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Innovation at SLU

Students are shown from above as they mill about informational tables.
 

Here at Saint Louis University, we seek to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in all that we do.

A wide array of innovative activities that are of interest to prospective or current students, alumni, faculty, and members of the St. Louis community occur every day at SLU. Follow the links below to access the Saint Louis University Innovation Ecosystem.

Innovation Ecosystem

At SLU, we firmly believe that everyone can be involved in innovation. SLU strives to encourage students, staff, and faculty to continue increasing their connections within SLU and in the Saint Louis community as a whole. We hope that this ecosystem continues to evolve and grow.

See the SLU Innovation Ecosystem (PDF)

Get Started

Find Space

At SLU

  • SLU Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship
    Saint Louis University’s Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship aims to help entrepreneurs combine their business passion with the planning skills taught in a world-class institution to produce high-performing organizations.
  • Paul C. Reinert, S.J. Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning
    The Paul C. Reinert, S.J. Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning is a comprehensive teaching center serving faculty, graduate students and other educators at Saint Louis University.
  • SLU Teaching Garden
    The SLU Teaching Garden is open to SLU community members to rent plots.
  • Fresh Gatherings
    Students who work at Fresh Gatherings receive the opportunity to gain professional experience in the culinary field.

Around SLU

  • Arch Reactor
    Arch Reactor is a communal workshop for members to share tools and work on projects.
  • CIC
    CIC helps entrepreneurs by setting up and managing their offices for them so they can focus on their business.
  • Claim
    Claim is a coworking space created for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs.
  • Cortex Innovation Community
    The Cortex Innovation Community is home to a 200-acre innovation hub and technology district integrated into St. Louis’ historic Central West End and Forest Park Southeast residential neighborhoods.
  • HIVE44
    The HIVE44 Coworking Business Center is a collaborative work and meeting space designed for business professionals.
  • Industriousstrong>
    Industrious is a coworking community in the heart of downtown St. Louis.
  • Nebula
    Located in the heart of the Cherokee Street creative district, Nebula opened in 2010 as the first coworking space in St. Louis.
  • OPO Startups
    OPO Startups is a place for entrepreneurs to connect, work and collaborate.
  • RISE Collaborative Workspace
    RISE Collaborative Workspace is a female-focused coworking space located in the Ladue-Clayton corridor of St. Louis.
  • STL Venture Works
    STL Venture Works is a startup support network with five area locations.
  • TechArtista
    TechArtista offers professional spaces along with convenient amenities to grow communities and launch businesses.
  • T-REX
    T-REX is a coworking space and technology incubator located in downtown St. Louis.
Fund Your Idea

At SLU

  • Billiken Angels Network
    The primary goal of the Billiken Angels Network is to make a difference through education and advice to current and future businesses in the region.
  • President’s Research Fund
    The President’s Research Fund supports promising projects with strong potential to attract external funding.
  • Research
    To support faculty research, the Office of the Vice President for Research will make available small grants of up to $1,000 to support faculty who wish to convene possible collaborators outside of his or her primary disciplinary area.
  • Reinert Center Mini-Grants
    The purpose of the Try It! Summer Mini-Grants is to spur thoughtful and engaged experimentation with one new pedagogical strategy or tool.

Around SLU

  • Ascension Ventures
    Ascension Ventures is a strategic health care venture fund with over $800 million in capital under management.
  • Coleman Foundation
    The Coleman Foundation is a private, independent grantmaking foundation established in Illinois in 1951.
  • Cultivation Capital
    Cultivation Capital invests in young companies whose ideas have the potential to transform the way we live and work.
  • Federal Agencies
    Various federal agencies provide grants to individuals and groups.
  • Helix Center Biotech Incubator
    Helix Center Biotech Incubator is owned and operated by St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, which over the past 20 years, has helped launch many successful businesses.
  • iSelect
    iSelect works with accredited investors to assemble a diversified portfolio of the Midwest’s most promising emerging growth companies through their own financial advisers.
  • Justine Petersen
    Justine Petersen is a financial planning business located in St. Louis.
  • The Lewis and Clark Fund
    The Lewis and Clark Fund encourages exploratory field studies to collect specimens and data and provide the imaginative stimulus accompanying direct observation. Doctoral students are eligible to receive these grants.
  • The Missouri Technology Corporation
    The Missouri Technology Corporation funds several programs across Missouri that support the growth of innovative businesses.
  • Prolog Ventures
    Prolog Ventures is a Missouri-based venture capital firm investing in life sciences companies.
  • Regional Arts Commission
    The Regional Arts Commission promotes, encourages and fosters the growth of the arts in St. Louis.
  • Regional Growth Capital
    Regional Growth Capital facilitates business growth through unique financing.
  • RiverVest Venture Partners
    RiverVest Venture Partners is a venture capital firm focused on identifying and shaping early-stage life science companies to create significant shareholder value.
  • St. Louis Arch Angels
    St. Louis Arch Angels is a select group of accredited investors with diverse expertise and experience seeking to fund and support high-potential startup ventures drawn from the St. Louis startup ecosystem.
Pursue Your Idea

At SLU

  • Blue Diamond Accelerator
    SLU’s Blue Diamond Accelerator provides training, mentoring and support to three non-graduating undergraduate and graduate students per semester who have an idea or existing business.
  • Habitat for Neighborhood Business
    Organized in 2006 in partnership with the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business, Habitat for Neighborhood Business is a volunteer 501(c)3 organization that develops retail and service business centers in economically distressed neighborhoods.
  • MedLaunch (now SLULaunch)
    The mission of MedLaunch (now SLULaunch) is to improve the standard of health care through the engineering and design of creative solutions while also fostering a community of entrepreneurship and collaboration at Saint Louis University.
  • Pitch and Catch Competition
    This competition includes an opportunity for the top 10 submitters to pitch their idea to a panel of judges that include multi-million dollar investors.
  • Pure Idea Generator Challenge
    The Pure Idea Generator Challenge is a competition where finalists can pitch their solutions to some of the biggest names in the St. Louis entrepreneurship ecosystem.
  • Real Elevator Pitch Competition
    This competition is looking for pitches in two tracks: for-profit ideas and not-for-profit ideas. Each track’s first-place prize is cash and a trip to South by Southwest (SXSW). Pitches are given in elevators.
  • Reinert Center Innovative Teaching Fellowship
    Each semester, the Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning awards Innovative Teaching Fellowships to faculty selected to teach in Saint Louis University's Learning Studio through a competitive application process.
  • SLU Law Legal Clinics
    Saint Louis University School of Law Legal Clinics provide legal services to the greater St. Louis community while providing a robust learning environment for our students. Legal Strategy for Startups is a six-week educational course created for Arch Grants recipients, designed to cover the life cycle of an average startup company. The legal clinics provide legal services to the greater St. Louis community, while providing a robust learning environment for our students.
  • Social Launch
    Social Launch is a brand-new social entrepreneurship program that helps SLU students create for-profit businesses that also create positive social change.
  • Teen Escalator Pitch Competition
    Finalists present their best 30-second pitch one-on-one to judges while riding up and down a series of escalators.
  • Teen Idea Dash Competition
    The top 20 finalists have the opportunity to race through the City Museum on an idea-generating scavenger hunt, crafting as many ideas as possible for challenges posed by local entrepreneurs before time is up.
  • The Tinker Lab
    The Tinker Lab is a learning, hands-on environment that welcomes all Parks College students and faculty.

Around SLU

  • Accelerate St. Louis Challenge
    The Accelerate St. Louis Challenge is a challenge for the best local startups.
  • Arch Grants
    Arch Grants is a nonprofit organization that accelerates economic development by providing $50,000 in equity-free grants and pro bono support services to entrepreneurs who locate their early-stage businesses in St. Louis.
  • BALSA Officers
    BALSA Officers are passionate about supporting the business needs of diverse clients while creating learning opportunities for BALSA members.
  • Bio Generator
    Bio Generator creates, grows and funds innovative companies and talented entrepreneurs in the St. Louis region.
  • BioSTL
    BioSTL fosters collaborative efforts and builds regional infrastructure to achieve St. Louis’ potential in biosciences.
  • Capital Innovators
    Capital Innovators provides innovation consulting, entrepreneurial programs, and acts as a liaison between corporations, universities and startups.
  • CET
    CET provides the infrastructure and resources needed for early-stage, high-growth companies in the fields of information technology, bioscience and manufactured products.
  • Gateway VMS
    Gateway VMS provides pro bono support services and resources to entrepreneurs to help encourage and foster successful business growth in the St. Louis region.
  • GlobalHack
    GlobalHack is building a better tech ecosystem through software competitions.
  • ITEN
    ITEN is a catalyst for tech startups in St. Louis.
  • JFACE
    JFACE is part of PresenTense’s global movement of Jewish accelerators that inspire and equip passionate community members to utilize design-thinking and social entrepreneurs to make an impact.
  • Mission Center L3C
    The Mission Center L3C has incubated and accelerated high-impact social enterprises since launching in 2010.
  • MVF
    MVF serves entrepreneurs through peer networking, topical education and access to capital resources.
  • Pipeline
    Pipeline is a fellowship of high-performing entrepreneurs.
  • Prosper Women Entrepreneurs Startup Accelerator
    The Prosper Women Entrepreneurs Startup Accelerator is a for-profit organization focused on increasing women entrepreneurs' access to growth capital and the number of women investing in early-stage capital markets.
  • Saint Louis Fashion Incubator
    Saint Louis Fashion Incubator (SLFI) is a two-year, intensive program offering emerging designers tools and guidance to take their businesses to the next level.
  • SEIC
    The SEIC is open to all, including Washington University current students, postdocs and recent graduates, and community entrepreneurs.
  • SixThirty
    SixThirty provides FinTech startups with up to $100,000 in funding, focused mentorship, and connections to the top financial services companies in the country.
  • Sling Health
    Sling Health (formerly IDEA Labs) is a student-run biotechnology incubator that provides resources, training and mentorship to teams of students (medical, engineering, business, etc) tackling clinical problems by developing innovative solutions.
  • SQ1 Ignite
    SQ1 Ignite is a four-week program created to help founders quick-start their business model validation process.
  • Stadia Ventures
    Stadia Ventures is a Sports Innovation Hub for entrepreneurs, industry partners and investors.
  • TechShop
    TechShop is a community-based workshop and prototyping studio near SLU, packed with cutting-edge tools and equipment.
  • Yield Lab
    Yield Lab provides new AgTech companies with $100,000 in funding, mentors and connections supported by an agriculturally solid framework in St. Louis.
Find Learning Opportunities

At SLU

  • Academic Programs
    Learn more about SLU's colleges, schools, centers and academic programs.
  • The Coleman Fellows
    The Coleman Fellows are faculty from across the campus at Saint Louis University who infuse their courses and academic programs with entrepreneurship training and education for their students.
  • The Paul C. Reinert, S.J. Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning
    The Paul C. Reinert, S.J. Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning is a comprehensive teaching center serving faculty, graduate students and other educators at Saint Louis University.
Protect Your Idea

At SLU

  • SLU Law Legal Clinics
    Saint Louis University School of Law Legal Clinics provide legal services to the greater St. Louis community.
Invest

At SLU

  • Billiken Angels Network
    The primary goal of the Billiken Angels Network is to make a difference through education and advice to current and future businesses in the region.
Find a Mentor

At SLU

  • Blue Diamond Accelerator
    SLU’s Blue Diamond Accelerator provides training, mentoring and support to three non-graduating undergraduate and graduate students per semester who have an idea or existing business.
  • Coleman Fellows
    The Coleman Fellows are faculty from across the campus at Saint Louis University who infuse their courses and academic programs with entrepreneurship training and education for their students.
  • Entrepreneurial Alumni Hall of Fame
    The Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship at the Chaifetz School of Business Smurfit-Stone Entrepreneurial Alumni Hall of Fame exists to recognize and celebrate graduates of Saint Louis University who have contributed to our society and economy through entrepreneurial leadership in corporate and independent ventures, as well as in public, civic and social organizations.
  • Entrepreneur Mentor in Residence
    Mentor-In-Residence is a special form of entrepreneur-in-residence program that focuses on providing an outstanding and widely experienced mentor to provide free help to students, faculty and staff on campus, as well as SLU alums who could use a knowledgeable and sympathetic expert with whom they can discuss business.
Find Collaborators

At SLU

  • The Coleman Fellows
    The Coleman Fellows are faculty from across the campus at Saint Louis University who infuse their courses and academic programs with entrepreneurship training and education for their students.
  • MedLaunch (now SLULaunch)
    The mission of MedLaunch (now SLULaunch) is to improve the standard of health care through the engineering and design of creative solutions while also fostering a community of entrepreneurship and collaboration at Saint Louis University.
Other Resources

At SLU

  • Allsup Academy
    The Allsup Academy is a week-long immersive summer program at Saint Louis University’s Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business.
  • Angels in the Outfield
    All high school students are invited to enter by submitting a video of their investor pitch.
  • Billicon Valley
    Billicon Valley introduces the concept of entrepreneurial leadership to students — whether from local high schools or one of the colleges and universities in St. Louis — by bringing together the most entrepreneurial leaders at SLU and in the greater St. Louis community.
  • Institute for Private Business
    The Institute for Private Business (IPB) is led by a Steering Committee of private business owners, entrepreneurs and community leaders who dedicate their time and talent to advancing private businesses in the Greater St. Louis region and beyond.
  • TrepStart Day
    TrepStart Day is a one-day, Independent Youth event where teens learn, lunch and launch into entrepreneurial thinking by interacting with successful teen entrepreneurs from around the U.S.
  • Monthly Innovation Challenge
    Every last Wednesday of the month, Saint Louis University students have a chance to compete in the Monthly Innovation Challenge in the Rotunda at Parks College. Students must form teams of three from different majors/disciplines.

Around SLU

  • BizCamps
    BizCamps are intensive, one or two-week day camps for students ages 13-18 interested in entrepreneurship.
  • CEO2CEO Digital Transformation Summit
    The CEO2CEO Digital Transformation Summit is your chance to meet with peer CEOs and industry experts to hone your digital strategy based on what’s working for other companies.
  • Independent Youth
    Independent Youth has one goal: to empower today’s youth to become tomorrow’s business leaders and entrepreneurial innovators.
  • Innovation By Design Summit
    The Innovation By Design Summit aspires to be nothing short of a transformative experience that fuels corporate innovation.
  • 1 Million Cups
    1 Million Cups is an event for local entrepreneurs to meet and present their startups to the innovation community in St. Louis.
  • ProductCamp St. Louis
    ProductCamp St. Louis is the premier event for anyone who builds, designs, markets or manages a product or service.
  • Startup Connection
    Startup Connection gives St. Louis’ top startups the opportunity to present their companies to a packed house of entrepreneurs, investors and other members of the innovation community.
  • Startup Weekend
    Startup Weekend is a global network of passionate leaders and entrepreneurs on a mission to inspire, educate and empower individuals, teams and communities.
  • Student Startup Madness
    Student Startup Madness is a nationwide tournament-style competition for college student digital media startups, culminating with national finals at South By Southwest (SXSW) Interactive in March.
  • Urban League
    The Urban League School-to-Business partnership program is an extended classroom instruction capability that allows in-school youth to make the connection between education and careers.
  • Venture Café
    Venture Café aims to connect innovators to make things happen through programming, space, storytelling and broad innovation engagement.
  • Vision 2016
    Vision 2016 is a regional symposium to build a wholly-inclusive, diverse innovation community.