Funding Group Supports Awesome Ideas

Written by Innovate New Albany@InnovateNA12 years ago

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A loose configuration of autonomous groups across the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia are chapters of the Awesome Foundation for the Arts and Sciences, essentially a venture capitalist operation to “’forwarded the interest of awesomeness in the universe.”

The ingenious idea is the brainchild of a recent Harvard graduate, Tim Hwang who says the concept started off as a joke, but has taken on a life of its own. Like the popular online crowdfunding site Kickstarter, Awesome chapters are made up of volunteers who pledge $100 a month for an Awesome Fellowship. Grant of $1,000 each are awarded monthly.

To date, the program has funded 190 projects. Among the awesome ideas that have become reality are a cannon that shoots cotton candy, an opera written, directed, and performed by grade-school children and a public hammock that can hold 15 people.

Have an awesome idea you want to pitch?

Innovate New Albany, the city’s incubator for technology startups, entrepreneurs and small businesses, features 16,000 square feet of space within the New Albany Business Park’s Signature Office Building, 8000 Walton Parkway.