IMPACT Program

Uncover – Discover Needs, Frame Challenges
Students begin by identifying unmet needs, interviewing stakeholders, and framing evidence-based problem statements. Exploring human-centered design, they learn to uncover the right needs before moving to solutions.

Invent – Prototype, Test, Iterate
Teams create, develop, and test ideas in the Wond’ry’s makerspaces. With access to tools and industry mentors, students learn to iterate rapidly, fail quickly, and refine impactful solutions.

Propel – Business Acumen & Venture Development
Students validate market fit, develop business models, and practice entrepreneurial storytelling. They wrap up their journey at the Annual IMPACT Summit by pitching faculty, mentors, and industry leaders.

• A multi-year innovation pathway: Freshman seminar → Impact cohort → Propel phase
• Hands-on training in design, prototyping, and venture development
• Mentorship from faculty, alumni, and industry partners
• Opportunities for internships, funding, and commercialization support
• Culmination at the Annual IMPACT Summit

Vanderbilt School of Engineering Students and undergraduates from Vanderbilt’s colleges.

No prior experience required.

Year 0: ES 1115 – Need-Finding in Deep Tech
Course Details: Wednesdays, 3:25 – 4:25 PM | The Wond’ry, 3rd Floor
Format: 1-credit freshman seminar
Focus: Students explore the foundations of human-centered design, practicing interviews, fieldwork, and observation to identify unmet needs in deep tech contexts.
Outcome: A validated need statement portfolio that prepares students for advanced entry points into the program.

Year 1: Official Entry via Design Discovery
Students take ENGM 3890-02: Design Discovery, the gateway into IMPACT’s Uncover + Invent phases.

Experience:

• Conduct stakeholder research and ecosystem mapping.
• Frame challenges through evidence-based need finding.
• Prototype and test ideas in the Wond’ry’s makerspaces.
• Supplement learning through courses such as How to Make Almost Anything and Make It Matter.

Outcome: Students develop functional prototypes and refined challenge statements, setting the stage for venture development.

Year 2: Propel Phase
Students advance into IMPACT’s Propel phase, where they gain business acumen and prepare their ventures for market entry.

Experience:

• Business model creation and market validation.
• Regulatory and commercialization strategy.
• Pitch preparation and entrepreneurial storytelling.
• Culmination: Teams showcase their ventures at the Annual IMPACT Summit, connecting with investors, mentors, and industry leaders.

The Annual IMPACT Summit is the capstone experience of the program. This event serves as both a celebration of student innovation and a launchpad for commercialization. Students from the Propel phase pitch their ventures to faculty, mentors, industry leaders, and potential investors.

Key Features:

• Venture Pitches: Teams present their market-validated prototypes to a panel of experts and entrepreneurs.
• Prototype Showcase: Interactive booths where students demonstrate their innovations and gather real-time feedback.
• Mentorship & Networking: Direct engagement with industry professionals, alumni, and investors.
• Awards & Prizes: Recognition across categories such as Most Promising Deep Tech Venture, Social Impact Innovation, and Best Use of Human-Centered Design.

The IMPACT Summit positions Vanderbilt as a pipeline for deep tech commercialization, preparing students to move beyond prototypes into real-world ventures.

For any questions or to learn more please contact Cecilio Ponce at Cecilio.ponce@vanderbilt.edu.