I³ Harvard College Innovation Challenge Tracks
Applicants to the I³ competition can submit plans for one of four tracks:
- HSA Campus Service Ventures (e.g., DormAid, Unofficial Tours)
- Creative Enterprises (e.g., Community Art)
- For-Profit Startups (e.g., Facebook©, SparkNotes©)
- Social Entrepreneurship (e.g., Teach for America©)
Top prizes in the For-Profit Startups, Social Entrepreneurship, and Creative Enterprise tracks are expected to be $10,000 grants. For the Campus Service Venture track, winners will receive $2,500 and the opportunity to use the infrastructure and resources of Harvard Student Agencies, Inc. (including
an annual salary and bonus) to run the campus service venture.
HSA Campus Service Venture Track
- For-profit businesses created to operate on the Harvard campus (e.g. DormAid, Unofficial Tours).
- Winners, if they choose to pursue their venture, will receive a $2,500 cash prize, and become General Managers of their operation at HSA, with access to HSA office space, IT, E-commerce, accounting and back-office support for their business, a yearly salary of ~$15,000, and 20% profit sharing for the duration of their tenure at Harvard. Upon graduation, entrepreneurs may continue to operate their business, or may sell it to HSA at a negotiated price.
- If the Campus Service Venture track winners choose not to pursue their idea, they will still receive a $1,000 award from HSA, which will receive the rights to the idea.
Creative Enterprise Track
- Non-business ventures whose goal is to effect a change in the world through creativity and the arts.
- First-place teams will receive at least a $10K cash grant
For-Profit Startup Track
- For-profit business ventures, in any industry.
First-place teams will receive at least a $10K cash grant
Social Entrepreneurship Track
- Not-for-profit ventures whose goal is to effect social impact through business.
- First-place teams will receive at least a $10K cash grant