Competition Details
Selection Process
Questions? Reach out to us at info@ivoryinnovations.org
September 3, 2024
Nominations open for the Ivory Prize
December 6, 2024
Ivory Prize nominations close
February 2025
Ivory Prize Top 25 Finalists Announced
April 2025
Ivory Prize Top 10 Finalists Announced
May 2025
Ivory Prize Winners Announced
September 3 to December 6, 2024 - Nominations Open
Both self-nominations and third-party nominations are welcome. Organizations may also be nominated by members of Ivory Innovations’ student associate team, who work to ensure that each year’s nomination pool captures the most promising and novel solutions from across the housing affordability sphere.
April 17, 2025 - Top 10 Finalists Announced
Following the selection of the Top 25 group, staff and student associates conduct deep due diligence on each of the selected nominees. This diligence includes interviews with each nominee’s leadership as well as factory/site visits, software/app demos, and financial analysis. Finalists are also asked to prepare a short video introduction to be viewed by Ivory Innovations’ advisory board. Findings are then presented to the advisory board, who convene to select the Top 10, including 3-4 nominees from each of our three Areas of Focus.
February 18, 2025 - Top 25 Finalists Announced
After nominations close, Ivory Innovations’ team conducts an initial screening of all nominees. A pool of 25 finalists - including 8-9 standout solutions from each of our three Areas of Focus - is then selected by our advisory board, which convenes in early Feburary to review nominees and deliberate.
May 20, 2025 - Ivory Prize Winners Announced
In addition to publicity and recognition, Ivory Prize winners receive unrestricted grant funding and access to a suite of finalist benefits (detailed below).
Finalists Benefits
Exposure & Access
Finalists are featured in national press coverage, newsletters, and social media campaigns. They also gain access to exclusive speaking opportunities at industry events including panels, conferences, and pitch competitions.
High-Quality Connections
We provide tailored introductions to potential funders, strategic partners, and customers through our national network. We also leverage our connections in Utah to support opportunities for finalists to scale their innovations in our home state.
Sponsored Summer Interns
Where interests and expertise align, finalists may be matched with a sponsored summer intern through our student associate program at the University of Utah.
Pro Bono Support
Finalists may receive pro bono consulting support from the Ivory Innovations team, including help with go-to-market strategy, customer discovery, and vision or KPI development—based on organizational needs and team capacity.