A collection of upcoming events and opportunities, from both VentureWell and the innovation & entrepreneurship community.
From VentureWell
Aspire Climatetech
Are you part of a climatetech startup preparing for investment and strategic partnerships? Apply to Aspire Climatetech, our in-depth five-week program where your startup could spend one-to-one time with investors, vet your fundraising strategy, stress-test your company with mock boardroom conversations, and network with fellow founders. This program is offered in partnership with Greentown Labs, Cooley LLP, and The Lemelson Foundation. Learn more and apply by April 14.
E-Team Program
Applications for the Summer 2025 cohort of the E-Team Program are now open! This program helps student teams kickstart their innovation through a powerful mix of grant funding and entrepreneurship training. Selected teams receive up to $25,000 to launch their ideas, and work directly with the VentureWell team to explore possible pathways for their innovation. E-Team Program participants become part of a nationwide network of VentureWell Accelerator alumni, who include peer innovators and industry mentors. Apply by April 29.
VentureWell Innovation in Action Summit (VIA)
Not just another event—a transformative journey igniting the next wave of innovation. June 10-12, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana, experience the VentureWell Innovation in Action Summit (VIA), where visionaries from education, industry, and government unite to shape the future of innovation. Building on the powerful legacies of the OPEN conference and the Deshpande Symposium, VIA is a must-attend event driving collaboration, sparking bold ideas, and creating lasting impact across the STEM ecosystem. Explore the latest trends, immersive solutions, and strategic pathways to solving real-world challenges. Whether you’re advancing policy, pioneering research, or preparing the next generation of innovators, VIA is where the journey from idea to impact begins. Don’t miss your chance to lead change and be part of this groundbreaking summit. Standard registration is now open. Register now.
DEBUT 2025
Applications are now being accepted for The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and VentureWell Design by Biomedical Undergraduate Teams (DEBUT) Challenge, a competition that recognizes undergraduate excellence in biomedical design and innovation. With $190,000 in prizes for 2025, the DEBUT Challenge is open to undergraduate student teams working on innovative solutions to unmet health and clinical problems. DEBUT challenges teams of students in undergraduate biomedical education to solve real-world problems in healthcare. Prizes of up to $20,000 will be awarded. Apply by June 18, 2025.
From the I&E Community
Technology Entrepreneurship: Lab to Market Course
Developed in collaboration with the Laboratory for Innovation Science at Harvard and the University of California San Diego, this self-paced, introductory course is being offered free on the edX platform. Enroll today to learn how entrepreneurs match technology with customer needs and bring cutting-edge innovations to market. The course will run over five weeks, with the option to pursue a verified certificate. Learn more.
ACRE Incubator at Urban Future Lab
Rapidly scale and transform your startup into a vehicle for solving the world’s greatest challenge, climate change. ACRE provides unmatched access to strategic advisement, introductions to industry stakeholders, marketing and branding support, investor networks, and access to a community of like-minded founders solving real challenges in energy, water, waste, infrastructure, transportation, and resiliency. Learn more and apply.
Dorm Room Fund
Dorm Room Fund (DRF) is a student-run venture fund, backed by First Round Capital, that supports college students and recent graduates looking to grow their startups. Selected teams receive a $20,000 investment, plus access to mentors, resources, and the DRF community. At least one team member must be an undergraduate or graduate student to be eligible for the program. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program
Hosted by the National Science Foundation, the SBIR program aims to support scientific discoveries and technological innovation that is moving from the lab to the market. The program provides non-dilutive funding and entrepreneurial support at the earliest stages of company development. Consider applying if your discovery can be transformed into an innovation with commercial potential and/or societal benefit. Applications are accepted throughout several seasonal cycles. Learn more.
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