Recipients of the Entrepreneurs Fund will work on developing their small businesses with the assistance of Colgate entrepreneur mentorship and shared workspace. (Photo by Andy Daddio)
Just like last year, Colgate student and alumni entrepreneurs are invited to apply for the Colgate Entrepreneurs Fund.
Applications are now being accepted for the first round of awards. The fund was established to grow and advance for-profit and not-for-profit ventures that “have the potential to solve big problems.” The fund’s mission is also to keep such entrepreneurial activity in Hamilton and central New York.
The winners of the funding will receive $15,000, a shared local workspace, and the support of countless alumni mentors. Applications are being accepted here; the deadline to apply is March 15.
The fund, formerly called the ENY Fund, was initially launched by Dan Rosensweig P’15, ’17.
“The fund’s Hamilton headquarters – furnished with a video conference room, 3D printer, and Ping Pong table – is start-up heaven,” reports Harry Raymond ’11, founder of Shindig and one of the six winners of last year’s fund. “With a new home at the ‘Hamilton Hatchery,’ our team was extremely productive, shipping three new versions of our iPhone app.”
2013 Fund Recipients
For Yuni Sameshima ’13 and Joey Petracca ’13, the funding and guidance has meant their business, Chicory, has gone from concept and prototype to a fully featured product.
“The money and office space we received from the fund were definitely appreciated. But we would not be here today without the access it provided us to the Colgate alumni network.”
Wills Hapworth ’07, an entrepreneur and the founder of DarkHorse Investors, which invests in college students’ start-up ventures, agrees. “Support from alumni, administrators, faculty, and the local community has been coalescing into a very compelling start-up ecosystem at Colgate.”
To learn more about fund eligibility, benefits, and judging criteria, click here and apply.
Awards will be announced during Colgate’s Entrepreneur Weekend.