Hult Prize inspires student entrepreneurs to solve the world’s biggest challenges through innovative social enterprises with positive global impact. Through our year-long competition and since its inception, over 1 million young people from 120+ countries have participated in our programs, working to create high-impact startups that address the annual challenge in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Finalists pitch their businesses to a panel of expert judges, and the winning team receives $1M USD in funding to make their idea a reality.
Changing the world through social enterprise.
The world faces many pressing problems that are going to take true innovation to solve. We believe that fresh ideas from students with a real stake in the future have the power to take us to undreamed new places.
Inspire student entrepreneurs to solve the world’s biggest challenges through innovative social enterprise with positive global impact.
Annually host the world’s largest student competition for game-changing business ideas. Challenge young entrepreneurs worldwide to solve a pressing social issue. Invite the most promising startups to pitch their businesses to a panel of expert judges. Award the winning team $1M USD in funding to make their big idea a reality.
The Hult Prize has engaged millions worldwide. Each year, about 100,000 students in 120+ countries create innovative social startups. We help them to imagine, test, and refine their ideas, and ultimately, bring them to life. Many of our alumni have launched high-impact businesses that have truly moved the needle.
Since it was launched in 2009 by a group of Hult International Business School students, the Hult Prize has engaged more than 1 million youth worldwide. Many of our alumni continue to work actively on solutions to the world's most pressing social issues.
The Hult family, founders and owners of EF Education First and benefactors of the Hult International Business School, support the prize by providing a US$1M grant to the winning team(s) at a capstone event each September.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TENoC0gFheI
We take ownership of our ideas and embrace them. This requires both book smarts—getting our facts straight - and street smarts - rolling up our sleeves. We don’t hope things will happen. We make things happen.
We must deliver a great product every time, every day. No excuses. Our products should be the best value in the market and be better than advertised. This is especially important in today’s world where everyone has access to a socially networked megaphone.
At work or at play, our passion brings out the best in us. On the job, we try to transform what is already good into something truly great. In our free time, we expand who we are as people, whether that’s by singing in a jazz band, training for a marathon, or exploring a new country. Loving what we do is a way to find balance.
We channel our superhero energy every day. We embrace challenges and rarely take no for an answer. When we find ourselves stuck, we try to keep a positive attitude. We believe there’s a creative way around almost any obstacle.
Our business is built on details. Ninety-nine percent right can still lead to failure. One wrong number can strand 40 people in the rain—what do you think they’ll remember? If we don’t know a detail, we don’t just guess. We say, “I’ll find out and get back to you.”
To be the leader we need to dream big. Innovation involves change, which isn’t always easy. It’s not just the responsibility of those who work with technology. It’s all of our responsibility to embrace new ways of working and improving what we do.
Not the same as cutting costs. It’s about spending smart. If a group’s flight is delayed three hours, buying everyone a cup of tea can save the day. Whenever we’re budgeting, we ask ourselves: “Is this nice or necessary?” We don’t often need nice things. Another good question: “Is this really an investment or is this just an expense?”.
Bertil Hult
Benefactor of Hult Prize Foundation, Founder of EF Education First
EF Education First
International education company, founded in 1965, specializes in language training, educational travel, academic degree programs, and cultural exchange.
Hult International Business School
Hult is a dynamic multicultural community that educates, inspires, and connects some of the world’s most forward-thinking business talent by flipping the traditional approach to education by using learning-by-doing experiences to transform students' skillset.