Awards will help launch student-run software ventures at Johns Hopkins University. Software is the most agile and fastest-growing sector in the economy and has been critical to economic recovery during the COVID pandemic. In 2022, Forbes reported that software is the “the last remaining source of dynamism in a global economy.” The software ecosystem is fast and competitive, characterized by rapid product development to meet limited windows of market opportunity. The Singhal Family Entrepreneurship Awards will provide teams with the resources to fast-launch and translate innovative concepts into viable products.
For more information, please email startup@cs.jhu.edu. Learn about past winners here.
We are soliciting applications for two types of awards:
To be eligible, the applicant team must include a full-time student (undergraduate or graduate) enrolled at Johns Hopkins; the full-time student must be an equal-partner co-founder in the venture. Finalists may be invited to an interview to present their idea/project and answer any questions panel members may have.
All awardee teams will be paired with a software mentor to assist in software development best practices, including tooling, testing, integration, cloud computing, and open-source software. This is in addition to the business, marketing, and financial mentorship available through the Pava Marie LaPere Center for Entrepreneurship.,
The Singhal Family Entrepreneurship Award
This award will provide established teams with well-developed product ideas with up to $30,000 to build their venture. Teams will be expected to dedicate the following summer to make their venture investor- and market-ready. Teams will have access to mentoring, investor and advisor networks, and peer/cohort ventures through Pava Marie LaPere Center for Entrepreneurship. Winning teams will be considered for participation in the Pava Center Summer Incubator, which provides a six-week coworking experience at the Pava Center.
Applications for the Singhal Family Entrepreneurship Award must be completed by January 12, 2024. Winners will be announced in February 2024.
The Singhal Family Seed Award
This award will provide up to $5,000 dollars to advance early-stage ventures to validate and develop ideas into products. Successful completion will prepare teams for the Entrepreneurship award, accelerator programs at the Pava Center, or other funding opportunities. Seed awards may be granted to individual founders or small teams with the expectation that they will use the funds to develop product and business plans, evaluate and develop markets, identify customers, and grow their team.
Applications for the Singhal Family Seed Award can be made at any time. Initial applications will be considered in February 2024.