CASE Launch Pad Award

The CASE Launch Pad Award recognizes a Duke MBA student or team working on an idea or venture to address a social challenge. Each annual winner receives a $10,000 grant and coaching from CASE’s staff and global network of impact enterprise leaders and investors. The Launch Pad Award recognizes solutions at any venture stage, including:

  • Investigation Stage: You do not have an idea for a venture yet, but you have a passion for a certain domain that you want to further explore and believe could evolve into a venture.
  • Idea Stage: You have an idea for a venture that you have not yet begun operating, although you have done initial research, may have developed business plans, etc.
  • Operating Stage: You have a venture now that you are looking to scale.

The award may be used at the winner’s discretion, to fund learning, founding team time, operational expenses, etc. Current Duke MBA students should look for application information to be announced in the spring of each academic year.

Launch Pad Winners

2024
Joe Janey, Sync60

2023
Arya Diwase, Himayat

2022
Michelle Addison, Allergood

2021
Sandeep Panda, Patrick Pierson-Prah, Lilian Oneyekachi Izuorah, & Eric Reynolds, Renmo

2020
Josefina Van Thienen, Ana Neri, & Laura Gutierrez, MiLibreta

2020
Michelle Egger, Resilient Foods

2019
Ariadne Sabatoski & Antonia Taline de Souza Mendonca,
Balné Brazil

2018
Eric Smith, Ncycle

2017
Tim Scales, CivicRise

Lamwaka CASE Launch Pad

2016
Joy Anena Odongpiny, Lamwaka

2015
Anne Steptoe, MedServe

2014
Frederico Rizzo, Broota

2013
Rachel Lichte, The Clarity Project

2012
Jack Beuttell & David Nicola, Working Lands Impact Fund