Using the sun to power oxygen delivery in Africa, developing AI to mitigate risks on construction sites, and curing chronic inflammatory diseases with novel small molecules are a few many winning ideas from the 2026 Harvard President’s Innovation Challenge.
“I love this event,” said President Alan Garber. “Turning an idea into a pitch, a pitch into a contender, a contender into a finalist, and a finalist into a prize winner. The excitement is palpable. Congratulations to all of you. Your curiosity and drive moved you to action, and we are eager to see where your ambition leads.”
The President’s Innovation Challenge is Harvard University’s flagship venture competition for students across Harvard’s 13 Schools as well as select alumni and affiliates. In the weeks leading up to the May 6 awards ceremony, finalists presented their ventures to a panel of judges who selected the winners in advance. During the ceremony in Klarman Hall, founders showcased their work to a global audience of in-person and virtual attendees. Winners received a share of more than $500,000 in non-dilutive funding, made possible by a generous gift from the Bertarelli Foundation, co-founded by Ernesto Bertarelli, M.B.A. ’93.
