Tangen Hall brings together aspiring #entrePENNeurs from across the University
At seven stories and 68,000 square feet, the Wharton-led Tangen is the largest student entrepreneurship hub in the world. “The ‘start here’ approach is echoed in our mission of democratizing entrepreneurship for all students at Penn,” says Lori Rosenkopf, vice dean of entrepreneurship and Simon and Midge Palley Professor of Management at the Wharton School.
Pathways
Venture Lab offers four unique pathways for students interested in entrepreneurship and innovation and a ecosystem map to discover resources available at Penn and the Philadelphia ecosystem. Each pathways features tailored programming that intertwines with our collective programs and resources.
Click on a pathway below to start your path
The Founder Pathway is for student entrepreneurs ready to turn bold ideas into real ventures.
The Joiner Pathway is for students who want to join a startup and help build from the inside.
The Investor Pathway is for students and recent grads eager to support to acquire startups.
The Explorer Pathway is for students curious about entrepreneurship and still discovering.
The ecosystem map offers navigation to Penn and Philadelphia’s entrepreneurial resources.
Build. Launch. Scale.
Venture Lab is home to more than 3,500 student #entrePENNeurs, representing 9 out of 12 schools across the university. Connect with our program staff to learn more about available opportunities. Schedule an in-person or virtual appointment today.
The Visiting Experts Program is a Venture Lab program that provides students with the opportunity to meet alumni founders, entrepreneurs, subject matter experts, and industry experts in one-on-one or small group AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions.
The Venture Initiation Program (VIP) is where Penn’s boldest founders turn ideas into impact —a high-energy, founder-first ecosystem designed to help you build, test, and grow.
The Penn Wharton Innovation Fund exists to fund creative and meaningfully innovative ventures from the Penn student community.
Upcoming Events
April 22, 2025 at 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Tangen Hall 342;
Tuesday, Apr 22nd at 12:00 PM EDT
May 08, 2025 at 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Online
Join us for an engaging virtual session with Wharton Professor Ethan Mollick in which you’ll explore how artificial intelligence (AI) tools can transform the way businesses scale
April 15, 2025 at 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Virtual via Zoom
Join us for an insightful discussion on Beyond Meat + Perennial, scaling sustainable brands, and transforming global food systems.
Featured Programs
The Visiting Experts Program is a Venture Lab program that provides students with the opportunity to meet alumni founders, entrepreneurs, subject matter experts, and industry experts in one-on-one or small group AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions. The program aims to provide insights into the practical, conceptual, and personal challenges of launching, acquiring, or growing a venture.
Our flagship program, the Venture Initiation Program is a joint incubator-accelerator that introduces students to the key aspects of entrepreneurship such as ideation, validation, market-product fit, fundraising, networking, scaling, business planning, development, launching and more.
Get $500, $2,500, or $5,000 towards your venture
The Penn Wharton Innovation Fund exists to fund creative and meaningfully innovative ventures from the Penn student community. Alberto Vitale WG’59, who endowed the Innovation Fund, hopes that it will be “a catalyst to stimulate innovation at the School and to surface the brainpower of its students.”
The Innovation Fund awards are for early-stage ventures founded and led by one or more Penn students. The venture should be a new venture founded while the team lead and/or team members are current Penn students.
The Penn Wharton Innovation Fund exists to fund creative and meaningfully innovative ventures from the Penn student community. Alberto Vitale WG’59, who endowed the Innovation Fund, hopes that it will be “a catalyst to stimulate innovation at the School and to surface the brainpower of its students.”
The Innovation Fund awards are for early-stage ventures founded and led by one or more Penn students. The venture should be a new venture founded while the team lead and/or team members are current Penn students.
Our Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) program provides training, funding, and guidance to help interested students buy an established small to medium-sized company and operate, optimize, and grow it. Our workshops and events are open to all Penn Students.
VIP-X is an intense, 3-month accelerator program for the most dedicated student entrepreneurs and the most advanced startups.
VIP-X in San Francisco is an accelerator open to Penn alumni and student entrepreneurs in the Bay Area who are founders or leaders of early-stage ventures. This four-month program runs twice per year, in the fall and in the spring. The company must have traction, and the team must be based in the San Francisco Bay Area during their time in the program.
Wharton Scale School, held in San Francisco with Wharton’s Lifelong Learning, equips Bay Area founders and leaders with the tools to scale from startup to sustainable growth. Designed for entrepreneurs and senior teams, the program delivers expert insights on navigating the challenges of rapid expansion.
Labs & Studios
Our collection of workspaces and labs that house digital and analog fabrication technologies.
Our print and digital production supporting student ventures across the Penn community.
Our 800-sq. ft. facility that supports a unique cohort of food and beverage startups at Penn.
Our flexible retail space to showcase successful alumni and student ventures,
Venture Lab was built to encourage interdisciplinary, integrated, and inclusive entrepreneurship. It’s a beacon that showcases the wide variety of opportunities across the University. Come grow with us!
Lori Rosenkopf, Vice Dean of Entrepreneurship at The Wharton School
0:00 / 0:00
Video Companion
Startup Stories
Find out what's happening across the #entrePENNeur community! Want to tell your story? Contact us at venturelab@upenn.edu.
