The Grinspoon Entrepreneurship Initiative offers four levels of awards to students and alumni of our participating institutions:
1. Elevator Pitch (pre-business card)
2. Concept Awards (pre-revenue)
3. Entrepreneurial Spirit Awards
4. Grinspoon, Garvey & Young Alumni Entrepreneur Award
Elevator Pitch
- Timed presentation of an idea that is doable and marketable
- Fall – Grinspoon Pitch! Contest
- Spring – Banquet – Live Elevator Pitch Contest
Eligibility
Concept Awards
- Concept awards are for pre-revenue business - concept must be substantially developed but some work may still be needed before business is initiated
- Nominee must be serious about pursuing the business now or in the future
- Nominee must demonstrate entrepreneurial spirit
- For-profit only
Eligibility
- Awarded to current college students and alumni within five years of graduating from the institution
- Can win a Concept Award only one time
Spirit Awards
- Spirit Awards recognize entrepreneurial spirit. They are not seed money and, as such, there is no stipulations associated with the award
- Recipients must have substantially started a business
- For-profit only
Eligibility
- Awarded to current college students and alumni within five years of graduating from the institution
- Can win a Spirit Award only one time
Alumni Entrepreneurship Award
- Recognizes an individual who has substantially advanced in the field of entrepreneurship since receiving Grinspoon El Spirit Award
- Named Grinspoon, Garvey & Young Entrepreneurial award
Eligibility
- Prior Spirit Award winners (including concept awardees)
- Can be nominated more than once
For more information about how the nomination process works at one of our
participating colleges and universities, please contact the faculty advisor(s) directly.
“The Grinspoon Award in 2014 essentially launched my entrepreneurial career. It opened doors for me to scale my startup, and be [both] a TEDx speaker and a published author.”
Charu Sharma, Founder Go Against the Flow & Intervyou.me, Winner - 2016 Grinspoon, Garvey & Young Entrepreneur Award – Mt. Holyoke College alum