Penn students are invited to pitch their boldest sustainability ideas in a live, “Shark Tank”-style competition for a chance to raise visibility of your project and receive mentorship towards a Green Fund application. The Green Fund provides funding to seed innovative projects that improve Penn’s environmental performance and advance the University’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan – CSAP 4.0.

Finalists will present their ideas on stage before a panel of expert judges and a live audience. The winning pitch will receive mentorship to develop a full Green Fund proposal. An additional “Audience Choice” prize will recognize creativity and engagement.

This event embodies the spirit of Penn’s campus as a living laboratory, where students integrate academic inquiry with hands-on, practical experimentation to create real-world sustainability solutions that can be tested and implemented right here at Penn.

The judges’ panel will be comprised of faculty and staff from: 

• School of Engineering and Applied Science
• Weitzman School of Design
• Penn Sustainability Office

Ideas must be: 

• Aligned with the goals of Penn’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 4.0
• Designed with a budget of approximately $10,000
• Feasible for implementation on Penn’s campus

Join us to celebrate student innovation, sustainability leadership, and the power of ideas to transform Penn’s future.

Can’t take part, but have a great idea? Don’t hesitate to share it with us!

If you have a project idea but do not qualify as a Penn student (for example, if you are a Penn staff member or faculty), or if you prefer not to participate in the pitch, we encourage you to visit the Green Fund. There, you can find information on how to submit your project directly to the Green Fund.