$25 million gift from Michael and Tanya Polsky for energy transition, innovation studies at university
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is set to significantly expand its support and offerings for students interested in energy transition innovation thanks to a generous $12.5 million gift from Michael and Tanya Polsky through the Polsky Foundation.
The contribution is part of a broader $25 million endowment to the University of Chicago, which led to the establishment of the Polsky Energy Transition Leadership Academy.
“As an energy entrepreneur who has designed and built power plants and associated electricity infrastructure that power millions of homes and businesses, I’ve seen firsthand the practical challenges that stand in the way of building energy infrastructure and the solutions that can help America reclaim leadership in energy innovation, manufacturing, and deployment,” said Michael Polsky.
“Our gift to the University of Chicago supports the next generation of leaders that will build the efficient, cleaner, low-cost, scalable energy infrastructure needed to support America’s technological and energy leadership.”
Given over a 10-year period, the funds will support critical entrepreneurship and innovation programs at the Polsky Center through prizes and startup funding, as well as co-curricular educational offerings and career support for students. Beyond the Polsky Center, the money will also provide scholarship support, faculty engagement, and curriculum development.
With the first pledge received last month, the Polsky Center is positioned to immediately start making an impact by supporting students, faculty, and entrepreneurs working to help accelerate the transition to a clean, abundant, affordable, and reliable energy future.
A portion of the funding will be dedicated to supporting entrepreneurship through the Polsky Center’s accelerator programs. Entrepreneurial prizes and startup funding will provide financial backing to student and faculty-led ventures focused on energy transition. Funding will be awarded to teams participating in select Polsky Center accelerators, including:
The New Venture Challenge (NVC), all five tracks
Build and Launch Accelerator
Booth-affiliated teams involved in other Polsky Center programs, such as Duality, Resurgence, Transform, and the George Shultz Innovation Fund
Strengthening Educational Programs and Career Support
In addition to funding entrepreneurial ventures, the gift will support a number of co-curricular educational opportunities, including:
Entrepreneurial Internship Program (EIP) – Providing stipends for MBA students interning at startups in the renewable energy, AI, deep tech, and supply chain sectors
Mentorship from Industry Leaders – Expanding the Entrepreneur-in-Residence program to include experts in energy transition
Career Support Services – Enhancing career counseling resources in coordination with Booth Career Services to guide students toward impactful careers in the energy sector
Energy Transition Events – Featuring leading voices from industry experts, government officials, faculty members, and investors to provide insights on energy policy, innovation, and market trends
“The Polskys’ gift will help empower our students and faculty to be leaders in renewable energy and sustainability,” said Samir Mayekar, associate vice president and managing director of the Polsky Center.
“We are grateful to Michael and Tanya Polsky for their tremendous support, which enables us to accelerate impactful ventures, expand academic programming, and foster the next generation of leaders committed to transforming the energy sector.”
Michael and Tanya Polsky’s generous gift also supports areas outside the Polsky Center, including scholarships, faculty engagement, and curriculum development at Chicago Booth.
To attract top talent with a strong interest in energy transition and innovation, Chicago Booth will introduce a unique scholarship opportunity for 4-5 incoming students each year. These recipients will be named Polsky Scholars and be encouraged to participate in the Academy’s offerings.
A portion of the funding will be dedicated to expanding Booth’s academic curriculum on the energy transition.
This includes developing courses on topics such as clean energy, energy markets and policy, energy finance, the economics of energy transition, and more.
Accomplished educators will be recruited to design and teach this course, ensuring Booth students gain the expertise needed to navigate the evolving energy landscape.