For Ellen Zheng (ENG‘27), The Hult Prize Competition is no unfamiliar challenge. This year, Ellen took on the role of directing the BU branch of the Hult Prize Competition for the second time, and embraced the opportunity to grow as an entrepreneur and social innovator.
The Hult Prize is more than just a competition; it’s a prestigious global challenge that invites student innovators to tackle pressing social issues with exciting social entrepreneurship ideas. Each year, students come together united by a common goal: to create a positive impact through social entrepreneurship. Ellen knew that the Hult Prize Competition would be an excellent way for BU’s student innovators to shine, and decided to bring the event to life on BU’s campus through Project Action.
Innovate@BU’s Project Action program empowers students to transform their ideas into reality through individualized coaching, access to curated resources, and even the chance to pitch for funding. Ellen sought support from Project Action in order to make the BU Hult Prize Competition a major success.
When asked about her experience with Innovate@BU, Ellen shared, “Being part of this community has truly changed my life. I came in with just an idea, and now I am leaving with a fully developed social enterprise that is making a positive impact on society.”
Ellen credits her success as director of BU’s Hult Prize Competition to the resources and guidance she found at Innovate@BU. “I feel like Innovate has so much experience in terms of organizing events and like, especially marketing,” Ellen said. “I don’t have a background in marketing, so it was kind of really new for me to figure out, like, what channels I can use to reach my target audience, and then how I should phrase certain messages.”
Ellen’s trajectory captures the essence of what Project Action offers—a launching pad for students ready to tackle challenges and drive meaningful change.
As Ellen prepares to pass the baton to the next Hult Prize campus director, her story serves as an inspiration for future participants. Through her participation in Project Action and determination to bring the Hult Prize to BU for a second year, students will be empowered to envision and create social impact solutions for semesters to come.
