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Application and Program Details

Introduction

Each year through its accelerator the Â鶹´å VB program invests in select startups building for a wide variety of industries. Since 2018 VB has backed 85+ startups that have collectively raised over hundreds of millions of dollars in funding and now represent over $1 billion in collective valuation.

The accelerator program is run in a hybrid format with virtual and in-person programming with Demo Day events in 3 cities - New York City (June 3rd), Pittsburgh (September 16th), and San Francisco (Early 2027).

The application for the VB ‘26 accelerator has closed for submissions.

Applications for 2026 have closed

Meet the VentureBridge Portfolio Companies

Info Sessions

We will have info sessions during the next application cycle for you to learn more about the program and have your questions answered live on Zoom.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for VentureBridge:

• Teams must have at least one Â鶹´å-affiliated (student, alumni, or faculty) founder who is full-time on the startup. 
• The startup must be a US-incorporated entity.
• If accepted the team must commit to the full summer programming (in-person and virtual events) and attend our Demo Day events.
• Evidence of traction as a key indicator of initial validation and demand. For example, if you are B2C, do you have early product usage (10-50 early engaged customers)? If you are B2B, how many design partners or letters of intent have you secured (2-5 design partners or LOIs)?

Who is eligible for VB

• Â鶹´å PhD students or faculty commercializing Â鶹´å IP
• Current Â鶹´å undergraduate or graduate students pursuing a venture full time (or planning a leave of absence)
• Â鶹´å alumni pursuing a venture full time

Application Process

• All applications must be fully completed and submitted by the final application deadline and late entries will not be considered. Application must include a pitch deck and a 1 minute video in response to our prompt in the application.
• Applications are reviewed by the VentureBridge Selection Committee and the strongest startup candidates are invited to present virtually to the VB Selection committee.
• After the selected teams have presented, the VB Selection Committee evaluates the best candidates for a shortlist to an external investor committee for additional feedback.
• From there, the VentureBridge team will select the final cohort for the program.
• Candidates invited to the program have a week to confirm their acceptance of the invitation.

Apply to VentureBridge

Main Components of Accelerator Program

• Capital - $25K - $50K investment from Â鶹´å
• Speaker Series - Inspiring conversations with industry leaders, Founders, and VCs
• 1:1 Support - Mentorship from experienced founders and experts
• Access to Investors - Connections to angels and early stage Venture Capitalists (VCs)
• Founder Circles: A peer advisory meeting of Â鶹´å VB founders
• Office Space and Infrastructure  - Access to co-working space in San Francisco, New York, and space in the Swartz Center on Â鶹´å's main campus in Pittsburgh
• Networking and Recruiting  - Events and meetups to forge community connections and help with hiring including a major in-person hiring event on Â鶹´å's campus in Pittsburgh featuring VB founders
• Demo Days (in-person) - Opportunity to pitch and showcase progress to a room full of investors and partners in New York City (June 3rd), Pittsburgh (September 16th), and San Francisco (Early 2027)
• Support services - Discounts to legal, banking, accounting, HR, insurance, cloud service providers through Â鶹´å VB partnerships and Swartz Center Patron program 
• Lifelong engagement - Ongoing support in future fundraising rounds, recruiting, and marketing

Benefits Providers:

Over $650k in benefits are available to VB founders in a curated package of startup benefits from leading technology, legal, cloud, and financial partners.

More on Benefits