Venture Lab Accelerator
A biannual, 10-week accelerator for 7–8 entrepreneurs and their ventures across Deep Tech, Hard Tech, and Health Tech — sourced through a highly selective and competitive process.
What You Can Expect
Every accelerator venture plugs directly into the full resource stack of the 1819 Innovation Hub:
- Coworking - dedicated workspace to build alongside other founders in the program
- Office of Commercialization - direct access to UC's Technology Transfer Office and its IP pipeline
- Makerspace - prototyping infrastructure to move from concept to physical product
- Access to Corporate Innovation - corporate connectivity and introductions across our ecosystem
Funding
Non-dilutive grant capital purpose-built for technology and commercial validation — the stage where most startups stall. The Venture Lab deploys up to $1M a year in funding designed to fund the specific milestones that move a company up the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale.
Studio
VL Studio is where deeper, ongoing engagement happens. For ventures graduating the accelerator, it's the next step: monthly development sessions, EIR advisory boards, corporate connectivity, brand agency access, preferred service providers, and dedicated office space for growth. Studio is also an onramp for companies that didn't come through our accelerator at all — already-validated startups looking for additional strategic investment and support from UC. If your company has proven the model and is ready for a deeper relationship with the 1819 network, Studio is where that conversation starts.
Digital Pre-Accelerator
Not sure if you're ready for the accelerator? Start here. The Digital Pre-Accelerator is a self-paced, online tool that helps founders figure out exactly where their venture stands in the startup journey — what's validated, what's still missing, and what to work on next. It's built to be useful on its own: work through it at your own pace and walk away with a clearer picture of your venture, regardless of what comes next. For founders who are further along, it also doubles as the on-ramp into our Accelerator — helping us understand your venture and helping you understand whether you're ready to apply.