The Tamer Fund for Social Ventures, a Columbia Business School program that provides $25,000 grants to nonprofit, for-profit, and hybrid early-stage social and environmental ventures, has awarded funding to three new startups. After 22 funding cycles, almost 80 ventures led by Columbia University students, alumni, faculty or researchers, or are advised by Columbia University faculty or researchers, have received funding. Portfolio founding teams represent over 15 schools across the University.
The two ventures selected this funding cycle include one alumna from the School of Social Work and one alumnus from Columbia Engineering. Upon selection, these entrepreneurs gain funding and access to a wide variety of connections and resources available through the Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise and Climate Change 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 2026
- Every Electric, founded by Richard May, ’22SEAS PhD, and Andrew Wang helps everyday New Yorkers save money and stabilize the grid by deploying plug and play battery systems that are permit free and tenant friendly at zero upfront cost.
- HeyBodhi, founded by Neesha Nanda, ’00SW, and Samantha Gleisten is an AI-powered climate and culture operating system for school leaders and teachers designed to combat burnout by preventing isolation and supporting the emotional labor in K-12 education.