What You'll Gain
Entrepreneurial fundamentals
Strengthen how you communicate the venture, understand customers, test product-market fit, structure a team, plan product development, and model the business.
Personalized direction
Use a 1:1 advising session to diagnose the highest-priority gap, identify a practical next action, and connect to the right people or programs.
An early capital opportunity
Eligible participants can apply for a $500 award tied to a defined venture-building use. The award is optional, competitive if applicable, and not a condition of program completion
A practical path from idea to action
We’re debuting a new program structure!
The VIP Incubator builds entrepreneurial fundamentals through a flexible but intentional sequence. Complete the required learning, use advising to prioritize your next move, and pursue additional support when your venture is ready.
The VIP Incubator builds entrepreneurial fundamentals through a flexible but intentional sequence. Complete the required learning, use advising to prioritize your next move, and pursue additional support when your venture is ready.
1. Apply and build the foundation
Complete the short application, enter the Startup Resources Canvas community, and finish the required self-guided modules. Approved live workshops may satisfy the corresponding learning requirement.
2. Unlock personalized advising
After completing the required learning, schedule a 1:1 session to review your venture, identify gaps, and choose the next milestone or Venture Lab resource that fits your stage.
3. Apply for a $500 award
Completing 1 and 2 allows participants to apply for the $500 VIP-INC award to support a defined venture-building activity. Completion does not guarantee funding; official criteria, review process, and allowable uses apply.
A venture needs more than a founder
The Incubator helps founders clarify what they are building and where the team is incomplete. Venture Lab's Joiner Pathway helps students translate legal, finance, marketing, design, operations, HR, product, and technical skills into startup-ready experience through approved programs and opportunities.
The Founder Pathway is for student entrepreneurs ready to turn bold ideas into real ventures, offering the guidance, resources, and community to launch while still in school.
The Joiner Pathway is for students who want to help build startups from the inside, offering hands-on roles, real-world experience, and the chance to grow alongside a founding team.
Use the right resource for the decision in front of you.
Engage advisors, Entrepreneurs in Residence, Visiting Experts, and peer advisors for focused questions, real-world perspective, and next-step guidance
Use Venture Lab innovation spaces such as the Digital Design Studio, Engineering Studios, Food Innovation Lab, and Retail Lab when your venture stage and access requirements align.
Use the Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic, Lippincott Library, Penn Center for Innovation, and the Ecosystem Resource Map to address legal, research, commercialization, and resource-navigation needs
FAQ
Who can participate in VIP Incubator?
VIP Incubator is designed for currently enrolled Penn students across schools who are exploring an idea or building an early-stage venture. The final page and application should state any degree-status, team-lead, PennKey, location, or venture-type requirements in identical language.
I applied to VIP-INC last year or in a prior year. Is my application still valid?
Not quite! Since VIP-INC has a new step-by-step process, you will need to submit a new application. However, you do not need to start from scratch. If you have already completed self-paced modules, submit your previous completion records and we will expedite you to the advising stage. If you have completed both the self-paced modules and advising sessions, submit your completion records and we will expedite you to the $500 award stage. Your application will also be prioritized for the applicable award deadline.
When can I apply?
We’ve got rolling admissions, so jump in any time until June 15th. Every July to August the application closes for maintenance.
Do I need an incorporated company, a complete business plan, or traction to start?
No. The Incubator is the early-stage entry point. You should arrive with a problem, idea, or venture direction you want to explore; the learning sequence helps you clarify the customer, value, team, product, communication, and business assumptions that need to be tested next.
What do I need to complete, and how long will it take?
Begin with the application, then complete the required self-guided modules and/or approved workshop equivalents. Once the learning requirement is complete, you can schedule the required advising session. After the session, you can apply for the $500 VIP-INC award. This can take as long as you like - the Incubator is self-paced.
Is the $500 award guaranteed? Does Venture Lab take equity?
No award should be described as guaranteed. Eligible participants may apply after completing the stated requirements, and the award follows its own criteria, review process, allowable uses, and availability.
Venture Lab does not take equity for VIP participation.
Venture Lab does not take equity for VIP participation.
I have a co-founder. Should they submit a separate application?
No, please add your co-founder into the application and complete the Team Agreement form. We understand that over time co-founders will shift and change. At any point, you can edit your application to add and remove co-founders; however, please be respectful and take these changes seriously.
What is the difference between VIP Incubator and VIP-X?
VIP Incubator is open-ended and designed for founders in the early to mid-stages of their startup journey. Whether you’re validating an idea, building an MVP, or gaining traction, you can engage at your own pace.
👉 Best for: Founders who need flexibility, foundational learning, and community support as they explore and refine their startup ideas.
VIP-X is a selective, cohort-based accelerator for founders who are ready to execute at a high level. Applications open every semester, and it is a semester based structured, fast-paced experience with intensive workshops & deep-dive strategy sessions. Doing all three steps of VIP-INC first is strongly encouraged for the VIP-X student cohort.
👉 Best for: Startups that are further along—those with a validated product, early traction, and a clear path to launch or fundraising.
👉 Best for: Founders who need flexibility, foundational learning, and community support as they explore and refine their startup ideas.
VIP-X is a selective, cohort-based accelerator for founders who are ready to execute at a high level. Applications open every semester, and it is a semester based structured, fast-paced experience with intensive workshops & deep-dive strategy sessions. Doing all three steps of VIP-INC first is strongly encouraged for the VIP-X student cohort.
👉 Best for: Startups that are further along—those with a validated product, early traction, and a clear path to launch or fundraising.
Not sure where to begin? Start here.
Start Here Mondays connects Penn students with Venture Lab staff for personalized guidance on programs, resources, and opportunities across the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Whether you are exploring an idea, building a venture, looking to join a team, or simply curious about entrepreneurship, we’ll help you understand your options and identify a practical next step.
Explore Venture Lab programs, advising, workshops, funding opportunities, competitions, innovation spaces, and other resources. We can also help you determine which opportunities align with your interests, goals, and current stage.
Meet virtually with a Venture Lab team member for a focused, one-on-one conversation. Share what you are exploring, ask questions, and receive recommendations based on where you are now and what you want to accomplish next.
Venture Lab offers many ways to participate and you do not need to navigate them alone. Start Here Mondays gives you a clearer entry point, directs you to the right people and resources, and helps you move forward with confidence.
Upcoming Events
17
April
This workshop is only open to members for VIP-Incubator. Apply to the Incubator on the Venture Lab website!
10
April
Founder Fridays are organic opportunities to connect, brainstorm, and get things done. A space for founders to meet, get advice, share ideas, and focus on building. Drop in anytime! We have light bites and great conversations!
27
March
Whether you're navigating cofounder dynamics, structuring equity, or creating a culture of trust, this in-person workshop is for Penn students and their team members in the VIP Incubator. You’ll learn how to recruit top talent, align your team with your mission, and lead with confidence.
27
February
This is a great workshop that will cover the fundamentals of impact evaluation, with an emphasis on their use in social enterprises.
13
February
Craft a winning pitch in this in-person VIP Incubator workshop. Learn storytelling, build a pitch deck, and refine your messaging!
Wharton Entrepreneurship played a huge role in Avisi's early days. As student entrepreneurs, we hardly knew where to start; but the community gave us the resources, support, and confidence to overcome countless challenges and create a medtech venture. If you're a student, I highly encourage you to explore Venture Lab and think about pursuing entrepreneurship to solve issues you're passionate about - if not now, when, and if not you, who?
Rui Jing Jiang, CEO & Co-Founder, Avisi Technologies Inc
Startup Stories
Find out what's happening across the #entrePENNeur community! Want to tell your story? Contact us at venturelab@upenn.edu.
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