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Explore by Year

    A history of success

    Like any successful startup, the EBPC has evolved over time, but year after year, we have brought together the best and brightest education entrepreneurs. Learn more about past Winners and Finalists and explore the 11-year history of the Competition below.

     

    2022

    • $40,000 Foundations of the Milken Families Grand Prize: Words Liive
    • $25,000 Globant, Inc. Prize: HeyKiddo
    • $10,000 Cascade Communications Prize: Arbol
    • $5,000 Audience Choice Prize presented by Osage Venture Partners: Clarifi

    The finalists also received a portion of $50,000 in Amazon Web Services credits; a Padcaster video production system each; grant consulting from TurboSBIR; and, $1000 cash and an iPad bundle each from Catalyst @ Penn GSE.

    2022 Winners press release
    2022 Finalists press release
    2022 Competition press release

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    2021

    All finalists received $1,000 in cash, an all-in-one video production solution from Padcaster, and $5,000 in Amazon Web Services Promotional credits.

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    2020

    • Michael & Lori Milken Family Foundation Grand Prize ($40,000)*: Third Room
      • *Third Room also received $25,000 in Amazon Web Services credits.
    • American Public University System Prize ($25,000): CloudLabs
    • Audience Choice Prize presented by Osage Venture Partners ($5,000 ): Fulphil

    2020 Finalists
    2020 Semifinalists
    2020 Press Release

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    2019

    • Michael & Lori Milken Family Foundation Grand Prize* ($40,000): Social Cipher
      • *Social Cipher also received $25,000 in Amazon Web Services credits.
    • American Public University System Prize ($25,000): eCLOSE Institute
    • NEXT / Shulman Rogers Audience Choice Prize ($15,000): eCLOSE Institute

    2019 Finalists (each received a $1,000 cash award)
    2019 Semifinalists (each received $5,000 in Amazon Web Services credits)
    2019 Press Release

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    2018

    • Michael & Lori Milken Family Foundation Grand Prize* ($40,000): MentorPro
      • *MentorPro also received $25,000 in Amazon Web Services credits.
    • American Public University System Prize ($20,000): MentorPro
    • ChanceLight Behavioral Hearth, Therapy, & Education Prize ($20,000): ABAL Therapeutics
    • Navitas Ventures Prize ($20,000): Curio Learning
    • iTutorGroup Prize ($20,000): SignOn

    2018 Finalists (each received a $1,000 cash award + $5,000 in Amazon Web Services credits)
    2018 Press Release

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    2017

    2017—IdeaFest

    • Michael & Lori Milken Family Foundation Grand Prize ($5,000): Sidekick
    • American Public University System Prize ($2,500): Lumen Labs
    • ACT Prize ($2,500): Hunt Advisory

    2017 IdeaFest Finalists (each received a $1,000 cash award)
    2017 IdeaFest Press Release

    2017—Venture Path

    2017 Venture Path Finalists (each received a $1,000 cash award)
    2017 Venture Path Press Release

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    2016

    Venture Path

    Idea Path

    2016 Finalists
    2016 Press Release

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    2015

    Venture Path

    Idea Path

    2015 Finalists
    2015 Press Release

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    2014

    • Michael & Lori Milken Family Foundation First Prize ($25,000): Osmosis
    • Michael & Lori Milken Family Foundation Second Prize ($15,000): Totus Power
    • American Public University System Prize for Innovation in Online Education ($25,000): Osmosis
    • Educational Services of America Prize for Innovation in the Fields of Special Education and At-Risk Students ($20,000): ProfessorWord
    • K12 Online Learning Prize for Innovation in Technology for Grades K-12 ($25,000): Branching Minds
    • McGraw-Hill Education Prize for Open Educational Resources ($15,000): eduCanon
    • TSL Education Borderless Education Prize ($10,000): Totus Power
    • Halloran Philanthropies Borderless Education Social Impact Prize ($5,000): Ubongo

    2014 Finalists
    2014 Press Release

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    2013

    • Michael & Lori Milken Family Foundation First Prize ($25,000): Raise
    • Michael & Lori Milken Family Foundation Second Prize ($15,000): Persistence Plus
    • American Public University System Prize for Innovation in Online Education ($25,000): Persistence Plus
    • Educational Services of America Prize for Innovation in the Fields of Special Education and At-Risk Students ($20,000): Autism Expressed
    • Erudient Education Prize for Innovation in Borderless Education ($10,000): BiblioNasium
    • K12 Prize for Online Learning in Grades K-12 ($25,000): Raise
    • Startl Prize for Open Educational Resources ($25,000): Raise

    2013 Finalists
    2013 Press Release

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    2012

    • Michael & Lori Milken Family Foundation First Prize ($25,000): M-Prep Inc.
    • Michael & Lori Milken Family Foundation Second Prize ($15,000): Mindblown Labs
    • American Public University System Prize for Innovation in Online Education ($25,000): Citelighter
    • Educational Services of America Prize for Innovation in the Fields of Special Education and At-Risk Students ($20,000): FuelEd
    • Erudient Education Prize for Innovation in Borderless Education ($10,000): EyalGPS
    • Startl Prize for Open Educational Resources ($25,000): Citelighter

    2012 Finalists
    2012 Press Release

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    2011

    The second annual Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition was held on June 9th, 2011 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Nine finalist teams presented to a panel of judges, and to seasoned educational entrepreneurs, reporters and the general public.

    • Michael & Lori Milken Family Foundation First Prize ($25,000): thecoursebook
    • Michael & Lori Milken Family Foundation Second Prize ($15,000): Intellidemia

    2011 Finalists

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    2010 

    The first ever Milken-PennGSE Education Business Plan Competition was held on June 3rd, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Six finalist teams presented their ideas to the judging panel. 

    • Michael & Lori Milken Family Foundation First Prize ($25,000): Awarded to Shaun Sims, 23, and Andrew Mills, 28, for Digital Proctor, which improves security in online education. Digital Proctor analyzes student behavior in online classrooms, identifies suspicious activity through keyboard usage and algorithms, detects financial-aid fraud, and helps to increase student-retention rates. 
    • Michael & Lori Milken Family Foundation Second Prize ($15,000): Awarded to Jen Schnidman, 26, of New Orleans for Drop the Chalk, a web-based software that allows educators to track and quantify students’ academic growth by providing an overall picture of what students already know and what they still need to learn.

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