Cornell Tech Announces 2024 Startup Awards Winners
In a significant celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship, Cornell Tech has disclosed the recipients of the 2024 Startup Awards, marking the eleventh year of this prestigious competition. The awards spotlight student startup companies, granting them each $100,000. This financial boost comprises $80,000 in pre-seed funding coupled with the benefits of co-working spaces in the illustrious Tata Innovation Center and comprehensive mentorship from the Cornell Tech team, collectively valued at $20,000.
The announcement was made during Cornell Tech’s Open Studio, a vibrant end-of-year event that celebrates the spirit of startup culture and the unveiling of pioneering research, projects, and companies germinated at Cornell Tech. A distinguished panel, comprising tech industry front-runners and eminent personalities from Cornell and Cornell Tech’s faculty and staff, was tasked with selecting the winners. Among the judges were prominent figures such as Greg Morrisett, Fernando Gómez-Baquero, and Josh Hartmann, to name a few.
Josh Hartmann, Chief Practice Officer of Cornell Tech, expressed his admiration for this year’s finalists, commending their inventive approaches to solving real-world challenges. He highlighted how the students’ innovative solutions are grounded in the comprehensive education and Studio experience provided by Cornell Tech.
The Award Winners
The 2024 Startup Awards witnessed the selection of groundbreaking student startups, each representing the innovative spirit Cornell Tech fosters. Although details of the startups and their ventures were not disclosed, it is clear that the winners leveraged their cutting-edge education to address pressing global challenges creatively and effectively.
An interesting mention is MercuryVote, a startup aimed at revolutionizing shareholder voting. While it did not clinch the cash prize, MercuryVote will benefit from office space and mentorship courtesy of Cornell Tech’s Runway Program, underscoring the institution’s commitment to nurturing fledgling tech enterprises.
Reflecting on the success of the Startup Studio initiative, the article notes that 11 alumni companies have been acquired to date, with startups collectively raising more than $330 million in funding. This achievement not only showcases the tangible impact of these ventures on the market but also highlights the employability and entrepreneurial skills instilled in the students, with nearly 500 individuals currently employed in NYC by these startups.
The festivities of the Open Studio also shone a light on the projects undertaken by teams from BigCo Studio, which partners students with major companies to develop innovative solutions that propel these enterprises forward. This year saw collaborations with industry giants such as Capital One, Google, and Microsoft, among others.
Driving the success of the Startup Studio program were Jenny Fielding, Sam Dix, and Alberto Escarlate, supported by Josh Hartmann and other Cornell Tech luminaries. The program, standing as a cornerstone of the master’s curriculum, emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration to pioneer solutions that matter. Students have the opportunity to converge diverse disciplines, from computer science to health tech, in pursuit of entrepreneurial endeavors that promise to redefine industries and impact society positively.
For those students not enrolled in Startup Studio, alternative tracks like BigCo Studio or PiTech Studio offer pathways to engage with big companies or focus on public interest tech innovations, demonstrating Cornell Tech’s dedication to providing a holistic educational experience that bridges academia with the real world.
This year’s Startup Awards underline Cornell Tech’s pivotal role in fostering an ecosystem where innovation, academia, and business converge to create a brighter, technologically advanced future.
