Students

The Mack Institute connects students with a global network — from corporate leaders to scholars conducting cutting-edge research.

Here, students can develop real-world skills, work with leading faculty, and make important corporate connections. The resources of the Wharton School, the University of Pennsylvania, and our corporate partners combine to provide unmatched learning opportunities for students with an interest in innovation management. Start exploring below!
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Y-Prize Competition

The Y-Prize Competition is an annual contest in which Penn students team up to create business plans using technology invented at Penn. The team with the best commercial application wins $10,000 to help make their idea a reality.

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Student Research Opportunities

We offer research assistantships for students interested in innovation management, as well as funding for PhD students. RA opportunities are advertised as they become available; PhD research funding follows the Research Common App schedule.

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Experiential Learning

The Collaborative Innovation Program (CIP) is a unique experiential learning program that brings Wharton graduate students into real companies to solve innovation challenges. It is a for-credit course that is offered each semester.

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Club/Event Sponsorship

We provide funding and support to a number of student clubs and special events (such as conferences or hackathons) at Wharton. See our current list of supported clubs and initiatives here.

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MIDAS/WINDS

The Mack Innovation Doctoral Association (MIDAS) is a student-run, cross-departmental organization of Wharton PhD students interested in research topics related to innovation. Each year, it organizes a seminar series and the Wharton Innovation Doctoral Symposium (WINDS), a multi-disciplinary doctoral conference.

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