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.

2025 Application Process  

• Email the 2–3-page (short but rigorous) application to case@fuqua.duke.edu by February 16, 2025, by 11:59pm EST  
• Top applicants participate in an interview on February 24 or February 25, 2025 
• The winner will be announced by 2/28 
• The winner will give a introductory presentation to CASE and I&E staff in April 2025 
• The winner will give a capstone presentation to CASE and I&E staff in April 2026 

Past Launch Pad Winners