The Tamer Fund for Social Ventures, a Columbia Business School program that provides seed grants to nonprofit, for-profit, and hybrid early-stage social and environmental ventures, has awarded seed grants to four startups this fall. After 12 funding cycles, the growing portfolio is now composed of 45 ventures, which are either led by Columbia University students, alumni, faculty, or researchers, or are advised by Columbia University faculty or researchers.
The most recent funding cycle represents three Columbia University schools, adding to the portfolio whose founding teams represent over 10 schools across Columbia University. Upon selection, these entrepreneurs gain funding and access to a wide variety of connections and resources available through the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise at Columbia Business School.
The following awardees were selected after their participation in an application screening round, a due diligence process with student teams from the Columbia Business School course Investing in Social Ventures, and a final pitch to the fund’s investment board:
Spring 2021
Brava, co-founded by Ifi Akpandak, ’13CC, and Bharat Anadure, is a for-profit venture providing digital gift card subscriptions to individuals and corporations to support black-owned restaurants and businesses in their community.
Options MD, founded by Morgan Hewett, ’15CC, and Kyle Pierce, is a for-profit medical technology venture using AI to match clients with treatment resistant health conditions to effective medications and improve adherence to treatment plans.
Strong Children Wellness, founded by Omolara Thomas Uwemedimo, ’11PH; Suzette Brown; and Nicole Brown, is a for-profit venture integrating advanced pediatric primary care in community-based organizations to bring comprehensive physical health, mental health, and social services for psychosocially complex children and families in underserved communities.
Teratonix, co-founded by Johnny Huang, ’08BUS, and Yi Luo, is a for-profit energy venture developing ambient energy harvesting technology that aims to replace batteries in IoT devices to reduce the cost, waste, and emissions of these systems.
For more information about the social ventures and their founders, click here.
Find out about the Tamer Fund for Social Ventures and the online application here.
Annual Application Deadlines: August 15 and March 1
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About the Tamer Fund for Social Ventures
Established in 2015, the Tamer Fund for Social Ventures provides seed grants of up to $25,000 to early-stage nonprofit, for-profit, and hybrid social and environmental ventures. In addition to funding, the ventures gain access to a wide variety of resources and connections available through the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise. The Tamer Fund for Social Ventures was made possible by a generous donation by Tony and Sandra Tamer.
Press Releases
Four New Social Ventures Receive Seed Funding from Columbia’s Tamer Fund for Social Ventures
Four new Tamer Fund for Social Venture awardees were selected after their participation in an application screening round, a due diligence process with student teams from a Columbia Business School course, and a final pitch to the fund’s investment board.