Student Entrepreneurship · Notre Dame

The Amy Hirsh Guarino Award

Recognizing Notre Dame–affiliated entrepreneurs whose work is a clear force for good.

Nominate a FounderAlready Nominated? Confirm Here

Section 1

Nominate a Founder

Amy Hirsh Guarino

The Amy Hirsh Guarino Award honors Notre Dame–affiliated entrepreneurs whose work is a clear force for good. Past honorees have said the network and credentialing the award brings mattered more to them than anything else — this is a recognition built around amplification and community.

This is a nomination, not an application. Anyone in the Notre Dame community can nominate a founder; the founder then has to agree to participate before moving forward. The founder being nominated does not need to be a Notre Dame alum — just recommended by someone within the ND community.

Nominations are open now through October 7, 2026.

Nomination Form

You'll share your own contact information first, then tell us about the founder you're nominating, their venture, and why their work is a force for good.

Nominate a Founder →

Section 2

Confirm Your Participation

Been nominated for the Amy Hirsh Guarino Award? Congratulations! To accept your nomination, you'll complete a short application. Submitting it is how you confirm you're participating.

1

Complete Your Application

Fill out the application, including your pitch deck, by October 8. This confirms your participation.

2

Selection Committee

A selection committee narrows the pool to a small group of finalists, notified by October 12.

3

San Francisco

Finalists travel to San Francisco on November 10 to pitch in person. The honoree is announced at the event.

In the application, you'll tell us about your venture, confirm your availability for November 10, let us know if you need travel support, and upload your pitch deck. You'll be asked to sign in or create an account to get started. Questions about your deck? Contact Emily Casanova (ecasanov@nd.edu).

Start Your Application →

The Runwayz team receives the 2025 Amy Hirsh Guarino award

The Runwayz team receives the 2025 Amy Hirsh Guarino award. Read the story →