Q: What is the ANVC?
A: The Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC) was an accelerator program offered by the Polsky Center from 2018-2024. It was designed to support University of Chicago alumni from around the world who were launching early-stage ventures. The program included several months of coaching and pitch practice and concluded with a finals event, where top teams competed for investment from the University of Chicago.
Q: How successful was the program and the participating teams?
A: The ANVC is proud to have produced over 98 still-active ventures that have raised over $33 million in funding and garnered over $110 million in valuations.
Q: Will the ANVC be brought back as a program in the future?
A: We do not plan to continue to offer the ANVC. However, we are currently evaluating several partnerships through the University of Chicago’s global campuses, and we hope to announce new opportunities for our global entrepreneurial alumni base in the near future.
Q: Are there other alumni offerings available at the Polsky Center?
A: Yes! There are many Polsky programs and resources available to alums. Please click here to access our alumni resources document.
Q: Does this mean the ANVC wasn’t a good program?
A: Absolutely not. The program received positive evaluations from participants, and the companies have gone on to early success. In fact, the success of the ANVC has motivated us to evaluate our full suite of alumni offerings and consider how we are engaging alumni on a global scale.
Q: If I have questions about alumni programming offered at the Polsky Center, who can I contact?
A: You can contact Dr. Amber Bradley Williams at amber.bradley@chicagobooth.edu.