The League

What is The League?

Technically, it is an advanced entrepreneurship class. Functionally it is an accelerator for extraordinary WashU student entrepreneurs with a business idea.

What does it take to get accepted into the class?

Attend WashU as a student in any capacity. Have an idea/team that is ready to launch and scale. Or have a desire to join a student team that does. And, be approved by our selection committee. 

Why is it nicknamed The League (of Extraordinary Entrepreneurs)?

Because it’s an opportunity to work with some of WashU’s most successful alumni and friends. It’s your opportunity to join their league.

In the past, we featured Jim McKelvey (Square), Andrew Rubin (Illumio), Jesse Pujji (Gateway X), David Eckstein (Menlo Security), Lori Coulter (Summersalt), JD Ross (Opendoor & Royal.io), Lee Fixel (Addition), Deborah Barta (BlockFI), Marc Bernstein (Balto), Chuck Cohn (Nerdy), Luke Saunders (Farmer’s Fridge), Amie Patel (Elevar Equity), Maxine Clark (Build-A-Bear), and Eliana Eskinazi (Wagr).

How do I apply? When will I be accepted?

• The Founder Application is currently open. Apply Here! It is a rolling deadline, so we suggest you apply early.
• Apply here as a teammate. Once you apply, the founder will reach out to schedule an interview. If you’re a student eager to join a team, apply early and prioritize your team preferences. It’s on a first-come, first-served basis, so don’t delay—secure your spot on a team.
• 3/28/2023 at 5:30 PM – Founders and potential class teammates are welcome to join IdeaBounce® at Skandalaris. It’s an opportunity to connect with teams eligible for the League and to find teammates.

If you have any questions or want to let us know you plan on applying, reach out to rianedwards@wustl.edu

How do the teams work?

You can apply with your own team. You can also apply to join a team. Accepted teams can look through the LinkedIn profiles of those who applied individually to consider inviting them to join your team. Long story short, you’ll form your own teams before the class officially starts.

How does the class work?

It meets weekly on Tuesdays from 4-6 PM. Each week one of our successful alumni will drop by to impart wisdom on a certain topic helpful to launching and scaling your company. Over the course of the semester, each student team will set goals for themselves specific to their company.  At the end, you’ll have met your goals and be ready for launching or investment.

What resources are available to me once I’m accepted?

In partnership with the Skandalaris Center, you’ll have 24/7 access to the co-working space and the Center’s full resources. WashU also has partnerships with hosting companies such as AWS and Azure. Not to mention access to our database of mentors, advisors, industry experts, potential customers, and investors. We’ll help you apply for $1,000 from the Holekamp Seed Fund, for a $75,000 Arch Grant, and for acceptance to other accelerators. We also have a $30,000 pool of money each semester the teams can apply to use toward their startup ideas.

How is this class different from Introduction to Entrepreneurship or The Hatchery?

All of Olin’s entrepreneurship classes are fantastic. Introduction to Entrepreneurship is about discovering if an entrepreneurial career is right for you. The Hatchery is about learning what it takes to develop a competitive business pitch/plan. And this class is about actually launching and scaling a company. See course listing for prerequisites.

Who is Professor II Luscri?

II is the University’s Assistant Vice Provost for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Managing Director of the Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He is also a Professor of Practice in Entrepreneurship in the Olin Business School and teaches classes in multiple programs across the University. Over 15 years of work in higher education entrepreneurship, II has supported hundreds of student, alumni, and faculty founders launch their startups. He works in partnership with Rian Edwards — Olin’s Entrepreneurship Program Manager — who is a great resource for connecting students to industry experts and potential customers based on your business idea.

Previous Teams have included :

Achord – A platform for matching music students to music teachers based on factors to foster genuine connection.

Benchmark – Benchmark Learning is a high-quality, low-cost online tutoring provider for K-12 students currently specializing in math, English, science and coding tutoring. 

Booster – Allows artists to boost their social media presence by sharing streaming revenue with those who help them grow.

ChiChi – Oatmeal made from Veggies. The Banza/RightRice of Oatmeal

Caralyst Health – An AI powered physician recommendation engine and matching platform that helps patients find doctors, and also provides physicians and insurance companies with granular analytics and feedback.

Gems – An AI-driven publishing company that focuses on children’s media.

Lightwave’s SlimFast – A line of USB-C PD standard chargers for laptops that will provide a more convenient travel experience for consumers through manufacturing chargers that are as slim as cell phones.

Lyfe Health – Lyfe Health is a cloud-based, A.I.-powered, universal-health-record platform where users can keep track of their health by aggregating all their health info into one, easy-to-use central location. 

Magnifi – A recruiting platform to help companies hire non-traditional talent. We use AI to translate job-seekers experience into structured skill blocks, and then match them to open jobs.

MBA Notion – A high-quality, affordable MBA admission consulting service currently targeting Indian applicants to navigate the application process to help with resumes, brainstorming, essay, storytelling, networking, letters of recommendation, and interviews

Mend – A platform that supports the circular fashion economy through connecting individuals with clothing repair and redesign needs to local seamstresses and designers.

MiDoc –  An at-home medical device that allows physicians to remotely conduct lung and heart physical exams, revolutionizing the patient-provider telehealth experience and improving healthcare access, affordability, convenience, and quality.

Mozi – social media 2.0 that connects students for in-person activities

Momint: Momint is a play-to-earn fantasy esports game; think NBA Topshot meets Fantasy Football, but for esports players. 

Pool – A mobile dating app that reinvents online dating as a social activity for singles to get help from their friends

SecondHome: SecondHome is a service that makes the business of operating a home daycare simpler while also increasing access to quality and affordable childcare. 

Sobriety Hub – A software application for sober living homes. Sobriety Hub enables Sober Living owners to make data-driven decisions to 1) serve their residents more effectively and 2) run their businesses more efficiently.

Speak IT – Speak IT is like Siri for doctors: Our software increases efficiency of clinical workflow by enabling one’s voice to automate clicks in the electronic medical record. 

StockSwap – StockSwap is a social finance and gaming platform that combines the ability to share trades and thoughts about the market with daily fantasy for the stock market. 

Tylmen Tech –  Tylmen, the size-verification platform, is on a mission to help customers shop for clothes online with confidence by utilizing sizing technology to show users exactly what clothes and brands fit them best. 

Utter –  Utter is a Twitter trivia guessing game that is bring the viral moments online into the real world. #gamenightjustgotpersonal 

XChanger – Makes investing as simple as Swipe, Watch, and Play! We are building an all-inclusive financial community where our AI Algorithm personally recommends stocks for you to share and use in our brand-new investing tournaments!

Yitzy – A platform that helps friends connect more deeply online by sharing mood logs and prompted journal entries