Ivory Innovations

Our Work

Catalyzing Innovation.

Our mission is to catalyze innovation in housing affordability.

Ivory Innovations’ mission is to catalyze innovation in housing affordability. Established in 2017, the organization was created in response to the escalating challenges within the housing industry. Fueled by a commitment to address these issues, Ivory Innovations devotes its time, talent, and resources to champion innovation and provide unwavering support to companies striving to alleviate the housing affordability crisis.

Ivory Innovations channels its efforts into four key areas: supporting entrepreneurs and startup companies through the annual Ivory Prize, convening industry experts through professional webinars and events, inspiring the next generation through its student associate internship program and Hack-A-House student pitch competition, and partnering with Ivory Homes to implement innovative solutions by building affordable housing developments in Salt Lake City. This multifaceted approach positions Ivory Innovations as a leading catalyst for positive change in the housing market.

Our Mission | Areas of Focus | Our Story | Our Impact

Areas of Focus

Support Entrepreneurs

The Ivory Prize is an annual award recognizing ambitious, feasible, and scalable solutions to housing affordability. Our Student Associates, Team, and Advisory Board look for solutions which combine innovative elements of finance, policy, and design/construction.

The Ivory Prize finalists receive:

Ivory Prize winners receive:

  • In-kind support of their venture

  • All the benefits of Ivory Prize finalists

The Ivory Prize is accepting applications now until December 31st. We will evaluate applications as we receive them.

Convene and Share

Each year we gather the housing industry’s leading experts, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and professionals to discuss the state of housing affordability innovation and what is needed to make further progress. See our event calendar to join us at an upcoming gathering.

2023 Ivory Innovations Events include:

Besides the events we host, we are also fortunate to attend, speak, and present at other events and conferences in the housing industry.

Inspire Next Generation

Ivory Innovations hosts Hack-A-House, an annual hackathon in late September, to engage students in finding solutions that support housing affordability. Participants have 24 hours to brainstorm and pitch a compelling and innovative idea that responds to each year’s contest prompt.

Opportunities for Students include:

  • Hack-A-House - A competition offering $12K in prizes for student pitches on housing solutions.

  • Student Associates - Each year we hire student associates to help source companies for the Ivory Prize, through this they receive networking opportunities, industry experience and summer internship opportunities.

  • Housing Innovation Course at the University of Utah

Build

Ivory Innovations supports relevant innovations through its partnership with Ivory Homes, Utah’s largest homebuilder. We have multiple mixed income projects in development in the Salt Lake City area and look forward to implementing the most promising ideas for affordability.

Our Project Sites include:

Our Story

Ivory Innovations is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was started in 2017 when our founders were noticing growing stresses in the housing industry and wanted to do something about it. When setting out the mission of Ivory Innovations work they wanted to understand the depth of the housing crisis but more importantly to uplift innovations and solutions. Today, six years later, we are continuing to build on that mission. And through the help of our network of entrepreneurs, industry experts, academics and the next generation we are tackling housing affordability challenges and we will continue to innovate towards a better housing industry for all.

 
 

Our Impact

Our latest Impact Report details Ivory Innovations’ work from 2018-2023 and highlights our work with entrepreneurs, students, policymakers, industry leaders, and others.

 
 

Ivory Innovations is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, IRS identification number 85-3959641