Your Social Entrepreneurship checklist

The Social Enterprise Initiative has long supported students and alumni starting organizations with a social impact focus. Our curriculum, career support, community building, and funding supports students in exploring social entrepreneurship and alumni to be successful in the early stages of launching their ventures.

Throughout

Career Coaching: Consult with MBA or Alumni Career Coach with social enterprise expertise.

Community Connections: Meet with students, faculty, and alumni by interest area.

Harvard Innovation Labs: Become a student i-lab member to explore innovation, test an idea, or propel your venture forward. Student i-lab members get access to a range of resources, including one-on-one expert advising, interactive workshops, networking events, funding, and co-working space. Membership is available by semester in the fall, spring, and summer and is open to all Harvard students.

HealthLab: A new University-wide accelerator for student ventures, HealthLab brings together students and postdocs from across the Harvard ecosystem to solve challenges in public and planetary health.

Legal support:

Harvard Law School Transactional Law Clinics: A clinical program of Harvard Law School providing legal assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Cyberlaw Clinic: A Harvard Law clinic program offering pro-bono legal services to individuals, small start- ups, non-profit groups and government entities regarding cutting-edge issues of the Internet, new technology and intellectual property.

Expert Office Hours: Any Harvard student may sign up for the Harvard Innovation Labs’ virtual or in-person office hours. Get real-world advice from seasoned entrepreneurship experts in the Boston and global ecosystems, including lawyers well-versed in small business issues.

First Year

Fall

Student clubs: Connect with students who share your interest in social enterprise and entrepreneurship through clubs such as the Entrepreneurship Club, Social Enterprise Club, Social Enterprise Conference, Impact Investing Club, and more!

HBS New Venture Competition: The HBS New Venture Competition provides a unique opportunity for students to put entrepreneurship principles into practice with an integrative learning experience. Students may participate in either the Business Track (for ventures whose economic returns drive substantial market impact) or in the Social Enterprise Track (for ventures that drive social change using nonprofit, for-profit, or hybrid models). (deadlines in December and February)

President’s Innovation Challenge: The President’s Innovation Challenge (PIC) is the Harvard Innovation Labs’ annual startup competition for student founders from all 13 Harvard schools. PIC participants benefit from tailored venture-building resources, membership in a thriving innovation community, and expert feedback from diverse judges, not to mention a chance to win up to $75,000 in non-dilutive funding for their ventures, courtesy of the Bertarelli Foundation. Student ventures are placed into one of three tracks – Open, Health & Life Sciences, and Social Impact. Applications are due in December.

Harvard Law Entrepreneurship Project: Harvard Law Entrepreneurship Project matches a team of 4 to 5 Harvard Law students and an attorney advisor with an entrepreneur to research and answer a legal question over 8 weeks. (deadlines in Fall and Spring)

How to Create a Climate Venture Class: “How to Create a Climate Venture” is a free online class for aspiring climate entrepreneurs with a Harvard affiliation. The class – which is open to current Harvard students who don’t yet have an idea or whose idea is nascent – focuses on five key areas: unpacking climate solutions, coming up with your idea, leveraging tools to test the viability of your idea, and connecting with fellow climate entrepreneurs to hear their stories and build your network. Course registration takes place in the fall and spring.

Spring

Take required first year course: The Entrepreneurial Manager: All students take the Required Curriculum course, The Entrepreneurial Manager, to build the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to succeed as an entrepreneurial manager.

HBS New Venture Competition: The HBS New Venture Competition provides a unique opportunity for students to put entrepreneurship principles into practice with an integrative learning experience. Students may participate in either the Business Track (for ventures whose economic returns drive substantial market impact) or in the Social Enterprise Track (for ventures that drive social change using nonprofit, for-profit, or hybrid models). (deadlines in December and February)

Apply for Social Enterprise Summer Fellowship Funding: The HBS Summer Fellows Program enables students to apply their classroom training as they explore career opportunities in roles or regions where compensation is generally lower than the traditional MBA level. Students either founding or working for social enterprises (nonprofit, public sector, or for-profit organizations with a social impact focus) are eligible to apply to be part of the Social Enterprise Summer Fellows cohort. (deadline in February - May)

Apply for the Social Impact Fellowship Fund: The Social Impact Fellowship Fund at the Harvard Innovation Labs awards grants to Harvard student-led ventures focused on social impact. The grants are distributed over three periods: Fall, Spring, and Summer. Application deadlines are in the fall, spring, and summer.

Harvard Law Entrepreneurship Project: Harvard Law Entrepreneurship Project matches a team of 4 to 5 Harvard Law students and an attorney advisor with an entrepreneur to research and answer a legal question over 8 weeks. (deadlines in Fall and Spring)

Spring/Summer Planning for Second Year

Select and register for MBA electives focused on social impact and entrepreneurship.

See more on social enterprise courses

See more on entrepreneurship courses

Plan for an Independent Project focused on your idea. Independent Projects in social enterprise complement the classroom-based courses by providing second-year MBA students the opportunity to apply their skills to the real-world challenges facing social enterprises.

Apply for HKS SICI Cheng Fellowship: The New World Social Innovation Fellowship at Harvard Kennedy School’s Social Innovation + Change Initiative is a rigorous co-curricular program for change-makers committed to addressing pressing social problems in new and creative ways. The Fellowship selects and supports students – known as Cheng Fellows – advancing progress on a social challenge through a project of their design.

Second Year

Fall

Student clubs: Connect with students who share your interest in social enterprise and entrepreneurship through clubs such as the Entrepreneurship Club, Social Enterprise Club, Social Enterprise Conference, Impact Investing Club, and more!

Apply for Independent Project grant: Students undertaking a Social Enterprise Independent Project may be eligible for the Social Enterprise Independent Project Reimbursement Grant Program to support their project expenses. (deadlines in September and February)

HBS New Venture Competition: The HBS New Venture Competition provides a unique opportunity for students to put entrepreneurship principles into practice with an integrative learning experience. Students may participate in either the Business Track (for ventures whose economic returns drive substantial market impact) or in the Social Enterprise Track (for ventures that drive social change using nonprofit, for-profit, or hybrid models). (deadlines in December and February)

President’s Innovation Challenge: The President’s Innovation Challenge (PIC) is the Harvard Innovation Labs’ annual startup competition for student founders from all 13 Harvard schools. PIC participants benefit from tailored venture-building resources, membership in a thriving innovation community, and expert feedback from diverse judges, not to mention a chance to win up to $75,000 in non-dilutive funding for their ventures, courtesy of the Bertarelli Foundation. Student ventures are placed into one of three tracks – Open, Health & Life Sciences, and Social Impact. Applications are due in December.

Harvard Law Entrepreneurship Project: Harvard Law Entrepreneurship Project matches a team of 4 to 5 Harvard Law students and an attorney advisor with an entrepreneur to research and answer a legal question over 8 weeks. (deadlines in Fall and Spring)

How to Create a Climate Venture Class: “How to Create a Climate Venture” is a free online class for aspiring climate entrepreneurs with a Harvard affiliation. The class – which is open to current Harvard students who don’t yet have an idea or whose idea is nascent – focuses on five key areas: unpacking climate solutions, coming up with your idea, leveraging tools to test the viability of your idea, and connecting with fellow climate entrepreneurs to hear their stories and build your network. Course registration takes place in the fall and spring.

Harvard Climate Entrepreneurs Circle: The Harvard Climate Entrepreneurs Circle is a selective online incubation program for high-potential, Harvard-led ventures that are working to address climate change. With more than 65 ventures incubated to date, the Climate Circle is cultivating the next generation of climate entrepreneurs who are actively uncovering new, unexpected solutions. Applications are due in the fall.

Spring

Apply for Independent Project grant: Students undertaking a Social Enterprise Independent Project may be eligible for the Social Enterprise Independent Project Reimbursement Grant Program to support their project expenses. (deadlines in September and February)

HBS New Venture Competition: The HBS New Venture Competition provides a unique opportunity for students to put entrepreneurship principles into practice with an integrative learning experience. Students may participate in either the Business Track (for ventures whose economic returns drive substantial market impact) or in the Social Enterprise Track (for ventures that drive social change using nonprofit, for-profit, or hybrid models). (deadlines in December and February)

Harvard Law Entrepreneurship Project: Harvard Law Entrepreneurship Project matches a team of 4 to 5 Harvard Law students and an attorney advisor with an entrepreneur to research and answer a legal question over 8 weeks. (deadlines in fall and Spring)

Rock Loan Assistance: Rock Loan Assistance is a needs based loan forgiveness for graduating HBS students who have founded a for-profit new venture and are pursuing it full time.

Alumni engagement

HBS Social Enterprise Loan Repayment Assistance Program: HBS Social Enterprise Loan Repayment Assistance Program supports graduates pursuing career paths in nonprofit, public sector organizations, and for-profit social enterprises which often have compensation levels below the MBA average. Qualified alumni may apply at any time during the first ten years following graduation; preference is given to graduates entering the Program within three years of graduation. (deadline on October 1)

The New Venture Competition Alumni Track: The New Venture Competition Alumni Track serves as a launch pad for innovative new ventures from HBS alumni, providing access and exposure to potential investors, mentors, and advisors. The annual event is sponsored by the HBS’s Rock Center for Entrepreneurship and Alumni Clubs & Associations. The competition is open to alumni with early-stage ventures, and winners receive an invitation to the Global Finals Round and NVC Finale. (deadline in November - January)

Alumni Clubs: Alumni clubs allow you to stay connected with other alumni interested in social enterprise while you build lifelong relationships with MBA students, fellow alumni, and Executive Education participants.

You can connect with regional clubs, as well as shared interest clubs, such as The HBS Alumni Angels Association, an educational and networking forum for Harvard Alumni and other participants who are interested in researching and investing in early stage companies on an individual basis.

Launch Lab X GEO: The Harvard Innovation Labs’ Launch Lab X GEO is a global innovation accelerator specifically for Harvard alumni founders to grow their ventures and their community. The program uses a three-pillar approach focusing on operations, fundraising, and leadership. Applications are due in May.

The Pagliuca Harvard Life Lab: The Pagliuca Harvard Life Lab is a wet laboratory with co-working space for early-stage, high-potential biotech and life science startups founded by Harvard students, alumni, faculty, and postdoctoral scholars. As part of the Harvard Innovation Labs ecosystem, ventures in this space have access to robust programming and resources.

How to Create a Climate Venture Class: “How to Create a Climate Venture” is a free online class for aspiring climate entrepreneurs with a Harvard affiliation. The class – which is designed for Harvard affiliates, including alumni, who don’t yet have an idea or whose idea is nascent – focuses on five key areas: unpacking climate solutions, coming up with your idea, leveraging tools to test the viability of your idea, and connecting with fellow climate entrepreneurs to hear their stories and build your network. Course registration takes place in the fall and spring.

Harvard Climate Entrepreneurs Circle: The Harvard Climate Entrepreneurs Circle is a selective online incubation program for high-potential, Harvard-led ventures that are working to address climate change. With more than 65 ventures incubated to date, the Climate Circle is cultivating the next generation of climate entrepreneurs who are actively uncovering new, unexpected solutions. Applications are due in the fall.

Blavatnik Harvard Life Lab Longwood: The Blavatnik Harvard Life Lab at the Harvard Medical School Longwood campus offers wet laboratories and co-working space for early-stage, high-potential biotech and life science startups that are founded by Harvard students, alumni, faculty, and postdoctoral fellows. The state-of-the-art facilities are perfect for pre-seed to Series A teams and provide both the amenities and support needed to take your venture further, faster.