What is Venture Lab
Penn’s Hub for Student Entrepreneurship
Venture Lab serves as the university-wide center for entrepreneurship and innovation—open to all Penn students regardless of school or background.
Pathway-Based Support for Every Stage
Whether they’re testing an idea, joining a team, or evaluating ventures, Venture Lab meets students where they at through the Founder, Joiner, Investor, and Explorer Pathways.
A Lifelong Entrepreneurial Community
Venture Lab fosters a dynamic community that extends beyond graduation, with select programs for alumni, and opportunities to contributing as mentors, speakers, and collaborators, helping to shape and support Penn’s next generation of entrepreneurs.
At Venture Lab, we believe Penn students are the spark of what's next. Start here to ignite that spark.
This is your space to explore bold ideas, take smart risks, and build something that matters. Whether you're curious about entrepreneurship or deep into launching a venture, Venture Lab is where passion meets possibility—and where students across all disciplines come together to shape the future of innovation at Penn and beyond.
This is your space to explore bold ideas, take smart risks, and build something that matters. Whether you're curious about entrepreneurship or deep into launching a venture, Venture Lab is where passion meets possibility—and where students across all disciplines come together to shape the future of innovation at Penn and beyond.
Venture Lab is where Penn alumni can become catalysts for innovation and lasting change.
This is your space to stay connected, give back, and keep building. Whether you're scaling a venture, mentoring the next generation, or exploring what’s next in your entrepreneurial journey, Venture Lab offers a community rooted in Penn’s spirit of bold thinking and real-world impact—where alumni continue to lead, inspire, and redefine the future.
This is your space to stay connected, give back, and keep building. Whether you're scaling a venture, mentoring the next generation, or exploring what’s next in your entrepreneurial journey, Venture Lab offers a community rooted in Penn’s spirit of bold thinking and real-world impact—where alumni continue to lead, inspire, and redefine the future.
Discover Penn's and Philadelphia ecosystem, the Venture Lab ecosystem map is your guide to what’s possible.
Built for students, alumni, and innovators, this interactive tool helps you navigate Penn and Philadelphia’s entrepreneurial resources. Whether you're looking for funding, mentorship, co-working space, or legal support, the map organizes everything by pathway and need so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.
Built for students, alumni, and innovators, this interactive tool helps you navigate Penn and Philadelphia’s entrepreneurial resources. Whether you're looking for funding, mentorship, co-working space, or legal support, the map organizes everything by pathway and need so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.
Subscribe to the Venture Lab newsletters to get the inside track for the latest news, events, and exclusive opportunities.
FAQ
What is Venture Lab?
Venture Lab is Penn’s central hub for student entrepreneurship, offering resources, programming, and community to help students across all schools explore, launch, or grow ventures.
Who can participate in Venture Lab?
Venture Lab is open to all full-time, degree-seeking Penn students—undergraduate and graduate—from any school. Select events and opportunities are also available to alumni.
Do I need to have a startup idea to get involved?
No. Whether you're just curious about entrepreneurship or already building a company, Venture Lab offers tailored support through four pathways: Explorer, Founder, Joiner, and Investor.
What types of resources does Venture Lab offer?
Venture Lab provides funding opportunities, coaching, mentorship, co-working space at Tangen Hall, innovation labs, and educational programming designed to meet students where they are.
How do I find out which programs or pathway are right for me?
You can start by exploring the four pathways using the Fast Track, a pathway-matching tool to help identify the best fit based on your goals and stage.
Does Venture Lab take equity in student ventures?
No. Venture Lab does not take equity or ownership in any student-led ventures, even if they receive funding or participate in programs.
A Note From Our Students
Get to know some of the students that help run several of our entrepreneurial programs at Venture Lab! Venture Lab is a resource for any Penn student who is interested in entrepreneurship and innovation.
We maximize the ability of our students and alumni to address important challenges through entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial thinking.
We maximize the ability of our students and alumni to address important challenges through entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial thinking.
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