Request for Proposal ListingsESTEEM Graduate Program Capstone (June 2026-May 2027)

ESTEEM Graduate Program Capstone (June 2026-May 2027)

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University of Notre Dame
ESTEEM Graduate Program Capstone (June 2026-May 2027)
06/17/2026 to 05/07/2027
Neil Kane
Collaboration Overview
About Students
Students in the Engineering, Science, and Technology Entrepreneurship Excellence Master's Program (ESTEEM) at the University of Notre Dame, the #12th highest ranked graduate entrepreneurship program (2026) according to the Princeton Review, are part of an intensive eleven month long Master of Science program. They possess strong technical backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) and are dedicated to bridging the gap between technical expertise and entrepreneurial acumen. These students are trained to translate innovative technologies into viable business ventures, equipping them with the skills to become entrepreneurs, innovators within established companies, and leaders of dynamic, innovative teams. ​
About Program Goals
Students participating in the ESTEEM Capstone will: 

  1. Translate emerging technologies into viable business opportunities

  2. Perform customer discovery and stakeholder interviews to validate market assumptions

  3. Build and test a business model, including market sizing, competitive analysis, and pricing strategy

  4. Design a comprehensive go-to-market strategy or commercialization roadmap

  5. Develop a robust financial model tailored to real-world implementation

  6. Deliver strategic recommendations through presentations and written reports to both academic and professional stakeholders
About the Collaboration Format
Student project that connects academic curriculum to real-world business and societal challenges. Students follow a structured methodology under the guidance of a full time faculty member. 
Benefits for Industry Partners
Benefits for Participating Organizations: 

  • A dedicated innovation-trained professional master's degree consultant for 10 months

  • Market research and validation through 50+ interviews and industry benchmarking

  • Strategic, data-driven deliverables like business models, investor decks, or commercialization plans

  • Applications of AI to real world business problems

  • Low-cost, high-impact engagement, with strong ROI and minimal internal bandwidth required

  • Faculty supervision ensures rigor, structure, and milestone accountability

  • Opportunities to hire entrepreneurial talent and expand academic-industry partnerships
Program Details

Students Include: Bachelor Degree, Graduate Degree, Ph.D Degree

Students Enrolled:  Students Enrolled

Program Duration: 46 weeks

Program Launch Date: 06/17/26

Program End Date: 05/07/27

Student Commitment: 8-13 Hours hrs/week

Course Format: Capstone, Multiple Projects Multiple Teams

Modality: Fully Remote

# of Projects: 50

View All Program Details

Project Requirements

Industry Partner Requirements
Project Topics Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Corporate Social Responsibility Customer Service & Account Management Data Management Digital Marketing Entrepreneurship Growth Strategy Information Technology (IT) Innovation Legal, Regulatory, Compliance Marketing Mergers & Acquisitions Operations Organizational Culture Product Design & Development Purchasing, Logistics, Supply Chain Reporting, Financial Planning & Analysis Research & Development Sales & Business Development Software Design & Development Strategic Planning Sustainability & ESG Technology Commercialization
Location Preferences

Located Anywhere

Compensation

No Compensation Required

Sponsorship

Sponsorship Requested (Mandatory):

Pre-Revenue Startup a contribution amount between $20000.0 to $50000.0

Growth Startup a contribution amount between $20000.0 to $50000.0

Small to Medium Business a contribution amount between $20000.0 to $50000.0

Large Enterprise a contribution amount between $20000.0 to $50000.0

Government Organization a contribution amount between $5000.0 to $25000.0

Non-Profit a contribution amount between $10000.0 to $25000.0

Other Requirements
  • Sponsors must identify a primary point of contact who can engage with the student for 1–2 hours/month.
  • Sponsors are asked to complete an initial Statement of Work (SOW) during the summer onboarding phase.
  • Sponsors will participate in student midpoint and final presentations.
  • Travel expenses for students (if in-person visits are planned) should be covered by the sponsor.
  • Projects should focus on strategic innovation, commercialization, or business growth—not operational or internship-style tasks.
  • Organizations will receive a final written thesis and executive presentation in May 2027.
Project Management Time Commitment 1 Hour per week
Interested Industries Aerospace & Defense Agriculture & Farming Arts & Recreation Biotech & Pharmaceuticals Computers & Hardware Construction, Repair & Maitenance Consumer Services Education Energy & Utilities Fashion & Apparel Finance Food & Beverage Government Health Care Insurance Manufacturing Media Natural Resources Non-Profit Professional Services Public Works Real Estate Restaurants, Bars & Food Services Retail Semiconductor Software & IT Sports & Entertainment Telecommunications Transportation & Logistics Travel & Tourism
Skills & Expertise
Business Model Canvas Competitive Analysis CRM Platforms Customer Discovery Design Thinking Financial Modeling Go-To-Market Strategy Innovation Management IP Landscape Research Lean Startup Market Sizing Pitch Deck Design Pricing Strategy Product Validation Prototyping Python R&D Strategy Rapid Prototyping Regulatory Research Software Development SQL Strategic Roadmapping Survey Tools TAM SAM SOM Analysis
Key Program Dates Due Date
Project Proposal

The definition of each project is created by the project sponsor with the cooperation of a full time faculty member (to ensure compliance and to reference past projects and successes). Notre Dame has a template that can be used. Project descriptions should ideally be completed by May 1. 

 May 01 2026, 12:00.00 AM

* We’ve got some inspirational project ideas below! These are related project topics that you can mix and match the components for the best cross-functional project experience possible.

See Examples

Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

See Examples

Corporate Social Responsibility

See Examples

Customer Service & Account Management

See Examples

Data Management

See Examples

Digital Marketing

See Examples

Entrepreneurship

See Examples

Growth Strategy

See Examples

Information Technology (IT)

See Examples

Innovation

See Examples

Legal, Regulatory, Compliance

See Examples

Marketing

See Examples

Mergers & Acquisitions

See Examples

Operations

See Examples

Organizational Culture

See Examples

Product Design & Development

See Examples

Purchasing, Logistics, Supply Chain

See Examples

Reporting, Financial Planning & Analysis

See Examples

Research & Development

See Examples

Sales & Business Development

See Examples

Software Design & Development

See Examples

Strategic Planning

See Examples

Sustainability & ESG

See Examples

Technology Commercialization

Program Overview
Program Title ESTEEM Graduate Program Capstone (June 2026-May 2027)
Organization University of Notre Dame
# of Students Enrolled
0
# of Projects Running
1 Project/s Added (of 50 Projects Expected)

Program Timeline

Project Duration

Start Date: 06/17/26      End Date: 05/07/27

11 months
Collaboration Overview
About Students

Students in the Engineering, Science, and Technology Entrepreneurship Excellence Master's Program (ESTEEM) at the University of Notre Dame, the #12th highest ranked graduate entrepreneurship program (2026) according to the Princeton Review, are part of an intensive eleven month long Master of Science program. They possess strong technical backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) and are dedicated to bridging the gap between technical expertise and entrepreneurial acumen. These students are trained to translate innovative technologies into viable business ventures, equipping them with the skills to become entrepreneurs, innovators within established companies, and leaders of dynamic, innovative teams. ​

Student Level:   Bachelor Degree Graduate Degree Ph.D Degree

Student Time Commitment:   Full Time

Team Structure:   1 - 1

Program Goals
Students participating in the ESTEEM Capstone will: 

  1. Translate emerging technologies into viable business opportunities

  2. Perform customer discovery and stakeholder interviews to validate market assumptions

  3. Build and test a business model, including market sizing, competitive analysis, and pricing strategy

  4. Design a comprehensive go-to-market strategy or commercialization roadmap

  5. Develop a robust financial model tailored to real-world implementation

  6. Deliver strategic recommendations through presentations and written reports to both academic and professional stakeholders
Format Structure

Multiple Projects Multiple Teams
Format Title Capstone
Format Description
Student project that connects academic curriculum to real-world business and societal challenges. Students follow a structured methodology under the guidance of a full time faculty member. 
Benefits For Industry Partners
Benefits for Participating Organizations: 

  • A dedicated innovation-trained professional master's degree consultant for 10 months

  • Market research and validation through 50+ interviews and industry benchmarking

  • Strategic, data-driven deliverables like business models, investor decks, or commercialization plans

  • Applications of AI to real world business problems

  • Low-cost, high-impact engagement, with strong ROI and minimal internal bandwidth required

  • Faculty supervision ensures rigor, structure, and milestone accountability

  • Opportunities to hire entrepreneurial talent and expand academic-industry partnerships
Project Modality Fully Remote
Industry Partner Requirements to Participate
Project Topics Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Corporate Social Responsibility Customer Service & Account Management Data Management Digital Marketing Entrepreneurship Growth Strategy Information Technology (IT) Innovation Legal, Regulatory, Compliance Marketing Mergers & Acquisitions Operations Organizational Culture Product Design & Development Purchasing, Logistics, Supply Chain Reporting, Financial Planning & Analysis Research & Development Sales & Business Development Software Design & Development Strategic Planning Sustainability & ESG Technology Commercialization
Target Industries Aerospace & Defense Agriculture & Farming Arts & Recreation Biotech & Pharmaceuticals Computers & Hardware Construction, Repair & Maitenance Consumer Services Education Energy & Utilities Fashion & Apparel Finance Food & Beverage Government Health Care Insurance Manufacturing Media Natural Resources Non-Profit Professional Services Public Works Real Estate Restaurants, Bars & Food Services Retail Semiconductor Software & IT Sports & Entertainment Telecommunications Transportation & Logistics Travel & Tourism
Skills & Expertise Business Model Canvas Competitive Analysis CRM Platforms Customer Discovery Design Thinking Financial Modeling Go-To-Market Strategy Innovation Management IP Landscape Research Lean Startup Market Sizing Pitch Deck Design Pricing Strategy Product Validation Prototyping Python R&D Strategy Rapid Prototyping Regulatory Research Software Development SQL Strategic Roadmapping Survey Tools TAM SAM SOM Analysis
Location Information & Preferences

Located Anywhere

Sponsorship

Sponsorship Requested (Mandatory):

Pre-Revenue Startup a contribution amount between $20000.0 to $50000.0

Growth Startup a contribution amount between $20000.0 to $50000.0

Small to Medium Business a contribution amount between $20000.0 to $50000.0

Large Enterprise a contribution amount between $20000.0 to $50000.0

Government Organization a contribution amount between $5000.0 to $25000.0

Non-Profit a contribution amount between $10000.0 to $25000.0

Compensation

No Compensation Required

Other Requirements
  • Sponsors must identify a primary point of contact who can engage with the student for 1–2 hours/month.
  • Sponsors are asked to complete an initial Statement of Work (SOW) during the summer onboarding phase.
  • Sponsors will participate in student midpoint and final presentations.
  • Travel expenses for students (if in-person visits are planned) should be covered by the sponsor.
  • Projects should focus on strategic innovation, commercialization, or business growth—not operational or internship-style tasks.
  • Organizations will receive a final written thesis and executive presentation in May 2027.
Expected Time Commitment For Project Managers 1 Hour per week
Key Program Dates Due Date
Project Proposal

The definition of each project is created by the project sponsor with the cooperation of a full time faculty member (to ensure compliance and to reference past projects and successes). Notre Dame has a template that can be used. Project descriptions should ideally be completed by May 1. 

 May 01 2026, 12:00.00 AM
Neil Kane
View Profile
University of Chicago
Asst. Teaching Professor and Director of ESTEEM Capstone Projects @ University Of Notre Dame for 5 year(s)
Sam Forcum
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Inteleos Foundation
Fiona Laux
View Profile
Inteleos Foundation

Resources

Links & Documents
IF Imaging Accelerator pdf
Inteleos Foundation Website
ESTEEM Capstone Project Description Template
ESTEEM Program Web Site
Capstone Program Highlight (Article)
Sample Final Presentation - Guardalin Feline Diabetes Technology Business
Gen AI Technical Review by Sean Roche pdf
Lumen Bio Fall Presentation pdf
Lumen Bio IP Report pdf
Lumen Bio Market Analysis pdf
Lumen Bio Technology Report pdf
Esteem Industry Sponsor Brochure (2026)

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