SLU Center for Entrepreneurship

SLU Center for Entrepreneurship Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship at SLU's Chaifetz School of Business 🚀 Compassion. Planning. Performance."

The Center for Entrepreneurship at Saint Louis University is a cross-campus, cross-community resource for entrepreneurs and private business owners. Our nationally-ranked programs promote economic growth by encompassing "Passion.

Applications are now open for the Fall 2026 Entrepreneurship Ambassador Program at Saint Louis University.Entrepreneursh...
05/06/2026

Applications are now open for the Fall 2026 Entrepreneurship Ambassador Program at Saint Louis University.

Entrepreneurship Ambassadors serve as the student voice of the Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship, helping to promote innovation across campus while gaining hands-on experience in event planning, public speaking, and engagement with SLU’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Ambassadors connect with faculty, founders, and investors, support major campus events, and play a key role in building the student entrepreneurship community.

Apply here: https://loom.ly/mJoFjbQ

We’re excited to announce the 2026 cohort of the Saint Louis University New Venture Accelerator (NVA).Launched in 2024 b...
05/01/2026

We’re excited to announce the 2026 cohort of the Saint Louis University New Venture Accelerator (NVA).

Launched in 2024 by the Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship, the NVA supports SLU students and recent alumni with equity-free funding of up to $50,000, along with mentorship and resources to help bring their ventures to market.

This year, we received 22 highly competitive applications from across the University. After a rigorous review process and Finalist Pitch Day, four ventures were selected for the 2026 cohort:

Mesh
Founded by Michael Orosz-Fagen (CSB ’23), Stuart Ray (SSE ’24), and Izak Robles (SSE ’24), Mesh is an app that connects small groups of users with shared interests and sends them to meet in person at curated locations. With more than 3,000 users across eight U.S. cities, Mesh is building meaningful, real-world connections.

CivicKit
Founded by Briana Huelsman, Leah Bragg, and Erin Kelley (all Class of 2026, School of Science and Engineering), CivicKit enables communities to report and track civic issues through a shared, interactive map, empowering residents and local organizations to collaborate in real time.

GIA-Tech
Founded by Caiden Gagliano, Vishal Vaheesan (both biomedical engineering, School of Science and Engineering), and Isaac Angelo Medrano Layugan (neuroscience, College of Arts and Sciences), all Class of 2026, GIA-Tech is developing a medical device to improve post-surgical recovery through neuromuscular electrical stimulation.

MORPH (Modular Open-source Robotic Programming Hub)
Founded by Kody Cool (mechanical engineering), Ngan (Daisy) Nguyen (computer science), Pascal Sikorski (computer science), and Jake Bounds (computer science), all Class of 2026, MORPH is an accessible robotics platform designed to support hands-on learning across K-12 and higher education.

The 14-week accelerator kicks off May 12 and will culminate in Demo Day this August, where the cohort will present their progress to investors, mentors, and community partners.

Congratulations to these teams. We look forward to supporting their growth this summer and beyond.

Yesterday marked the conclusion of the 2025–26 SLULaunch program.After a year of building their ventures and working clo...
05/01/2026

Yesterday marked the conclusion of the 2025–26 SLULaunch program.

After a year of building their ventures and working closely with mentors, our cohort pitched their ideas in front of an outstanding group of judges, showcasing the innovation and progress they’ve made throughout the program.

In collaboration with the Saint Louis University School of Science and Engineering, students also presented at the Undergraduate Showcase, highlighting their research and capstone design work.

🏆 This year’s SLULaunch winner: CountKit

Led by Rahul Jasthi, Joseph Kannala, Tarini Karnati, Jiale (Caleb) Sun, Sam Ghaddar, Hamza Abu Khalaf Al Takrouri, Alex Reiter, and Tim Randolph, the team developed a business plan to bring a modernized QBC device to developing nations.

With guidance from Dr. Randolph and Lewis Sheats, and in partnership with Dr. Reiter’s BME team, their solution addresses a critical challenge: many clinics rely on donated blood testing equipment that is not designed for local infrastructure or environmental conditions. Their redesigned device is more durable, user-friendly, and cost-effective, making it better suited for long-term use in these settings.

Huge congratulations to all of our teams for their hard work and dedication throughout the year. We’re excited to see how these ventures continue to grow!

And that is a wrap on the Spring 2026 SLU eMentor event series!This semester brought plenty of change to the Chaifetz Ce...
04/08/2026

And that is a wrap on the Spring 2026 SLU eMentor event series!

This semester brought plenty of change to the Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship, but one thing remains constant: the strength of our incredible entrepreneurial community. We are grateful for the students, mentors, and supporters who continue to show up, connect, and make these events what they are.

Trivia Night was the perfect way to close out the semester, bringing together new faces and familiar ones for a night of competition, camaraderie, and great food. Huge credit to Austin Smith for putting together a fantastic slate of questions covering St. Louis business, history, entrepreneurship, and even a bit of AI that kept everyone on their toes!

Congratulations to Team Austin’s Dream Team on taking home the win, and thank you to everyone who joined us for such a great night.

Stay tuned for more upcoming events from the Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship!

How can universities and businesses work together to solve real world challenges?Join us on April 24 for the Case Study ...
03/18/2026

How can universities and businesses work together to solve real world challenges?

Join us on April 24 for the Case Study Symposium featuring Karviva, highlighting a collaboration between Saint Louis University’s Chaifetz School of Business and Karviva, a St. Louis based health beverage company founded by Angela Zeng.

Through this partnership, students have analyzed key business challenges including supply chain strategy, pricing, revenue growth, and market expansion while gaining hands on experience with real company data.

The symposium will feature student presentations, faculty perspectives, and insights from industry leaders while creating opportunities for meaningful connections between academia and business.

Friday, April 24, 2026
11:00 AM to 1:30 PM
Cook Hall 230, Chaifetz School of Business, Saint Louis University

Click Here to Register: https://loom.ly/e-8Zhpw

Applications for the 2026 Saint Louis University New Venture Accelerator have been extended, but time is running out. St...
03/11/2026

Applications for the 2026 Saint Louis University New Venture Accelerator have been extended, but time is running out. Student founders and recent alumni now have until Friday, March 20, 2026 to apply for the opportunity to accelerate their ventures through mentorship, resources, and hands on programming.

If you have been thinking about applying, now is the time to act. Be sure to review the eligibility requirements and prepare your required two minute video pitch before submitting your application.

Click Here to Apply: https://loom.ly/fYPx97g

Join us for SLU eMentor Trivia Night! Test your knowledge of entrepreneurship and St. Louis while connecting with fellow...
03/10/2026

Join us for SLU eMentor Trivia Night! Test your knowledge of entrepreneurship and St. Louis while connecting with fellow students and experienced mentors. Enjoy an evening of learning, networking, and friendly competition with food and appetizers provided!

Date: Apr 07, 2026

Time: 5:30pm - 7:30pm CT

Location: Busch Student Center 3rd Floor (Saint Louis Room)
20 N Grand Blvd. , St. Louis, MO 63103

Click Here to Register: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/mw3c6st/lp/c7194891-f7ec-4784-bbf2-84de981d3b39

Saint Louis University’s entrepreneurship community continues to impress! Earlier this week, we hosted our second SLU eM...
03/06/2026

Saint Louis University’s entrepreneurship community continues to impress! Earlier this week, we hosted our second SLU eMentor event of the semester, Mini Pitch Night.

More than 50 students, mentors, and local professionals gathered at the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business to share ideas, pitch new ventures, and offer thoughtful feedback to the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Our interim director, Jintong Tang, reflected on SLU’s rich history of entrepreneurship and shared an exciting look ahead at the future of the Center for Entrepreneurship and its growing slate of leadership and venture programs. Suzy Hartmann and Alison Talbot highlighted the importance of continuing to show up for our students and supporting programs such as SLULaunch and the New Venture Accelerator. Brenden Guzman and Abby Van Vooren also shared insights from their impressive third place finish at the VCIC (Venture Capital Investment Competition).

We also heard from Austin Smith, who shared the story and mission behind Confluence Cacao Works. Those brave enough to step up and pitch their ideas went home with a chocolate bar as a reward for putting themselves out there.

It was great to see both familiar faces and new members of the community in the room as we continue building momentum. The future of entrepreneurship at Saint Louis University is bright, thanks to the individuals who consistently show up to support our students and programs.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the next event. Stay tuned!

Congratulations to Saint Louis University’s undergraduate team on earning 3rd place at the VCIC (Venture Capital Investm...
03/02/2026

Congratulations to Saint Louis University’s undergraduate team on earning 3rd place at the VCIC (Venture Capital Investment Competition).

VCIC is the world’s largest venture capital competition, bringing together more than 120 university and graduate school teams from around the globe. This marks the first time in more than 25 years that SLU has sent a team to compete at VCIC, making this third-place finish an incredible and historic achievement for entrepreneurship at Saint Louis University.

Congratulations to Luciana Schwartz, Abby Van Vooren, Reese Elizabeth Langhorne, Matthew Switzer, and Brenden Guzman for representing SLU with excellence.

Special thanks to Lewis Sheats and team mentor Vikram Lakhwara for their leadership and guidance throughout the competition journey.

We are incredibly proud of this team and excited for what this accomplishment means for the future of venture capital and entrepreneurship at SLU!

02/25/2026

There’s still time to go check out Golf and Give and play the full course! Head over to the BSC, donate to a great cause, play some mini golf, and vote for the Entrepreneurship Ambassadors! ⛳️

Address

3674 Lindell Boulevard, Rm 100
St. Louis, MO
63108

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Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

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+13149773850

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