The Grainger College of Engineering
City Scholars

Startup City Scholars Accelerator

Startup City Scholars

The Startup City Scholars program is a 9-week premier accelerator program that fosters partnerships between undergraduate Grainger Engineering and UChicago students to build a startup and participate in the University of Chicago’s College New Venture Challenge (CNVC) course, program, and events. 

Graphic illustrating partnership between University of Illinois and University of Chicago

Program Details

Participants take TE 441 - Engineering City Scholars: New Venture Creation, a course that prepares them for UChicago’s College New Venture Challenge (CNVC) Finals Event. This event offers participants the opportunity to compete for up to  $200,000 in SAFE funding and in-kind prizes.

How to Participate

Students can engage in the program in one of two ways:

<strong>Cara Bognar and Allison Landis,</strong> University of Illinois Grainger Engineering students, celebrate with other CNVC participants. Cara is the founder of Top Tier Lessons which tied for First Place and received $35,000 in funding. <a href="https://tec.illinois.edu/news/53808" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more about Top Tier Lessons and other UIUC startups that won at the 2023 CNVC Finals Event.</a>
Cara Bognar and Allison Landis, University of Illinois Grainger Engineering students, celebrate with other CNVC participants. Cara is the founder of Top Tier Lessons which tied for First Place and received $35,000 in funding. Learn more about Top Tier Lessons and other UIUC startups that placed at the 2023 CNVC Finals Event.
  • 1 | Lead a startup team! Come with your own startup idea or startup already in progress. Ensure at least one team member is a UChicago undergraduate student.

  • 2 | Join an exisiting team! Collaborate with a team led by either a U. of I. or UChicago undergraduate student.

 

Learn more about CNVC (College New Venture Challenge)

 

College New Venture Challenge (CNVC)