O’Connor Fund

The Ralph S. O’Connor
Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Fund

Application process | Frequently asked questions | Past teams | 2016-2017 cohort | 2015-2016 cohort | 2014-2015 cohort

The Ralph S. O’Connor Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Fund supports Johns Hopkins students aiming to solve major challenges through entrepreneurship.

Made possible by a generous donation from Johns Hopkins alumnus Ralph S. O’Connor and his wife, Becky, each venture selected for the O’Connor Fund receives up to $10,000 as a grant, mentorship from investors and serial entrepreneurs, and additional resources from FastForward U and Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures.
 

*Applications for the 2017-2018 cohort are open and will close at 9 a.m. on Nov. 6.

Apply now!

Application Process

For consideration for the O’Connor Fund, applicants must complete the Online Application for Ralph S. O’Connor Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Fund in which they describe their venture, outline progress to-date, articulate the uniqueness of the venture’s approach and more.

Applications are narrowed down to a group of finalists which then participate in a pitch day, followed by selection of awardees.
 

Eligibility:

• Applications for the O’Connor Fund are only accepted from current, full-time undergraduate students at The Johns Hopkins University. All team members of a venture do not need to fit that criteria, but the founder/co-founder/CEO (essentially the person with the highest decision-making authority) must be a current, full-time undergraduate student at The Johns Hopkins University.

 

• Ventures can be at any stage, focus on any industry/vertical/problem, and may utilize technology or not.

Fall 2017 Application Timeline:

 
Week of October 16
Applications open
 
Monday, October 23
Q&A Session for Prospective Applicants
FastForward U – Homewood (Wyman, 1st Floor)
Drop-in anytime between 5-7 p.m.
 
Monday, November 6 9 a.m. ET
Application Deadline
 
Wednesday, November 15
Pitch Day for Finalists
Time & Location: TBD
 
Monday, November 27
Awardees Notified
 
Thursday, November 30
Awardee Orientation
Time & Location: TBD
 

Click to apply!

Frequently asked questions

 
Q: How far along does my venture have to be in order to apply?
A: Previous O’Connor Fund teams have arrived to the program at a variety of stages. The most important criteria we are looking for is that your venture has a clear commercial focus and your team is dedicated to moving it forward.
 
Q: Can I apply on my own or do I need to have other team members?
A: You can apply on your own, but applying as a team is encouraged.
 
Q: Does Hopkins take any equity/IP rights to my company through the O’Connor Fund?
A: No, the O’Connor Fund is a non-dilutive grant which is meant to provide assistance in bringing your venture to market. We don’t take any equity stake.
 
Q: What does the O’Connor Fund provide other than grant money?
A: Teams will receive mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs with a relevant background as well as help in creating a growth strategy and development goals.
 
Q: What are the eligibility qualifications to apply?
A: Applications for the O’Connor Fund are only accepted from current, full-time undergraduate students at Johns Hopkins University. All team members of a venture do not need to fit that criteria, but the founder/co-founder/CEO (essentially the person with the highest decision-making authority) must be a current, full-time undergraduate student at Johns Hopkins University.
 
Q: After the application deadline, when will the next opportunity to apply for the O’Connor Fund be?
A: Fall 2018. The O’Connor Fund operates on an annual application cycle.
 
Q: What are some examples of previous ventures that were a part of the O’Connor Fund?
A: See the list of past ventures below.
 
Q: I’m thinking of applying, is there someone I can get in touch with to see if this is a good fit for my venture?
A: Please attend the Q&A Session on Monday, October 23 to ask any remaining questions you may have. If you cannot make the info session, please email Kevin Carter (kevin.carter@jhu.edu).
 

Click to apply!

Want to support our student startups? Contact Brian Stansky (bstansky@jhu.edu).