Kalenian Award
The Kalenian Award is given in honor of Aram Kalenian, inventor and businessman.
The award, established in 2004 through the generosity of Alba Kalenian in memory of her late husband Aram (Class of 1933), provides seed funds to support and advance the ideas and inventiveness of WPI students, faculty and alumni.
Aram Kalenian was an inventor who had numerous useful ideas and reduced many of them to practice. The purpose of the Kalenian Award is to encourage similar innovation and entrepreneurship at any stage of development. The award's focus is to fuel the entrepreneurial spirit through annual funding of a viable invention.
The award may be given to an individual or group involved in the invention of a product in order to assist in the process of moving the invention toward commercialization. The award may be given to support innovative ideas or the development of commercial products. Ideally, the recipients should be either a part of an existing small business enterprise or in the process of trying to establish a small business as well as have the value of the award be significant in achieving their goals. This is not a business plan contest. Many diverse and high-quality proposals are received making it difficult to select one winner. Applicants may resubmit proposals if they do not win an award in the previous year. This award will be given annually.
Award of up to $25,000
- Aram Kalenian '33
- Inventor, Founder
- Vee Arc Corp