways to communicate your idea to investors, customers, and other key stakeholders in this interactive workshop. This is a great session to join if you are working on your application for the President’s Innovation Challenge, which requires you to submit a pitch deck.

Watch the recording

The PIC Experience: On-Demand Info Sessions

Watch these short recorded info sessions to learn more about this year’s challenge.

Part 1: What Is the PIC & Why Apply (4 mins)

Part 2: Application Process & Evaluation (9 mins)

Part 3: Hacking the PIC (20 mins)

The PIC Experience: Overview & Founder Panel

Nov. 6, 5:30 PM ET, Online

Join us for an overview of the PIC application process, selection, and venture-building resources available to participants. Then a panel of past PIC finalists and winners will share their experience participating in the pitch competition and offer advice for this year’s founders.

Watch the recording

ACT TWO

FORWARD MOMENTUM

Harvard students and select alumni and affiliate founders have applied for the chance to win a share of $515,000 in non-dilutive funding from the Bertarelli Foundation to propel their ventures further, faster.  

Now, the semifinalists will continue to develop and refine their ventures with robust support from the Harvard Innovation Labs. 

The competition is heating up.

 

By the Numbers  |  Meet the Semifinalists  |  Selection Process

02. The Refinement Phase

PIC 2024 By The Numbers

137 Student Semifinalists

From more than 330 applications, an internal PIC committee selected 137 student-led ventures as semifinalists. Alumni and affiliate semifinalists will be announced soon.

38 Countries Represented

Our global network of alumni and student founders are driving change locally, in their home countries, and beyond. These diverse perspectives add richness to this competition and our broader innovation ecosystem.

13 Harvard Schools

Semifinalists represent unique, original ideas developed by a diverse cross-section of entrepreneurs from each of Harvard’s 13 schools.

300+ Judges

Our judges are founders, investors, operators, and industry experts. They provide valuable, tailored feedback to semifinalists and finalists. Finalists gain valuable experience pitching online to our judges as well as in-person to a live audience at our May 1 awards ceremony.

 

Meet the Semifinalists

Accepted ventures are placed into one of five tracks, based on industry and whether the founder is a Harvard student or alum/affiliate. Each track awards $100,000 in Bertarelli Foundation prize money.

Health & Life Sciences (Alumni & Affiliates Track)

The Health & Life Sciences Alumni & Affiliates Track is open to ventures in Launch Lab X GEO, the Blavatnik Harvard Life Lab Longwood, or the Pagliuca Harvard Life Lab that are improving the efficacy of healthcare services, including therapeutics, devices, and digital health. Ventures may address a wide range of issues, from improving access to personalizing therapeutics.

BioDevek (Harvard Medical School) is developing the next generation of bleeding control and prevention biomaterials for minimally invasive procedures.

Bullseye Biosciences (Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts & Sciences) aims to transform therapeutic protein design and expedite the development of life-saving medicines by leveraging competition and evolution.

HitchBio (Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences) aims to improve treatment efficacy and limit drug toxicity in hard-to-treat diseases.

Ilios Therapeutics (Harvard Business School) is designing multi-targeted brain-penetrant small molecules to combat neurodegenerative diseases.

illumicell AI (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) is turning physician offices into fertility labs with its AI-powered semen analysis system.

Lybra Bio (Harvard Business School) offers a non-invasive microneedle platform to restore the skin’s immune equilibrium in patients suffering autoimmune skin diseases.

Neru Health (Harvard Business School) offers 24/7 AI-personalized sleep therapy for 20M shift workers that suffer from chronic sleep deprivation.

Promakhos Therapeutics (Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts & Sciences / Pagliuca Harvard Life Lab) is developing oral, non-immunosuppressive small molecules to cure chronic inflammatory disorders.

Somite Therapeutics (Harvard Medical School) is an AI-driven cell replacement therapy platform, developing drugs for previously inaccessible diseases.

Stratagen Bio, Inc (Harvard Business School) is transforming MRI Into a tool for objective clinical decision-making and quantitative biomarker assessment.

Systole Health (Harvard Business School) is transforming women’s heart health through group telehealth, leveraging the power of modern medicine, technology, and community.

Health & Life Sciences (Student Track)

The Health & Life Sciences Student Track is open to any student-led venture improving the efficacy of healthcare services, including therapeutics, devices, and digital health. Ventures may address a wide range of issues, from improving access to personalizing therapeutics.

AbscoTx (Harvard Medical School) is an image-guided, injectable, intratumoral drug delivery platform that creates a personalized “cancer vaccine” to treat local and metastatic tumors. 

AchilleFix (Harvard Medical School) is revolutionizing Achilles injury care with patient-specific solutions using novel imaging techniques and 3D printing. 

Ankle Insight 3D (Harvard Medical School) is revolutionizing foot and ankle care by providing automated AI foot and ankle weight bearing CT interpretation and preoperative decision support.   

Augment Biologics (Harvard Medical School) is a platform that enables drug developers to write glycans (sugar) into protein drugs, thereby transforming safety, efficacy, and manufacturing. 

Bionl.ai (Harvard Graduate School of Education) is a no-code biomedical, bioinformatics, and literature review research platform. 

Cellforma (Harvard Medical School) is on a mission to overcome the unmet need for donor lungs by creating life-saving regenerative cell therapies. 

Clean Slate Clinic (Harvard Kennedy School) is building a clinical protocol for at-home clinician-led care for intensive medicated treatments for addiction. 

Collogh Cares Inc. (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) provides chronic care management and remote patient monitoring services to nephrology clinics, enabling them to improve care for chronic kidney disease and increase revenue. 

EduCare (Harvard Graduate School of Education) supports the global population who need but have no access to traditional therapy by hosting classes with top therapists to teach mental health care. 

EndoShunt Medical Inc. (Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences) is an endovascular surgical device ending death from abdominal bleeding, giving trauma surgeons time so they can give trauma patients life. 

evoAi, Inc. (Harvard Business School) is an on-demand, AI-powered ADHD coaching platform offering tailored education; strategy crafting; actionable insights; and interactive, self-guided cognitive behavioral therapy. 

FIXUS (Harvard Medical School) is a decision-support tool, featuring medical image interpretation modules. 

Global Particle Therapy (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) offers cancer patients access to affordable, advanced proton therapy by reducing the size and cost of existing devices via disruptive technology. 

Haver AI Inc (Harvard Business School) revolutionizes health care for Accountable Care Organizations by deploying advanced AI to dramatically reduce unnecessary hospital admissions. 

Illumagen (Harvard Medical School) is a handheld collagen imaging device that improves the standard of care for skin cancer surgery. 

Keles Keyless Expander (Harvard School of Dental Medicine) stands out among conventional palatal expanders through its built-in activation arm. 

Kiikter (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) has created an affordable, ready-to-use edible gel fortified with essential nutrients, integrated into sustainable food programs, to combat anemia. 

KiraGen Bio (Harvard Business School) is harnessing the power of AI-driven combinatorial gene editing to unlock the full potential of solid tumor CAR-T therapies. 

MabLab (Harvard College) develops five-in-one rapid test strips to detect the five deadliest lacing agents in recreational drugs.  

Mansarover (Harvard College) uses multiscale deep learning methods to design chemical reprogramming drugs for longevity. 

miniDia (Harvard Medical School) is developing a precise biological age test using an AI model and multiplex biomarker detection. 

Modulate Bio (Harvard Business School) is advancing next-generation therapies to treat central nervous system disorders, starting with essential tremor. 

neumind ltd (Harvard Business School) is digitizing neurorehabilitation for enhanced patient access, seamless caregiver involvement, and improved clinician overview. 

PeriPeach (Harvard Medical School) is improving the comfort and care of birthing people. 

Recursive Health (Harvard Kennedy School) is an AI-enabled platform built to 10x cancer screening completion rates by scaling best practices from world-leading hospitals. 

RescaleMed (Harvard College) is creating an AI-driven mental health chatbot for cognitive behavioral therapy. 

Robin Health Inc. (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) provides an AI-powered, personalized dream team of therapists, coaches, and advisors to improve mental wellness and performance on-demand. 

Sanso (Harvard Business School) helps drug manufacturers produce life-saving biologics more efficiently, delivering cheaper drugs to patients worldwide. 

Selene Health (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) provides personalized supplements, herbal remedies, and a digital health app for women experiencing menopausal symptoms. 

Serosafe (Harvard Medical School) designs medical devices to create a safer, healthier post-operative recovery experience for patients undergoing surgery. 

Ubi Bio (Harvard Medical School) develops small molecules that therapeutically modulate protein abundance.  

Open (Alumni & Affiliates Track)

The Open Alumni & Affiliates Track is open to ventures in Launch Lab X GEO, the Blavatnik Harvard Life Lab Longwood, or the Pagliuca Harvard Life Lab. These commercial enterprises could sell to businesses and/or consumers. Popular industries include education technology (whether selling to government, schools, or families), finance, e-commerce, information technology, Web3, consumer products, food and beverage, and virtual and augmented reality applications.

Beaver Health (Harvard College) is an AI-enabled platform that engages older loved ones in culturally responsive, stimulating activities to boost cognition and quality of life.

BitMal (Harvard Kennedy School) is a social fintech solution transforming how charitable funds are distributed, providing transparency and optimizing the impact of each donation.

ELISA (Harvard Business School) is the first healthy and accessible children’s food company in Latin America.

How to Change the World (Harvard Kennedy School) transforms careers to create a sustainable future through online experiential learning programs.

IAMBIC (Harvard College) creates AI-tailored shoes transform bespoke footwear from an exclusive privilege to an accessible choice for all.

Indian School of Democracy (Harvard Kennedy School) is a non-partisan organization that conducts leadership programs to nurture principled political leaders at grassroots.

Inqui-Lab Foundation (Harvard Graduate School of Education) nurtures problem-solving capacity in the next generation.

Koroid (Harvard Medical School) is an AI-powered SaaS platform for data-driven workforce and resource management, optimization, and logistics in health care.

Light RFP (Harvard Extension School) is the fastest and easiest way to run commercial real estate RFPs.

Meomind (Harvard Business School) is the world’s first on-demand alternative to psychotherapy, giving members unlimited access to 700+ pre-recorded therapy sessions and more.

Neuronspike (Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences) is developing brain-inspired custom chips to help enterprises to build proprietary generative AI systems at the edge.

Plantaizin’ (Harvard College) is a fun and tech-enabled plant-based snack brand that seeks to treat our bodies well and do good in the world.

Polis (Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts & Sciences) is a virtual advising management platform to reduce student attrition in higher education.

SubjectToClimate (Harvard Graduate School of Education) is a nonprofit online connector for K-12 educators of all subjects to find credible and engaging materials on climate change.

TecHustle, Inc. (Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences) helps unbanked and underbanked African small businesses send and receive trade-related payments through its flagship product, AFi Payments.

Open (Student Track)

The Open Student Track is for student-led commercial enterprises, selling to businesses and/or consumers. Popular industries include education technology (whether selling to government, schools, or families), finance, e-commerce, information technology, Web3, consumer products, food and beverage, and virtual and augmented reality applications.

AgX (Harvard Business School) is an agricultural technology company with a suite of IoT devices and a data platform to deliver operational efficiencies to livestock farms. 

Anemone (Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences) is an alternative to LinkedIn for the cultural and creative industries. 

Art Academy Plus (Harvard Graduate School of Education) is an online education platform that aims to empower young artists in China to pursue global higher education opportunities in creative subjects. 

AudienceAI (Harvard Extension School) helps video creators, such as YouTubers and brands, avoid audience retention drops and increase views through emotion analytics and AI. 

Axal (Harvard College) is a no-code platform for intelligent crypto workflows, automating and connecting data feeds, notifications, and actions across web2 and web3. 

B Love (Harvard Business School) is a topical liquid applied to the nipple during pregnancy that helps women proactively prepare for breastfeeding and help prevent bleeding and cracking. 

Blitzy.ai (Harvard Business School) is a no-code solution for building entire software applications with just natural language.  

BUYOUT (Harvard Business School) is a platform that connects locally-owned Boston restaurants to corporate private dining needs (including client dinners, team happy hours, and restaurant buyouts). 

CGM Sports (Harvard Business School) is revolutionizing athlete mentorship with a robust network of college mentors, empowering youth through personalized guidance and support. 

Crop Diagnostix (Harvard Business School) uses AI-powered genetic insights to diagnose plant health, enabling farmers to optimize inputs and maximize yield. 

Endgrate (Harvard College) is the fastest way to add third party integrations into B2B SaaS products. 

Fortuna-Insights, Inc. (Harvard Law School) uses artificial intelligence to write, predict for, and strategize legal briefs and memos. 

greenblade.io (Harvard Extension School) is eliminating duplicative processes and information silos to accelerate project applications in green development banks from review stage to approval. 

HAKO (Harvard Graduate School of Design) is creating automated solutions that make high- quality bubble tea accessible in shared spaces. 

Heretics Club (Harvard Divinity School) is a literary salon for creative writers with a hybrid membership model that offers mentorship, resources, and community. 

Holly (Harvard Business School) is an SMS-based chatbot that turns resident requests into work orders for city agencies, reimagining the government-to-resident connection. 

Hometeam (Harvard Business School) enables family and paid caregivers to deliver the best care possible, as efficiently as possible. 

Hydra (Harvard Business School) offers a clean and convenient way to hydrate with lifestyle-forward electrolyte products, and no unhealthy or artificial ingredients. 

Jarvis (Harvard College) is writing AI-driven software to reimagine human-computer interaction. 

KeyUp (Harvard Business School) is an online education platform and marketplace that helps servicemembers and veterans take advantage of low-interest, assumable VA home loans. 

Ladder Financial Systems Inc. (Harvard Business School) takes the stress out of money with an app that acts as a personalized wealth manager in your pocket. 

leaseClub (Harvard Business School) is an intelligent rental marketplace that connects new renters to apartments through current tenants for early access and lower fees. 

LegalEase (Harvard Law School) is a legal correspondence platform facilitating communication and understanding between attorneys and their clients. 

LITER (Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences) desalinates water by absorbing solar energy in a design that is more cost-effective, operationally resilient, and productive than alternatives. 

MathMosaic (Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences) uses a virtual environment to visualize high-level mathematical concepts for STEM college students and relate them back to the real world. 

Mesa Quantum (Harvard Business School) develops highly accurate and precise chip-scale clocks using quantum sensing technology. 

Montage (Harvard Business School) is a digital platform that allows users to discover and purchase styles seen on TV. 

MOVZ (Harvard Extension School) is a two-way marketplace where dancers monetize their choreography and where their followers learn their routines with the help of custom features. 

Naani’s (Harvard Business School) is making authentic, healthy Indian food available to the world. 

NextStep Health (Harvard Graduate School of Education) is cultivating evidence-based mental health resilience through educational media and care coordination. 

Poka Labs (Harvard Business School) is building a cloud-based data platform to modernize chemical operations. 

Practice IP (Harvard Law School) helps businesses with patents, trademarks, and copyrights to monetize and manage them through AI-powered enforcement and a streamlined marketplace. 

ReadReady (Harvard Graduate School of Education) is an AI-powered reading tool that adjusts existing texts to the reading level of English language learners. 

Ream (Harvard College) helps authors create communities of their readers and monetize through subscriptions.   

RentIt (Harvard Business School) is a marketplace for residential property listings for rent or purchase. 

Rove (Harvard College) is the first travel card designed for young adults, leveraging cash-flow underwriting for accessibility with an integrated travel points portal. 

SaveSpace (Harvard Business School) creates a fully digitized inventory for physical belongings. Customers can store, access, rent, or sell items, all in one place. 

SeriousPlayerOnly (Harvard Business School) is a sports brand dedicated to democratizing sports equipment innovation, specifically shoes, with an inclusive and iterative approach. 

shoal (Harvard Business School) is a fitness platform that helps women build workout habits with tight-knit social groups and engaging livestream content. 

Skills.tech (Harvard Medical School) employs AI to craft tailored learning experiences for learners in educational institutions and corporate training programs. 

Storyfave (Harvard Graduate School of Design) uses AI to design and produce lesson-oriented physical and digital books, combining meaningful storytelling with cutting-edge customization. 

Unboxing Art (Harvard Graduate School of Education) is helping individuals pursue creative careers. 

Vélos Education (Harvard Business School) is an intelligent data platform for education that uses different data sources and proprietary algorithms to optimize learning. 

Veritel Energy (Harvard Extension School) provides a comprehensive system for property owners to generate clean, renewable, on-site electricity for tenants in multi-metered apartments. 

Virtualus (Harvard Graduate School of Education) is an AI platform that empowers users to derive meaning from their past, alter their narrative, and get equipped with tools to comprehend their values through the Life Design methodology. 

Vocadian (Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences) provides predictive fatigue risk management to empower a safer, healthier, and more productive workforce with evidence-based voice AI. 

Xtory (Harvard Medical School) is a generative AI platform revolutionizing education through the scalable creation of personalized and interactive learning experiences. 

Y-Health Corp (Harvard Extension School) is reducing wait times for crisis-prone individuals by using innovative software to find and connect with local mental health resources. 

YouShift (Harvard College) is a platform that automates shift scheduling in hospitals, prioritizing doctors’ shift preferences. 

Social Impact (Student Track)

The Social Impact Student Track is open to student ventures that make our planet safer, more equitable, sustainable, and beautiful. The critical sectors these ventures address include social and economic inequities, climate change and sustainability, education, preservation of arts and culture, and more.

Africa Paralegal Network (Harvard Law School) uses constitutional and international laws to challenge criminal laws targeting LGBTIQ persons and trains paralegals from the queer community. 

AgroCycle Technologies (Harvard Kennedy School) aims to turn agricultural waste into products, fostering economic and environmental benefits for farmers using a circular economy approach. 

Antrim Literature Project (Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts & Sciences) aims to make the study of literature accessible to the public through close reading, conversation, and community. 

ApplicAid (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) helps disadvantaged young people to obtain scholarships by educating, empowering, and assisting them in the application process. 

Asude Foundation (Harvard Graduate School of Education) aims to provide a holistic education for every child in India. 

BacBon Foundation (Harvard Kennedy School) leverages information and communication technology to enhance education in Bangladesh, reducing the digital divide and bridging urban-rural educational gaps. 

AfrOURban art – Black Diasporas Platform (Harvard Graduate School of Design) maps audio stories about places that have meaning to Black communities in cities around the globe. 

The Black Girl’s Dream Initiative (Harvard Graduate School of Education) transforms education for young African women by providing out-of-classroom experiences that improve technical skills and soft skills. 

Breave (Harvard Divinity School) offers 24/7 access to grief support and spiritual care from a team of highly skilled interfaith chaplains via a telehealth platform. 

BridgeHealth AI (Harvard Business School) is eradicating health disparities by simplifying benefits navigation for underserved families. 

Canopy Nepal (Harvard Graduate School of Education) provides equitable education access to underprivileged children of Nepal and promotes interactive learning used to make informed decisions. 

Catching Joy, Inc. (Harvard College) organizes hands-on service projects to share the responsibility and joy of giving and create a kinder, braver, and more equitable world. 

Chula (Harvard Kennedy School) cultivates a sustainable food system that fosters the growth of local communities. 

Citizenship Tutoring (Harvard College) eases the burden of the path to U.S. citizenship by providing educational, language, and financial support to prospective citizens. 

Collegiate Recovery Solutions (Harvard Graduate School of Education) aims to ease the transition process into higher education for people in recovery from substance use through tailored college advising sessions. 

Congo River Capital (Harvard Business School) aims to grow and catalyze the nascent Congolese startup ecosystem by providing social, technical, and financial capital to startups. 

Edufun Technik (Harvard Graduate School of Education) empowers rural and semi-urban Nigerian schools with essential STEM education for K-12 students and advanced digital skills training for youth. 

Free My Period (Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts & Sciences) supports the design, production, and distribution of menstrual underwear to help girls and women achieve financial, mental, and physical freedom. 

GramHeet (Harvard Kennedy School) enhances smallholder farmers’ income and sustainability by providing tools, market access, and AI-driven post-harvest solutions. 

Indonesian Global Health Foundation (Harvard Medical School) endeavors to craft and implement innovative and creative solutions aimed at advancing healthcare accessibility, health outcomes, and health equity in Indonesia. 

Intrapreneurs with Purpose (Harvard Kennedy School) supports a community of more than 10,000 young corporate social intrapreneurs in sustainability and equity and promotes research and teaching. 

Jamii Life (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) uplifts marginalized professional and family caregivers of color with tools and training to deliver high-quality home-based care. 

Lotus (Harvard College) is a digital community that fosters connection and conversation among adolescent women+ with reproductive health conditions and/or concerns. 

Mai Soli Foundation (Harvard Graduate School of Education) uses education and entrepreneurship to prevent child marriage for at-risk young girls in Bangladesh. 

The MV3 Foundation (Harvard Medical School) provides mentorship, networking, and financial support to future Black leaders in health sciences who will advance health equity. 

My Uyghur Origin (Harvard Kennedy School) aims to raise awareness about the Uyghur genocide to compel individuals and policymakers around the world to take action. 

NetaCarbon (Harvard Business School) is a platform that removes friction for pro-climate businesses to issue and manage their carbon credits, like the TurboTax for carbon credits. 

Nunchi Health (Harvard Medical School) builds inclusive mental health programs for culturally diverse communities. 

Paint it Red Foundation (Harvard Kennedy School) strives to impart body literacy to eliminate intergenerational misinformation that prohibits menstruators from living a life of dignity. 

PhilanTrade (Harvard College) is a platform that aims to empower small businesses by creating a cycle of charity and reinvestments. 

Purple Point Neurodiagnostics (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) provides brain health diagnostic services in underresourced parts of the world. 

ReGeneRate (Harvard Extension School) is solving the need for renewable energy and nature restoration through area-based regenerative agrivoltaics. 

Saturday Art Class (Harvard Graduate School of Education) helps underserved children in India to develop social-emotional learning and 21st-century skills through visual arts. 

School-Based Wellness (Harvard Graduate School of Education) is a for-profit and community-owned subsidiary of Butterfly Dreamz, Inc. that provides mental health services to under-resourced schools. 

Scienspur (Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts & Sciences) teaches and mentors youth with a think-like-a-scientist approach focused on problem solving and critical thinking. 

SeaCycle (Harvard Business School) extracts valuable biopolymers from seafood waste, reducing environmental impact with sustainable alternatives. 

Shared Harvest (Harvard Kennedy School) is creating more equitable opportunities to eliminate student debt while elevating the culture of volunteering. 

Sidecar Homes (Harvard Graduate School of Design) provides affordable, modular ADUs bundled with financing options to help homeowners generate rental income and support local housing needs. 

Society of Women Coders (Harvard Graduate School of Education) battles gender-based digital inequality in low to middle income countries and marginalized communities. 

Solara (Harvard Business School) provides an on-demand solar irrigation service to Indian farmers, increasing their access to affordable, reliable, and clean irrigation. 

Stories of Home (Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts & Sciences) preserves African life stories, supports children with free library spaces, and partners with rural farmers to improve their livelihoods. 

TestParty (Harvard Business School) is an automated digital ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and EAA (European Accessibility Act) compliance platform. 

TheTeenageEntrepreneur.com (Harvard Extension School) is an interactive online community for teenage entrepreneurs to share their stories, get guidance from successful entrepreneurs, and attend virtual workshops and events. 

Thinkverse (Harvard Business School) offers a personalized and interactive AI math tutor for every K-12 student in the U.S. to democratize high-quality education. 

Trans Health HQ (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) is a single source of truth for clinicians on how to provide quality gender-affirming care and safely advocate for transgender patients. 

UMA Peru (Harvard Kennedy School) helps female artisans break free from the poverty trap by enhancing leadership skills and providing access to markets. 

Veins (Harvard Graduate School of Design) is developing an integrated system for early wildfire detection and intelligent fire response based on real-time forest data. 

WaySense (Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences) is an indoor wayfinding system for the blind using robotic guides and sonic beacons for accessibility. 

Yes! And… Education (Harvard Graduate School of Education) is providing Chinese kids with high-quality art education in a joyful environment.

The Road to the PIC

Getting Here

To get to this point in the competition, the semifinalists completed a rigorous application to define their program and customer; communicate their business model; showcase a tested product, prototype, or MVP; and demonstrate impact in the form of material traction.

An internal PIC selection committee then reviewed the initial student venture applications and selected the semifinalists.

 

What’s Next

Semifinalists will resubmit their applications for review by our online judges. The judges will score semifinalist student venture applications, provide feedback to each venture, and select five finalists in each track.

Finalists in each track will pitch to an online panel of judges who will evaluate their pitch, ask questions, and help select the $25K and $75K winners.

 

While we have you…

 

ACT THREE

SPRINT AND A MARATHON

With an abundance of ideas and energy, we tackle the problems that matter most — the ones that seem insurmountable. A diverse community of innovators that invites ideas from every angle creates an ecosystem that propels everyone forward. Following a new idea from seedling to inception takes tenacity and humility. Our opportunity is to pay attention, follow through on our instincts, and do the hard work to turn our wildest ideas into reality.

See this year’s finalists

Impossible is just
the beginning.

03. The Preparation Phase

TO BE A FINALIST…

Student, alumni, and affiliate teams have made it to the final round of judging and will pitch in front of a live audience at the President’s Innovation Challenge Awards Ceremony on May 3.

More than 150 semi-finalist teams were evaluated by nearly 300 judges: Those who have made it this far have persevered through tremendous challenges, demonstrated material traction, and proven their venture’s potential for immense impact. They’ve attracted a user base; charted a course for commercialization; and may have even established paid customers, users, or partnerships. These teams have beaten the odds, and now, they’re focused on getting past the finish line — practicing their pitches, refining their pitch decks, and advancing their ventures in preparation for the final round of PIC judging.

See this year’s finalists

A live event that celebrates the minds and hearts of this year’s most innovative ventures at the Harvard Innovation Labs.

We believe a diverse community of innovators — one that invites ideas from every angle — creates a robust ecosystem that propels everyone forward. That’s why we hope you’ll join us for the 2023 President’s Innovation Challenge Awards Ceremony on May 3 — our annual celebration of innovation, community, and entrepreneurship at Harvard.

You’ll hear live pitches from 25 finalist teams and we’ll reveal which of the freshest and most forward-thinking ventures will receive a share of $515,000 in funding, courtesy of the Bertarelli Foundation. Finalists have been selected from a diverse group of 158 semi-finalist teams with representation from each of Harvard’s 13 schools and more than 30 countries around the world.

RSVP for this year’s PIC

THE 2023 PIC FINALISTS

Accepted venture teams are placed into the track that is most appropriate for their venture. Each track awards $100,000 total in prize money, made possible by a gift from the Bertarelli Foundation.

STUDENT TRACKS
Social Impact (5)

The Social Impact Track is open to teams that want to make our planet safer, more equitable, sustainable, and beautiful. The critical issues they address include social equity, the depletion of finite resources, helping artists and cultural traditions thrive, and more.

Sub-categories include but are not limited to: arts, equity, education, environment, economic development, food, and sustainable agriculture.

Body Empowerment Project

We decrease eating disorder risk in marginalized youth through a 10-week evidence-based prevention program for middle and high school students

Team Lead: Amanda Moreno
School: Harvard Medical School
Web: bodyempowerment.net

Civic Roundtable

Civic Roundtable is a secure collaboration platform for the 22.5M public servants on the frontlines of state and local government

Team Leads: Madeleine Smith and Austin Boral
School: Harvard Business School
Web: civicroundtable.com

Inqui-Lab Foundation

Nurture problem-solving capacity among first generation learners

Team Lead: Eshwar Bandi
School: Harvard Graduate School of Education
Web: inquilabfoundation.org

Melanin Doc

Melanin Doc is a non-profit organization that supports minority students interested in medicine with scholarships and mentorship opportunities

Team Lead: Ted Obi
School: Harvard Business School
Web: melanindocs.com

RockFix

RockFix helps the critical minerals industry decarbonize, unlock waste (tailings) value, and increase operational safety through rock mineralization

Team Lead: Melissa Zhang
School: Harvard Kennedy School
Web: breakthroughenergy.org/our-work/fellows/projects/explorer-grants/

Health & Life Sciences (5)

The Health & Life Sciences Track is open to any team improving the efficacy of healthcare services, including therapeutics, devices, healthcare, and digital health. Projects may address a wide range of issues, from improving access to care to realizing the potential of personalized therapies.

BonePixel

A data-driven tool leveraging existing clinical data to assess hip health for personalized diagnosis and treatment planning using AI and 3D simulation

Team Lead: Nazgol Tavabi
School: Harvard Medical School
Web: bonepixel.com

DoriVac

DoriVac (DNA Origami Vaccine) is a biotech startup developing novel cancer treatments using DNA nanotechnology.

Team Lead: Kevin Emancipator
School: Harvard Business School
Web: DoriVac

InConfidence

InConfidence is a smart patch technology that delivers at-home posterior tibial nerve stimulation to treat urinary incontinence overactive bladder

Team Lead: Helena Franco
School: Harvard Medical School
Web: inconfidence.io

Kiikter

Kiikter is a low-cost snack fortified with key micronutrients to improve children's nutrition and reduce anemia.

Team Lead: Alan Espinosa
School: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Web: kiikter.com

PeriPeach

Improving the comfort and care of birthing people.

Team Lead: Tess Koi
School: Harvard Medical School
Web: peripeach.com

Open (5)

The Open Track is open to a wide array of commercial enterprises, selling to businesses and/or consumers.

Popular industries include but are not limited to: education technologies (whether selling to government, schools, or families), finance, ecommerce, information technology, Web3, consumer products, food and beverage, and virtual and augmented reality applications.

Buildoly

Buildoly is an all in one platform that helps homeowners plan, design, and build their renovation projects.

Team Lead: Jeff Cheung
School: Harvard Graduate School of Design
Web: buildoly.com

DeepInsights

An AI-first meeting intelligence platform that helps boost organizational meeting productivity by making meetings more efficient.

Team Lead: Era Jain
School: Harvard Business School
Web: getdeepinsights.com

Oban Market

Providing microfinance borrowers in Nigeria with a loan marketplace and education platform.

Team Lead: Matt Tengtrakool
School: Harvard College
Web: oban.market

Penguin.ai

Penguin helps creative marketing teams generate unlimited visual assets (e.g, images and videos) using generative AI models.

Team Lead: Rohan Doshi
School: Harvard Business School
Web: penguinai.app

Stochastic

Stochastic is building a software platform that enables the access to the most difficult AI models for enterprises.

Team Lead: Glenn Ko
School: Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Web: stochastic.ai

Ingenuity Awards (4)

The Ingenuity Awards celebrate high-potential ideas within the Harvard Innovation Labs Venture Program and provide funding to early-stage ventures.

Halo Braid

Halo is an automated hair braider that saves time and money for the 180 MM women who get their hair braided regularly.

Team Lead: Yinka Ogunbiyi
School: Harvard Business School
Web: halobraid.com

Pacto Medical

A compact pre-filled syringe that expands medical access at a reduced cost and environmental impact by lowering the packaging footprint by 40%.

Team Lead: Ian Speers
School: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Web: pactomedical.com

S.A.L.Tech (Sustainable Architecture Landscape Technology)

S.A.L.Tech is a startup to develop and implements plant-based products to mitigate Climate Change.

Team Lead: Abhishek Desai
School: Harvard Graduate School of Design

Webquity

Webquity provides accessibility tools to students with visual dyslexia and minor visual impairments that enable equitable access to online education.

Team Lead: Kianjai Huggan
School: Harvard Graduate School of Education
Web: webquityed.com

ALUMNI & AFFILIATE TRACKS
Open (5)

The Open Track for Alumni is open to a wide array of commercial enterprises, selling to businesses and/or consumers.

Popular industries include but are not limited to: education technologies (whether selling to government, schools, or families), finance, ecommerce, information technology, Web3, consumer products, food and beverage, and virtual and augmented reality applications.

Mineral Forecast

Machine learning for drill-hole targeting in mining exploration to find the critical materials a greener economy needs

Team Lead: Javier Muñoz
School: Harvard Kennedy School
Web: mineralforecast.com

Moonstar.ai

Moonstar is the engagement and retention platform for remote workers

Team Lead: Alexandra Copos
School: Harvard Kennedy School
Web: moonstar.ai

Patient First.AI

A digital health card just like your bank card

Team Lead: Fiza Shaukat Shaukat
School: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Web: patientfirstai.com

Soteri Skin

The first skincare treatment to offer long-term pH correction for eczema relief

Team Lead: Rafal Pielak
School: Harvard Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
Web: soteriskin.com

Thermaband

Predictive smart bracelet that provides cooling relief for menopausal women, with digital health insights through a connected app

Team Lead: Debbie Dickinson
School: Harvard Law School
Web: thermaband.com

Health & Life Sciences (5)

The Health & Life Sciences Track for Alumni is open to any team improving the efficacy of healthcare services, including therapeutics, devices, healthcare, and digital health. Projects may address a wide range of issues, from improving access to care to realizing the potential of personalized therapies.

Aperture Bio

Transforming the future of cancer biomarkers with single cell proteomics

Team Lead: Laura Kelley
School: Harvard Business School

Brainify.AI

Assisting pharma in successful clinical trials for female antidepressant drugs

Team Lead: Mariam Khayretdinova
School: Harvard Extension School
Web: brainify.ai

InGel Therapeutics

Regenerative cell-therapy biotech aiming to treat people affected by blindness

Team Lead: Pierre Colombe Dromel
School: Harvard Medical School
Web: ingeltx.com

Interon Laboratories, Inc.

Pioneering immunotherapy for the brain

Team Lead: Jaspaul Singh
School: Harvard Business School
Web: interonlabs.com

Promakhos Therapeutics Inc.

Restoring innate immune function to cure chronic inflammation

Team Lead: Katerina Chatzi
School: Harvard Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
Web: promakhos.com

Join us for the 12th annual President’s Innovation Challenge

We hope you’ll attend the immersive live experience at Klarman Hall, in Allston, and then stick around for an after-party on the lawn for food, drinks, and a chance to meet and mingle with the finalists and our broader innovation community.

RSVP For the 2023 PIC

2023 President’s Innovation Challenge

A Venture Competition by the Harvard Innovation Labs
Live for the Harvard and Boston innovation community, streaming globally.
5 Tracks — 25 Teams
$515,000 in funding, made possible by a gift from the Bertarelli Foundation

May 3 — Join us in person or stream live.

STAY UP TO DATE ON ALL THINGS PRESIDENT’S INNOVATION CHALLENGE