Awards Archives - Venture Lab

GenHERation: Empowering Girls to Become Leaders

Editor’s note: This post originally appeared on the Penn website as part of President’s Engagement Prize-Winners Launch Social Impact Projects. Katlyn Grasso W’15 is one of five winners of the inaugural President’s Engagement Prize. As a student, Katlyn was an active participant in the Wharton Entrepreneurship community: she was a member of the Venture Initiation Program, a semifinalist in the Business Plan Competition, and the recipient of a Wharton Venture Award.

Only five percent of Fortune 500 companies have female CEOs, and there are even fewer women who start their own businesses.

“I grew up in an environment where I was conditioned to believe that girls can do anything,” says Katlyn Grasso, a Wharton School graduate who majored in economics, with concentrations in finance and strategic globalization.

Wharton Venture Award: A Judge’s Perspective

By Carol Curley WG’81

This year was my second opportunity to serve as a judge for the Wharton Venture Awards. In addition to working with a great team of fellow judges to select the award recipients, I also have the opportunity to continue to follow the progress of the students. After last year’s program, I was able to act as a mentor to one of the recipients, Katlyn Grasso, CEO and Founder of GenHERation. The progress she has made on GenHeration is amazing and I was thrilled to learn that Katlyn had recently been awarded the University’s “President’s Engagement Prize” which not only validates her business proposal but also provides funding to help her actually build her business. As an active angel investor, supporting young entrepreneurs and celebrating their successes is one of the most rewarding aspects of being involved in the early-stage ecosystem.

Using Smartphones To Save Lives: Aaron Goldstein W’16

By Nadine Kavanaugh

Aaron Goldstein W’16 was recently named Entrepreneur Magazine’s College Entrepreneur of the Year! In honor of his achievement, here’s Wharton Entrepreneurship’s interview with Aaron from our fall newsletter.

Fever Smart is a smart thermometer that allows parents to monitor their child’s temperature continuously and remotely. It’s already FDA approved, and their Indiegogo campaign this fall reached its goal in just 4 days, and ultimately raised $62,986—157% of their $40,000 goal. The great press that Fever Smart got in CNET,Business Insider, VentureBeat, and more undoubtedly helped.

$400,000+ from Wharton Entrepreneurship to Student Entrepreneurs

By Nadine Kavanaugh, Associate Director, Wharton Entrepreneurship

At Wharton Entrepreneurship, we believe in putting our money where our values are.

Funniest Moments from the Wharton BPC

Editor’s note: This post originally appeared on the Wharton Magazine blog.

The Wharton Business Plan Competition (BPC), in all its 15 years, has hardly been merely a ha-ha affair. Among the first and best in academia, the competition spans two semesters every year, during which time students strive through multiple grueling rounds to reach the Finals and their chance to be number 1 startup on campus. It’s a legitimate opportunity to earn prize money and recognition that could help propel a startup closer to sustainability and success.

Co-chairs of the Wharton Business Plan Competition Committee, first-year MBAs Manasa Tanuku and Johannes Quodt, present during the Finals closing reception. Photo credits: Alyssa Cwanger, C’04, CGS’06.

Congratulations, Graduates!

By Nadine Kavanaugh, Associate Director, Wharton Entrepreneurship

Every year, Wharton Entrepreneurship goes through the bittersweet process of seeing our students graduate. We’ve watched them come up with a venture concept, do research, cold-call industry leaders, write plans, change plans, find co-founders, chat up alumni, have disagreements with co-founders, scrap venture concepts completely come up with new ideas, plan these out based on better research with new partners, launch their business, raise funds, pivot… and on and on. The entrepreneurial life is one of many twists and turns, a unique journey for every person who engages in it. Read more Congratulations, Graduates! ›