Harvard Innovation Labs opens applications for startup accelerator

The Harvard Innovation Labs announced this week that applications are open for Launch Lab X GEO, a virtual accelerator designed to help Harvard alumni-led ventures grow from pre-seed-stage startups to sustainable, disruptive businesses with real-world impact. 

“Since introducing Launch Lab X in 2018, we’ve seen how bringing together alumni-led ventures from diverse industries creates an incredibly vibrant and supportive community that elevates every member of the cohort,” said Matt Segneri, Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Executive Director of the Harvard Innovation Labs. “In planning the 2020–2021 Launch Lab X program, we wanted to make our alumni accelerator available to even more high-potential ventures from around the world, and design programming that would foster strong relationships in a virtual environment.”  

Launch Lab X GEO is for Harvard alumni-led founders of for-profit and non-profit ventures across a wide range of industries. Ventures accepted into the Launch Lab X GEO will participate in a nine-month virtual accelerator that is based on four central pillars: 

• Knowledge sharing — From designing a product roadmap to scaling culture, the Harvard Innovation Labs will connect Launch Lab X GEO venture teams with world-class advisors. 
• Founder talks — Launch Lab X GEO venture teams will learn from leaders with incredible entrepreneurial stories. These talks will feature founders from a wide range of industries and backgrounds who have built and scaled successful startups. 
• Alumni circles — Led by later-stage entrepreneurs and leaders within the i-lab, these lightly facilitated, informal conversations allow founders to share their entrepreneurial challenges openly. 
• Pitch sessions — During these sessions, venture teams learn how to pitch with precision and heart, in front of a diverse group of accomplished founders and investors. 

In the spring of 2021, select Launch Lab X GEO ventures will present their work in the 10th Annual Harvard President’s Innovation Challenge Awards Ceremony, where winners will be awarded $100,000 in Bertarelli Foundation Prizes. 

“What sets the Launch Lab X accelerator apart is its focus on customization,” said Thara Pillai, director of alumni programs and engagement at the Harvard Innovation Labs. “Launch Lab X’s adaptive, milestone-based approach meets each venture where they are, and guides them through de-risking their business models, validating their value propositions, and building strong relationships with their customers, global alumni, and especially one another.”  

Applications for Launch Lab X GEO are open through July 27. Information sessions will be held on July 7 and July 15. To learn more, visit innovationlabs.harvard.edu/launch-lab-x.