Program Eligibility

The team lead (lead applicant) must be a currently enrolled Penn student in a degree-granting program who is developing their own venture. First-semester first year undergraduate students are not eligible to apply. Ideally, founders should have participated in the VIP-C program for at least one semester. The team must be based in Philadelphia during their time in the incubator and be able to commit to in-person participation. The VIP incubator is tailored to support ventures that have successfully completed Market Discovery, as outlined in the Venture Development Framework.

Team Venture and Structure:

• Your team has settled on a compelling idea.
• Considered options for business structure

Product Development:

• Your idea/product is actively under development.
• A tangible use case has been identified.

Market:

• An identified pathway to the market is in place, has sense of pros and cons of chosen pathway

Business Model:

• Can describe customer base willing to pay (conceptual prod-market fit)
• Have started speaking to potential customers (surveys, interviews, etc.)

Resource Management:

• A clear understanding of the resources required to achieve the next milestone.

Impact Assessment:

• Articulated an opportunity statement.
• Completed Unique Value Proposition.

VIP-INC is scheduled to run from February 12th to May 10th, 2024, and will take place at Tangen Hall. The bi-weekly group coaching sessions are scheduled around the availability of founders within the cohort and the advisors. 1:1 advising sessions are determined by the founder(s) and their assigned advisor. Accepted participants will receive detailed session information upon confirmation into the program.

VIP-INC is open to founders who are currently enrolled Penn students in degree-granting programs actively developing their ventures. High-potential ventures that have successfully completed Market Discovery are eligible to apply.

VIP-INC participants benefit from direct access to experienced advisors and industry experts, including Social Entrepreneurship Director Julia Middleton , VIP Director Valentina Goutorova, Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIRs), and other alumni experts who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the program.

We offer up to 12 seats per cycle. We offer Fall and Spring cycles.

The VIP-INC program is designed to accommodate ventures based in Philadelphia throughout the 3.5-month incubator journey.

Participants are expected to commit to 1 hour per week (biweekly group coaching sessions or 1:1s) for the 13 week duration. There is an attendance policy, and missing more than 3 sessions may result in removal from the program.

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. The lead applicant, however, must be an active Penn student.

Attend information sessions, actively engage in VIP programming (group coaching sessions, VDF advising sessions, community dinners, and pitch nights). Additionally, refer to the Venture Development Framework (VDF) and utilize the curriculum offered in the Canvas Modules.