Thorne Prize for Social Innovation in Health or Education

The Thorne Prize for Social Innovation in Health or Education is a $25,000 cash prize awarded to the best student-led venture focused on social innovation in health or education for underserved communities in the United States or low-resource countries.

The Thorne Prize was created in 2014 with generous support from the Thorne family. The gift is managed by InnovateHealth Yale based at the Yale School of Public Health.

The Thorne Prize is awarded by InnovateHealth Yale at Startup Yale. The Startup Yale competition provides participants with constructive feedback from experienced professionals, mentorship from relevant experts, and chances to meet venture capital investors and industry leaders.

Judges will evaluate applications based on the following criteria:

• Innovation: The idea is truly innovative. It presents a new model, product or service that fills a unique gap and/or applies an existing model to a new context.
• Team: The team has the knowledge, skills, passion, energy and ability to execute.
• Opportunity: The problem the venture/organization/idea seeks to address is clearly defined, and there is evidence that there is a target population who considers it important.
• Viability: The team has developed a clear solution to the problem, has a realistic path for getting the solution to the end user, and can continue to deliver the solution in a way that is financially and operationally sustainable. In short, the idea seems like it could work.
• Catalytic-ness: The prize will be meaningful in driving the team/project forward in ways that may otherwise not have been possible as quickly or at all.
• Impact: The venture contributes to the creation of innovative solutions to challenges in health and education for underserved communities in the United States or low-resource countries.

Timeline

Applications are now closed and will re-open in late fall of 2024. Please visit the Startup Yale website to apply.

Past Recipients

Over the years, the Thorne Prize has supported many social innovations committed to health and educational equity. Learn more about the past recipients here.

To learn more please review the FAQ below and Schedule office hours with Fatema Basrai, Managing Director.