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University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana·University

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Pitch competitionsVenture fund

At a glance

Indexed programs

7

7 currently active

Top direct funding

No direct cash prizes indexed

Equity

Mixed equity terms

Program mix

6

Venture Fund · Academic Program · Central Hub

Research verdict

Research in progress.

Programs to explore

Compare funding, equity, and timing before you apply.

7 programs indexed

Known startups and winners

Competition winners and notable student ventures from our research.

See every startup

Accedar Salud

$2,500

prize won

University of Notre Dame · McCloskey New Venture Competition

Competition winner

2026 McCloskey New Venture Competition People's Choice Award ($2,500).

Anaphero

$10,000

prize won

University of Notre Dame · McCloskey New Venture Competition

Competition winner

2026 McCloskey Best Graduate Student-Led Venture ($10K) and Overcoming Adversity Award; wearable device detecting early signs of allergic reactions in children (Tiarnan O'Rourke, ESTEEM).

Azam Health

University of Notre Dame · McCloskey New Venture Competition

Competition winner

2026 McCloskey New Venture Competition Community Impact Award winner.

Geddit

$10,000

prize won

University of Notre Dame · McCloskey New Venture Competition

Competition winner

2026 McCloskey Best Undergraduate Student-Led Venture ($10K); digital addressing for homes and businesses across Africa (Akhente Borotho).

Lantern Network

$5,000

prize won

University of Notre Dame · McCloskey New Venture Competition

Competition winner

2026 McCloskey Defense Tech Prize ($5K); advanced passive sensors that detect and track drone activity in real time (Joseph Pugsley).

Nullpoint

University of Notre Dame · McCloskey New Venture Competition

Competition winner

2026 McCloskey New Venture Competition Most Innovative Venture winner.

Petrine Properties

University of Notre Dame · McCloskey New Venture Competition

Competition winner

2026 McCloskey New Venture Competition Catholic Mission Award winner.

RETRN Bioworks

$65,000

prize won

University of Notre Dame · McCloskey New Venture Competition

Grand prizeCompetition winner

2026 McCloskey New Venture Competition Grand Prize ($50K) plus Wray-O'Brien Innovation Prize ($5K) and Marmon Most Innovative Venture Prize ($10K); biopolymers from agro-industrial plant waste (Kristin Mannion '12).

Historical winners (research notes)
  • RETRN Bioworks — 2026 McCloskey Grand Prize ($50K + Wray-O'Brien $5K + Marmon Most Innovative $10K); biopolymers from agro-industrial plant waste (Kristin Mannion '12)
  • Anaphero — 2026 McCloskey Best Graduate Venture ($10K) + Overcoming Adversity Award; wearable allergic-reaction detection for children (Tiarnan O'Rourke, ESTEEM)
  • Geddit — 2026 McCloskey Best Undergraduate Venture ($10K); digital addressing across Africa (Akhente Borotho)
  • Lantern Network — 2026 McCloskey Defense Tech Prize ($5K); passive drone-detection sensors (Joseph Pugsley)
  • Accedar Salud — 2026 McCloskey People's Choice Award ($2.5K)
  • Petrine Properties — 2026 McCloskey Catholic Mission Award
  • Azam Health — 2026 McCloskey Community Impact Award
  • Nullpoint — 2026 McCloskey Most Innovative Venture
  • Race to Revenue alumni — $1M+ raised by startups in the last year
  • IrishAngels portfolio — 100+ companies, $65M+ deployed
  • IDEA Center startups — 32 launched in FY2020, $44M capital raised
  • ESTEEM capstone projects — Commercialization partnerships with Intuit, Lenovo, Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson

University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, with approximately 13,000 students (8,900 undergraduate, 4,100 graduate/professional). Its entrepreneurship ecosystem is anchored by the IDEA Center (55,000 sq ft facility on 12-acre Innovation Park campus), offering comprehensive support spanning degree programs, pitch competitions, student accelerators, venture funds, and an alumni angel network. Notre Dame is ranked #12 nationally for graduate entrepreneurship by Princeton Review (2025).

Ecosystem Overview

  • Central hub: IDEA Center (Kelley Rich, Interim VP for Innovation; Karen Deak, Executive Director since Oct 2025) — 55,000 sq ft, Innovation Park
  • Graduate program: ESTEEM MS in Engineering, Science, and Technology Entrepreneurship Excellence (#12 Princeton Review 2025)
  • Pitch competition: McCloskey New Venture Competition ($100K+ cash, $50K grand prize, 25+ years, 160+ entries)
  • Student accelerator: Race to Revenue (10-week summer, $5K/team, 33 racers in 2025)
  • Seed fund: Pit Road Fund ($22M, established 2018, for ND-affiliated startups)
  • Venture fund: 1842 Fund ($17.5M raised toward $35M target, faith-driven, launched 2024/2025)
  • Angel network: IrishAngels (250+ investors, $65M+ deployed into 100+ companies)
  • Innovation Lab: State-of-the-art manufacturing tools and prototyping
  • Academic: Undergraduate Minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Mendoza College of Business)

News & articles

8 news articles and official sources documenting entrepreneurship programs, winners, and activity at University of Notre Dame.

8 sources

Official sources(7)

This profile lists 7 programs for University of Notre Dame. Some details may be outdated until a director verifies them.

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