Funded by the Jacobs Foundation, the Jacobs Education Impact Prize gives select students in the Education Entrepreneurship, M.S.Ed. program practical and financial support to develop and launch their own social impact ventures in the education sector.
As an awardee, you can receive investment of up to $15,000 to build your social venture. You will also join the community of Jacobs Fellows, allowing you to share knowledge and experiences with a network of leaders from all over the world.
The 2025 application is now closed. Visit the Jacobs Foundation website to learn more about the Foundation and how to apply.
Why you should apply
To develop, launch, and scale your impact venture, you’ll need funding and a network of supporters and advisors. As an awardee, you’ll receive both the financial support and access to the global community of Jacobs Fellows to help you power your startup.
The Jacobs Education Impact Prize gives you a one- to two-year runway—over the course of your studies—to accelerate your social enterprise.
Participant selection
The Jacobs Fellowship includes two competitive award cycles:
- Phase 1: Fellows will be selected from the current student cohort enrolled in the Education Entrepreneurship master’s program and can receive $5,000 of seed funding to develop their start-up.
- Phase 2: All Fellows will participate in a second award cycle following an immersive 6- to 8-month developmental program during Phase 1 and can receive up to an additional $10,000 in investment to launch or scale their start-up.
Eligibility
To be considered for the Fellowship, you must be a currently enrolled Penn GSE Education Entrepreneurship student, then complete an application, including a preliminary venture case with a description of the problem, research base, solution/value proposition, and proposed measurements of impact. A personal statement addressing why you are a good fit for the fellowship and how you will maximize the initial investment of time, expertise, and capital in your venture will be required.
The 2025 application timeline:
- Submission deadline: February 4, 2025
- Finalists will be interviewed in late September.
- Fellows will be announced in October.
Frequently Asked Questions
The program is designed to create a cohort of Penn GSE Education Entrepreneurship students with a commitment to launching and refining a social enterprise.
Awardees are entrepreneurial students who are building a social impact start-up.
During Phase 1, five GSE Education Entrepreneurship students will be selected to receive up to $5,000 of seed funding for their social venture. In Phase 2, Fellows can qualify for additional investment of up to $10,000
All winners will join the global cohort of Jacobs Fellows. Winners will have an opportunity to meet other Jacobs Fellows and to participate in networking and career opportunities. Prize recipients will become a valuable addition to the Jacobs Network and contribute to the Foundation’s thematic priorities.
The Jacobs Foundation invests in the future of young people so that they become socially responsible and productive members of society. Learn more at www.jacobsfoundation.org.
The Foundation has a preference for ventures focusing on improving teaching and learning outcomes for youth ages 2 to 12.
Winners of the Jacobs Education Impact Prize may use prize money for any expense related to their social impact start-up. This may include business expenses and salary. Pertinent taxes apply.
All currently enrolled Penn GSE Education Entrepreneurship students interested in launching or scaling a social impact venture are eligible. Ideal candidates are those with a commitment to continue to build and develop a social enterprise after graduating with an Education Entrepreneurship, M.S.Ed.
For-profit, hybrid, and nonprofit ventures qualify.
You can apply online on the Penn GSE Education Entrepreneurship website. We will not consider late applications, nor will we review or recognize materials submitted in any format other than the formal application. You will be able to apply online when the application portal formally opens. For any questions, please contact Ruviel Sibaja at ruviel@upenn.edu.
In reviewing your application, we evaluate the venture and the entrepreneur.
- We will look at the social impact of your venture—how well you have identified the problem and the need, and how likely it is that your venture will be a successful intervention. In addition, we are looking for at least two proposed measurements or metrics related to the problem you are addressing.
- We will evaluate your proposed business and revenue models—will your venture be sustainable?
- We will also evaluate the entrepreneurs. We know that being an entrepreneur, and especially a social entrepreneur, requires a blend of passion, commitment, business savvy, persistence, and willingness to pivot and to learn, so we will be looking for those aspects in you.
- Because receiving the award means that you will become a member of a larger cohort of Jacobs Fellows, we will be seeking awardees who are additive to that cohort.
- We will look at how closely your social venture aligns with the thematic priorities of the Jacobs Foundation.
Note: this prize is awarded to an entrepreneur, not a team. Ventures that are created by teams are accepted, but the application must be submitted by one individual, and only that individual will receive the award and admission into the Jacobs Fellowship.
A team of reviewers from the Penn GSE Education Entrepreneurship program and the Jacobs Foundation will complete an initial review of applications.
Contact Us
For more information about the Jacobs Education Impact Prize, please reach out to Global Programs & Grants Coordinator, Ruviel Sibaja