HopStart Sponsorship

The annual HopStart: Hopkins New Venture Challenge provides Hopkins undergraduate and graduate students and post-doctoral fellows an opportunity to develop a business plan around their novel idea or innovative technology. Starting with a concept, students work with mentors to build an understanding of their target market, analyze potential competitors, craft an effective market entry strategy, and present their plans to industry professionals throughout two stages of competition.

While competition provides the structure for the event, the primary goals of HopStart are:

1. to create an opportunity for students to come together and translate what they learn in the classroom and the lab to life
2. to forge meaningful connections with alumni, local entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Example ventures from the 2025 competition include a navigation tool for the visually impaired providing audio-guided directions, obstacle detection, landmark-based guidance, and customizable visual settings; a portable device that lets soldiers and first responders safely collect and reinfuse their own blood during emergencies, reducing the need for donor or banked blood; and a technology that eliminates the microplastics that have accumulated in seafood.

WHAT SPONSORSHIP MEANS TO HOPSTART

Through sponsored support, HopStart provides hands-on, experiential learning opportunities for Hopkins students throughout the competition, primarily by providing financial support and mentorship for budding entrepreneurs. Sponsorship also provides an opportunity to create a lasting relationship between sponsors and the Center for Leadership Education as we continue to support innovation, entrepreneurship, and the professional success of Hopkins students.

Please find our sponsorship tiers and associated benefits below. If you are interested in a conversation about how you can support Hopkins entrepreneurs, or if you have any questions about sponsorship, please email us at hopstart@jhu.edu.

Event Sponsorship Levels

Become a Named Category Sponsor ($9,000)

Sponsors can also choose to support one of our four competition categories, which will provide prize money to the category’s 1st ($5,000), 2nd ($3,000), and 3rd ($1,000) place winners. Category sponsors will be recognized with their name listed on each trophy, on the HopStart website, and on the event brochure.