Build and Launch Accelerators
The Polsky Center Build and Launch Accelerators give teams the opportunity to work intensively and exclusively on their businesses and social enterprises in a collaborative, dynamic environment over the summer.
The Build Accelerator lets students focus on building the key elements of their venture and validating assumptions about their market or customers, while the Launch Accelerator focuses on fundraising, selling, and gaining and maintaining momentum.
Founders will also travel to San Francisco for a 2-night, 3-day field experience, meeting with University of Chicago alumni and immersing themselves in the West Coast startup community.
Benefits
Teams selected for the accelerator receive both venture funding and founder support, including access to dedicated coaches with expertise in fundraising, sales, and marketing; office hours with VCs and other Chicago innovation partners; and more than $100,000 in in-kind services and resources.
$10,000 SAFE Investment (per team)
- Issued through the University’s SAFE agreement
- Paid to the venture for business expenses (software, legal, marketing, etc.)
- One investment per team
$5,000 Founder Stipend (per eligible founder, max 2)
Eligible founders must:
- Be a current student or alum of a UChicago degree program
- Work full-time (40 hours/week) on the venture during the program
- Participate in person in Chicago for the duration of the program
- Hold equity in the venture
The stipend is non-dilutive and intended to offset living expenses during the summer.
Eligibility
Teams must include at least one founder who is:
- A current full- or part-time student at the University of Chicago, or
- A UChicago alum
Eligible ventures may be for-profit or non-profit.
Build Accelerator
The Build Accelerator is designed for student and alumni founders who want to spend the summer validating their venture, building core elements of their product, and preparing for market entry.
This program is a fit if you:
- Have an idea you want to validate
- Are building (or need to build) a pilot or MVP
- Are not yet in market, or only minimally in market
- Want structured support around customer and market validation
- May plan to apply to a New Venture Challenge track in the future (optional)
Launch Accelerator
The Launch Accelerator is designed for student and alumni founders who are in market and ready to spend the summer focused on fundraising, sales, and growth.
This program is a fit if you:
- Have strong evidence of traction or product–market fit
- Are ready to pursue seed funding
- Are actively in market and focused on sales, customer acquisition, or growth
- Have completed a New Venture Challenge track or other accelerator program (optional)
Expectations
Participants are expected to:
- Work full-time (40 hours/week) on their venture (time cannot be split across teammates)
- Attend all mandatory programming
- Work from the provided co-working space (unless otherwise approved)
- Stay accountable to coaches, mentors, and milestones
- Communicate proactively with program staff
Participants should be ready to fully commit to accelerating their venture over the summer.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply only to the track that matches their current stage. If unsure, contact the Polsky Center team for guidance.
Sponsors
John Edwardson, MBA ’72
The Kaplan Family
Kenneth W. O’Keefe, MBA ’93
Karthee Madasamy, MBA ’06
Ellen Rudnick, MBA ’73 & Paul Earle
Thomas W. Wells, MBA ’94
Partners
