2020 Sustainable Investing Challenge
The 2020 Challenge was carried out entirely virtually. Over 300 students from 34 countries submitted ideas, and their inspiring perseverance and innovation is evident in the work of the 12 final teams, which you can find below.
2020
Grand Prize
$10,000
Refugee ETF
Exchange-traded fund designed to help drive economic integration of refugees through investments in a global index comprised of listed companies with robust refugee-focused policies and initiatives.
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New York University, Stern School of Business; New York University, Wagner School of Public Service
2020
Runner Up
$5,000
SWEEPCO Bonds
Green municipal revenue bond designed to help reduce plastic waste by upgrading existing municipal waste management facilities and improving local recycling infrastructure.
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Columbia University, Columbia Business School
2020 Plastic Prize
The 2020 Sustainable Investing Challenge introduced an additional $5,000 prize for proposals that targeted plastic waste. This new-for-2020 opportunity was in line with Morgan Stanley’s Plastic Waste Resolution. The 2020 plastic prize went to:
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SeaLess Plastics
Private debt and equity fund that seeks to help reduce plastic waste through investments in the seaweed-based bioplastics value chain.
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Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences,
Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree Program
Winning Teams
Grand Prize: Refugee ETF
New York University, Stern School of Business; New York University, Wagner School of Public Service
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Refugee ETF Personal Statements
Refugee ETF Presentation
Runner Up: SWEEPCO Bonds
Columbia University, Columbia Business School
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SWEEPCO Personal Statements
SWEEPCO Presentation
Plastic Award: SeaLess Plastics
Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; Erasmus Mundus Joint Maste Degree Program
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SeaLess Personal Statements
SeaLess Presentation
All Finalists
AusDERBS: Australian Distributed Energy Resource
Cranfield University School of Management
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AusDERBS Personal Statements
AusDERBS Presentation
Carbon Option + Personal Statements
Carbon Option + Presentation
Consolidate And Recycle Fund (CARe)
University of Rochester, Simon School of Business
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CARe Personal Statements
CARe Presentation
Dignity Bond Personal Statements
Dignity Bond Presentation
FARM: Fund for Adopting Responsible Materials
Tufts University, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
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FARM Personal Statements
FARM Presentation
Locus Agriculture Personal Statements
Locus Agriculture Presentation
The PlastiCity Fund Personal Statements
The PlastiCity Fund Presentation
Waste2Worth Personal Statements
Waste2Worth Presentation
