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Part of a powerful entrepreneurial ecosystem at the University of Chicago, the center helps UChicago students and faculty connect research with practice and go from idea to impact.

Whether you have an idea already or are looking to explore launching or joining a startup, the Rustandy Center can help you on your entrepreneurial journey.

The Edwardson Social Entrepreneurship Program

The Rustandy Center’s Edwardson Social Entrepreneurship Program supports UChicago students and faculty in jump-starting businesses and nonprofits founded on social missions.

The program also helps drive the Rustandy Center’s mission to become the leading university-based launchpad and knowledge center for game-changing social entrepreneurs, their ventures, and the people who fund them. And it supports the center’s work in impact investing through student competitions, experiential learning programs, and more.

Looking for help navigating our social entrepreneurship resources? Contact us.

UChicago Entrepreneurship Offerings

UChicago students, faculty, and alumni have access to a wide range of entrepreneurship opportunities across the University of Chicago. The Rustandy Center partners closely with campus partners like the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and others on these offerings, including:

In this program, student teams work intensively on businesses and social enterprises over the summer. Teams receive funding, coaching, mentorship, and more.

This program provides UChicago students with access to a variety of carefully curated entrepreneurs and experts from a wide range of industries.

This annual event hosted by the Institute for Justice鈥檚 Clinic on Entrepreneurship showcases inventive, inspiring, and impactful entrepreneurs from the South Side of Chicago. Finalists compete for $25,000 in prizes. The Rustandy Center and the Polsky Center are sponsors of this event. 

This program brings UChicago students together with researchers, technologists, and faculty who want to explore the commercialization opportunities and business applications of their work. 

Courses in Social Entrepreneurship

The Rustandy Center facilitates several courses designed to promote the skills required for launching successful social ventures. Here’s a sampling:

This course is the academic component of the John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (SNVC), in which teams develop and hone ideas for innovative social startups. At least one student from each SNVC team must enroll in New Social Ventures. 

This is a project-based course that matches students with leaders of social ventures. The course’s aim is for students to learn from and accelerate the impact of their “Partner Social Ventures."

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