The Sabin Prize supports student and faculty efforts to start a sustainable for-profit business through cash prizes totaling $25,000. The competition provides feedback from professional judges, extensive mentoring from faculty, and opportunities for participants to meet and pitch their ideas to venture capitalists and industry leaders. 

See photos from our 2015 event and read an account of the day here.

Meet the 2016 finalists:

Appalachian Roots – Hemp 2.0

Appalachian Roots – Hemp 2.0 is reintroducing a historically significant crop to the coalfields of Eastern Kentucky at a time when it is needed most. By connecting mountain farmers with high-value markets and innovative growing techniques, a new economic opportunity will be developed in the wake of the coal industry’s downturn.   

Hugo & Hoby

Hugo & Hoby is an ecommerce company partnering with the country’s best foresters, designers, and craftspeople to build beautiful, sustainable, and thoughtful furniture and home furnishings. Each design is built just-in-time and in small batches, allowing us to deliver handcrafted quality and durable materials to customers at wholesale prices. 

Renewal Mill

Renewal Mill harnesses undervalued waste streams from current food production processes to create nutritious and wholesome products. Our goal is to tackle the food waste challenge through culinary innovation and creativity. At Renewal Mill, we are working to identify and harness the most promising waste streams from food manufacturing to make new wholesome and nutritious products. Our most exciting opportunity with which to begin our venture is okara. Okara is the nourishing mix of fiber and protein that is left behind when soy milk is strained from cooked and blended soy beans.

Smart Air Filters

By fitting a HEPA filter to a household fan we can create a simple yet effective air purifier.  Our mission is to share this knowledge and help people get clean air affordably.  We are focused on countries where air pollution is a major problem and people are most in need.

Meet the Judges:

Andrew Sabin, President, Andrew Sabin Family Foundation

Peter Boyd, Executive Fellow at the Yale Center for Business and the Environment; Founder, Time4Good

Ralph Earle III (MPPM '84), Managing Director, Clean Energy Venture Group

Liddy Karter, Managing Director, Enhanced Capital

Radha Kuppalli, Executive Director, Investor Services, New Forests

Sabin Prize - Agenda

7:30 - 8:00 - Breakfast

8:00 - 8:30 - Welcome and introductions

8:30 - 9:00 - Team 1: Appalachian Roots – Hemp 2.0

9:00 - 9:30 - Team 2: Hugo & Hoby

9:30 - 10:00 - Team 3: Renewal Mill

10:00 - 10:30 - Team 4: Smart Air Filters

10:30 - 10:45 - Sabin Prize updates - "Where Are They Now?"

10:45 - 11:15 - Break/Audience vote

11:15 - 11:30 - Prize and Awards announcement

11:30 - 12:30 - Lunch and Keynote

Download the event app!

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Entrepreneurship Across Yale

The Sabin Prize is proud to be a part of Entrepreneurship Across Yale, an event celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit at Yale. Two days of pitches, prizes and world-changing ideas!  #StartUpYale

Come to the Sabin Prize and the other exciting events as part of Entrepreneurship Across Yale.  Over $90,000 will be awarded!

Register now for all or part of the event: