Joiner

For those who love working in an entrepreneurial environment, but are not the prime movers creating a new venture. They prefer to join with others and contribute in ways that best fit their skills and preferences.

Top Resources For Joiners

VIP-Practicum invites you to roll up your sleeves and join a startup as an early member of the team. Gain invaluable experience that shapes not only your skills but also the trajectory of ventures on the rise.
The Startup Internship Awards are awarded to select students who will spend the summer interning at a startup and who demonstrate both a commitment to entrepreneurship at Penn and to pursuing an entrepreneurial career.

Embark on your entrepreneurial journey with VIP-C. Whether you're a first-time founder or second-time entrepreneur, VIP-C offers an inclusive space for abundant learning, networking, and community-building.

Joiner Events & Workshops

20
February
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
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!
26
February
Brian co-founded some of the most iconic consumer internet companies including LegalZoom. He invests in consumer product industries.
17
February
Neal is Co-Founder/CEO of Kafene, a $200 million+ POS digital platform that offers underserved consumers flexible financing options.

Related Articles & Stories

Find out what's happening with founders across the #entrePENNeur community! Want to tell your story? Contact us at venturelab@upenn.edu.
By  Jay Kan
, October 13, 2025 11:36 AM
At Tangen Hall, Penn’s interdisciplinary hub for makers, designers, and entrepreneurs, two alumni chose to leave a lasting mark by naming state-of-the-art labs that reflect their personal journeys. Amish Jani (W'99 and WG'00) and Svetlana Dunaevskaya (WG'06) share how naming spaces in Venture Lab became a way to invest in future entrepreneurs, honor family legacies, and create a sense of belonging across borders.
1 Min Read
August 22, 2025 06:10 PM
Two Venture lab alumni are among this year’s 84 Scholars from 25 countries!
2 Min Read
May 06, 2025 12:00 PM
PHILADELPHIA, MAY 02, 2025–The University of Pennsylvania’s Venture Lab is pleased to announce the 2025 winner of its annual Startup Challenge: Sync Labs, founded by Melanie Herbert, EE'25
5 Min Read
By  Jay Kan
, December 16, 2024 02:18 PM
Joseph Kemp, JD, MBA, MSEd (GSE '21), has been recognized on Forbes' 2025 30 Under 30 list in the Games category for his company, Games That Matter, a testament to his innovative approach to gamified education. As the creator of DISBARRED: The Card Game™, Kemp has successfully leveraged his education and the resources at Penn’s Venture Lab to transform how people engage with essential legal knowledge.
3 Min Read
December 13, 2024 02:00 AM
PHILADELPHIA, PA — The Penn Center for Health, Devices, and Technology (Penn Health-Tech) and Venture Lab are excited to announce the launch of the Emerging Leaders in Health Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn ELITE Fellowship). This new initiative will prepare the next generation of health-tech innovators and support the commercialization of university-developed technologies, bridging academia and the healthcare industry.
5 Min Read
December 06, 2024 02:43 AM
Through the four-year consulting program at Penn, undergrads get real-time experience with startups almost from the minute they step on campus.
5 Min Read