Chicago Booth: The Global New Venture Challenge | TopMBA
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Chicago Booth: The Global New Venture Challenge

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By Niamh Ollerton Updated Aug 18, 2021
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Chicago Booth GNVC

Top teams from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business’ London, Hong Kong and Chicago campuses pitched their business ideas before a panel of judges as part of the Global New Venture Challenge, with a top prize on offer of US$70,000. 

Second-year students on the Chicago Booth Executive MBA programme are eligible to apply to the challenge and participate as one of their capstone course requirements. 

One major benefit is the participation of Booth alumni and members of the business community in the coaching and judging portions of the competition. More than 80 coaches, judges, panellists and guest speakers participate each year. 

Waverly Deutsch, clinical professor of entrepreneurship at Booth and director of Chicago Global Entrepreneurs Network at the Polsky Centre said: “The Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC) started 14 years ago as an outgrowth of the New Venture Challenge process begun at Chicago Booth 25 years ago. 

“At first the GNVC was an extracurricular activity but was later added as a for-credit class. In the last seven years, the prize money was converted into founder-friendly investments in the company – rather than simply cash prizes. Our hope is that supporting these companies will make the GNVC process self-sustaining as companies exit and our investments generate returns. 

“These returns are already being seen, for example when GrubHub had its IPO. That funding goes back into programmes that support entrepreneurship at Chicago Booth and the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship.” 

The winning team 

The importance of competitions on EMBA programmes 

Taking home the gold 

Why Booth for an EMBA? 

Is the GNVC worthwhile? 

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