Anyone at Penn—undergrads, grads, PhDs, and MBAs—who's serious about building something. Each founder should create their own profile. While we can’t add non-Penn affiliates, co-founders who aren't part of Penn are welcome to participate as guests of their co-founders.

Nope! You can join at any stage—from idea to launch.

Beyond registering your venture, VIP Incubator is self-paced—you decide how and when to engage. There are no mandatory sessions, but we recommend attending bootcamps, office hours, and Founder Fridays to get the most out of the program. To remain an active member, you should regularly participate, make progress on your venture, and stay engaged with the community.

VIP-X is a structured, high-intensity accelerator for advanced ventures that have demonstrated traction or deep knowledge of their opportunity, solution/product, and customer. VIP Incubator is flexible and open-ended—you engage at your own pace and use the resources as needed.

VIP Incubator is an in-person program based at Tangen Hall, and members are expected to participate on-site. However, we offer select virtual events—primarily for non-Philly-based students, like WEMBAs—so they can still engage with mentors and workshops remotely.

ou must be a VIP Incubator member. Once accepted, you’ll gain access to our Incubator Canvas site, where you can schedule appointments, book office hours, and access key startup resources.

VIP-INC is open to ventures across various industries, including social and non-profit ventures.

Absolutely! We encourage full team participation (including co-founders or team members who are not affiliated with Penn) to maximize the program's impact on your venture's growth. We believe that this fosters a collaborative learning environment and strengthens the support network.