Iovine and Young Academy's Innovation Quest

Welcome to the 2024-2025 Iovine and Young Academy's Innovation Quest!

The Academy's Innovation Quest offers a series of dynamic experiences that aim to accelerate, cultivate, and support qualified student-led ventures at the intersection of business, technology, and creative practice. This yearlong immersive journey of programming is designed to empower founders, foster innovation, and create a lasting impact within the Academy and Trojan community, serving as a catalyst for innovation and visions realized. Embracing the Academy's intersectional challenge-based reflective learning principles, the Innovation Quest takes learning and entrepreneurial growth from the classroom to the boardroom and beyond and into the hands of creators, as students construct and refine their founder toolkits and nurture skills to address challenges at scale. 

The Innovation Quest is co-led by Business of Innovation faculty Tina Sharkey, Chris Swain, JM Arnoult. Join us! Be a part of the Trojan founder community and ignite your impactful journey.

For 2024, the Academy is thrilled to introduce the Gen AI and Society track, developed in collaboration with USC's Viterbi School of Engineering, the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, and the Rossier School of Education. This track is dedicated to fostering groundbreaking ideas at the intersection of AI technology and societal impact.

The IYA Venture Showcase hosted by IYA, spotlights emerging ideas from the next generation of purpose-driven innovators and entrepreneurs at the Academy. Our dynamic program focuses on cultivating innovation at the potent intersection of technology, design, business, culture and community, giving student and alumni companies the opportunity to present their products, services, and technologies to industry investors and leaders for funding and a lightning round of feedback.

IYA Venture Showcase 2024

When: Applications due by November 9, 2024

The Innovation Quest continues with Ignite Grants. We award acceleration grants for select teams that align with specific team application guidelines, fueling the development of their Minimum Viable Products (MVPs). 2024 introduces dedicated Ignite Grants awarded to Gen AI and Society founders, alongside our existing Social Impact and Innovation tracks.

In addition to the grant, grantees are assigned an industry mentor who will provide beneficial insight and direction. 

Application submissions required, please apply HERE. 

Gen AI and Society Hackathon at the Academy

Challenge yourself in our Gen AI and Society Hackathon, where creativity meets AI technology in a spirited competition.

Application submissions required. In advance of the application launch, interested participants can email iyaiq@usc.edu [subject line: Hackathon] to learn more. 

IQ Industry Convening for Gen AI & Society

Network with industry leaders at our on-campus Gen AI & Society Industry Summit. The Academy, together with USC Viterbi School of Engineering, the USC Annenberg School of Communication, and the USC Rossier School of Education, proudly presents an industry conference focused on the technological innovations and economic impacts of AI. This event is set to explore the transformative potential of Gen AI across diverse sectors.

Application submissions required. In advance of the application launch, interested participants can email iyaiq@usc.edu [subject line: Industry Convening] to learn more. 

The Venture Showcase concludes the yearlong Innovation Quest – a culminating event spotlighting emerging ideas from the next generation of purpose-driven innovators and entrepreneurs at the Academy. This event is the capstone to our year-long journey of creativity, entrepreneurship, innovation, and founder community building at the Academy. 

Participating companies pitch their startups to gain valuable exposure and constructive feedback. They also have the chance to secure prizes for Social Impact, Innovation, and Gen AI and Society ventures to accelerate their startups. A select set of Alumni Ventures come back to showcase their startups at the Academy as well.

Get a taste of April 2024’s event and learn more about the 2024 Social Impact and Innovation prize winners HERE and check out 2024's list of participating companies.

“Now is the time to look at the youth as leaders of tomorrow, and give them the agency and support that they need. Academy students are unique in that they create the lane, they don’t join a lane,” Jason Mayden, Distinguished visiting lecturer in Product Innovation, Iovine and Young Academy

“Come to our garage to see the purpose-driven innovation and incubation happening at the Academy. We are in a league of our own. Fight on, Founders!” Tina Sharkey, Lecturer, Business of Innovation at the Academy, and Innovation Quest director

Read up on the recap of the 2024 Founders Bootcamp

The Innovation Quest kicks off with the Academy's Founders Bootcamp. This immersive one-day bootcamp experience is held both on-campus and virtually via Zoom for remote participants. 

Explore the power of a founder community, gain insights from industry thought leaders, and establish meaningful connections with like-minded peers and founding teams. Equip yourself with tools to build and enhance your founder toolkit and reach.

The inaugural IYA Founders Bootcamp commenced, setting into motion a year-long IYA Innovation Quest – a series of dynamic experiences that strive to cultivate and support qualified student-led ventures at the intersection of business, technology, and creative practice.

Innovation Quest

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