Harvard Business School Announces Winners of 2026 New Venture Competition
Harvard Business School Celebrates Startup Innovation
Harvard Business School has announced the winners of its 2026 New Venture Competition (NVC), one of the world’s most prestigious startup competitions for student entrepreneurs. The grand finale took place at Klarman Hall on the HBS campus, where finalists pitched their ventures before investors, mentors, and the global HBS community.
The annual competition allows student founders to present innovative startup ideas across business and social impact sectors. This year, 123 teams participated, including 86 teams in the Rock Business Track and 37 teams in the Social Enterprise Track.
Since its launch in 1997, the competition has supported thousands of startups and helped create thousands of jobs worldwide.
Grand Prize Winners of HBS NVC 2026
The 2026 competition awarded $210,000 in total cash prizes, along with mentorship and startup resources from sponsors.
Rock Business Track Winner
The $75,000 Dubilier Grand Prize went to Serosafe Surgical, a clinical-stage medical technology startup developing devices designed to prevent complications related to post-operative surgical drains.
Team Members
Goutam Gadiraju (MD/MBA 2026)
Justin Broyles (MPH 2026)
Runner-Up (Business Track)
The $25,000 Satchu-Burgstone Prize was awarded to Lyv Health, a platform that connects wellness businesses with clinical services such as prescriptions, blood testing, and medical treatments that they cannot currently provide.
Team Members
Andrea Corleto (MBA 2026)
Jennifer Arnold (MS/MBA 2026)
Business Track Crowd Favorite
Sensea won the Crowd Favorite Award, with its venture focused on building long-duration underwater networks to collect and transmit ocean data.
Social Enterprise Track Winners
The competition also recognized ventures aimed at solving global social challenges.
Social Enterprise Grand Prize
The $75,000 Sacerdote Grand Prize went to Revolv, a startup transforming organic waste into affordable animal feed and fertilizer to help farmers boost productivity.
Team Members
Biruh Demilew (MBA 2026)
Delila Kidanu
Social Enterprise Runner-Up
The $25,000 runner-up prize was awarded to smartSTAT, which develops automated hospital code carts to improve patient safety and reduce medical staff burnout.
Founder
Rohan Bajaj (MBA 2026)
Social Enterprise Crowd Favorite
Lighthouse, a venture focused on adolescent mental health support through therapy and data-driven prevention programs, received the Crowd Favorite Award.
Why the HBS New Venture Competition Matters
The New Venture Competition is organized by the Arthur Rock Center for Entrepreneurship and the Social Enterprise Initiative at Harvard Business School. It provides students with a platform to test business ideas, refine strategies, and connect with mentors and investors.
Over nearly three decades, the competition has awarded more than $4 million in prize funding and helped launch numerous successful startups.
Experts say the competition reflects the evolving entrepreneurial landscape, where founders are tackling challenges related to AI, healthcare innovation, climate solutions, and social impact.
The Future of Student Entrepreneurship
The 2026 competition showcased how the next generation of entrepreneurs is addressing complex global challenges. From medical technology to sustainable agriculture and mental health solutions, the winning startups highlight how innovation is shaping the future of business and society.
As startup ecosystems continue to expand globally, events like the HBS New Venture Competition play a crucial role in nurturing early-stage ideas and turning them into impactful ventures.
