Are you an aspiring entrepreneur with a passion for innovation and social impact? If so, Brandeis University is the ideal place to kick-start your entrepreneurial journey. With a range of initiatives designed to nurture and empower entrepreneurs, Brandeis provides an environment where your business ideas can flourish. In this series of blog posts, Evan Goddard, MSF’24 and I (Djounia Saint-Fleurant, MBA’24) will share our experiences with Brandeis initiatives that have played a pivotal role in our entrepreneurial pursuits. We’ll also highlight other programs with key takeaways from former business school participants. In this first installment of the “Entrepreneurial Gems at Brandeis” series, we explore the annual Heller Social Impact Startup Challenge.

Entrepreneurial Gems at Brandeis | Heller’s Social Impact Startup Challenge

The Heller Social Impact Startup Challenge is an incredible opportunity for students: undergraduates, graduates, and alumni to put their entrepreneurial skills to the test. This exciting event is spread over a 3-day weekend that promises innovation, teamwork, and the chance to make a positive impact on pressing social issues. Participants collaborate with peers from different backgrounds and skill sets and pitch their business plan to a panel of esteemed judges at the end of the event for a chance at prize money.

Here’s what you need to know about this year’s challenge:

• It’s happening from Friday, November 3 to Sunday, November 5, 2023, at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management.
• During the Startup Challenge, participants have the chance to either join teams with an existing idea or bring their own entrepreneurial vision to the table.
• Teams then receive guidance and mentorship to develop a comprehensive business plan for their social enterprise and pitch their final work at the end of the event.

Varun Edupuganti, MBA ’24, who attended the challenge in 2021 and won the third prize, went on to launch his startup “Missionable” with his partner from Heller, Douglass Guernsey, Heller MBA’23, whom he met for the first time at the challenge. He recalls his experience both as a participant and an organizer of the event in 2022:

“Heller Startup Challenge was a chance for me to connect with fellow students who share my passion for solving real-world problems and making a positive impact. This exciting opportunity allowed me to collaborate with peers from Heller, gaining fresh perspectives and exploring the intersection of capitalism and social impact.”

Don’t miss out on this extraordinary opportunity to innovate, collaborate, and drive positive change in your community. Sign up for the Info Session happening soon and the Startup Challenge today, and be a part of the Heller Social Impact Startup Challenge. Your journey towards becoming a social entrepreneur could begin here.

Tune in for future installments of the “Entrepreneurial Gems at Brandeis” series, imagined and co-authored by CSE Career Captains Djounia Saint-Fleurant, MBA’24, and Evan Goddard, MSF’24.