2024 Cohort Information
The Polsky Founders’ Fund Fellowship (PF3) is a resource available to graduating University of Chicago students who are committed to growing a company after graduation, and have a viable plan for growth. The goal of the program is to provide entrepreneurs who have demonstrated progress with their ventures in the last 6 months with funding to sustain momentum on ventures.
To apply, fill out the online application below. All responses require complete honesty and fall under Booth’s and the University of Chicago’s Honor Code. The Polsky Center reserves the right to reach out to the entrepreneur to seek further clarification on any answers provided.
The application deadline is Wednesday, June 5 at 3PM CT. Please contact Gorana Kolar (Gorana.Kolar@chicagobooth.edu) with questions.
In order to qualify, an applicant’s business should be at a point where it has received credible traction and the entrepreneur must demonstrate that he/she is fully committed to working on the business for the foreseeable future. Applicants should have:
- An incorporated business
- A live product/service and paying customers
a. If your business is in an industry that has a long product or sales cycle (e.g., biotech, deeptech), please provide a detailed timeline of your milestones, the anticipated value inflection points (quantitative or qualitative) at these milestones, and how you plan to acquire your first customer.
b. This criteria may be waived on a case by case basis for IP-based ventures with a long path to market. These ventures will receive additional review from the Deep Tech Ventures team at the Polsky Center. - Demonstrated progress on the venture in the past six months and clearly articulated and measurable milestones for future venture growth
- A full-time focus on their startup venture (minimum 40 hours per week)
- Good academic standing with a 2.33 GPA or better
- A graduation date between December 2023 and December 2024
- Entrepreneurs whose startups have received external funding (i.e., institutional investment), which allows them to receive a salary/personal income are not eligible for PF3. If, after receiving a PF3 fellowship, a fellow successfully raises external funding, he or she must notify the Polsky Center to assess continuing eligibility.
Looking for the BUILD Accelerator Application? Click here. >>
LAUNCH ACCELERATOR APPLICATION
The 2024 Polsky Accelerator applications are now open.
There are two programs available to student ventures. These two summer accelerators are differentiated by the stage of your venture.
THIS IS THE APPLICATION FOR THE LAUNCH ACCELERATOR
Learn more about the launch accelerator here. >>
CONTACT
—
Paul Cavalieri
Senior Associate Director and Launch Accelerator Program Director
ELIGIBILITY
—
The LAUNCH ACCELERATOR allows students to spend their summer fundraising for their venture, selling, and gaining/maintaining momentum.
The following people/teams are eligible to apply:
- Full and part-time students of the University of Chicago
- UChicago Alumni within 5 years of graduation
- For-profit or non-profit ventures
Eligible companies plan to focus on:
- Fundraising strategy
- Sales and marketing
- Customer acquisition
Apply if:
- You have robust evidence of traction or product market fit
- Your product/service is ready for seed funding
- Your product/service is in the market and you are focused on sales or growth
- You have completed a track of the New Venture Challenge (optional) or other startup accelerator program
The LAUNCH Accelerator is not differentiated from the BUILD Accelerator based on the quality or potential of your business idea. Each serves a different stage of teams. Applicants are highly encouraged to apply for ONLY the accelerator program that fits the stage of their venture. If you would like to talk to someone about which track might best fit your goals, do not hesitate to reach out to the Polsky Center.
PARTICIPATION EXPECTATIONS
—
- Participants must be committed to working full-time on their business (at least 40 hours/week). Participants CANNOT split the 40 hour time commitment amongst themselves.
- Participants must attend all mandatory programming days.
- Participants must agree to work from provided co-working space, unless an accommodation has been provided by the accelerator team, or unless business operations necessitate otherwise.
- Participants must agree to remain accountable to coaches and mentors.
- Participants must agree to stay on track with milestones
- Participants are expected to communicate needs with program organizers
- Participants must be ready to accelerate!
KEY DATES & DEADLINES
—
- Application deadline: April 1, 2024, 3:00 p.m.
- Admissions begin: Early April 2024
- Interviews: Mid/Late April, 2024
- Final acceptances: Late April/Early May 202
- Orientation: Late May/Early June 2024
- Polsky Accelerator: June 17-August 23, 2024
Looking for the LAUNCH Accelerator Application? Click here. >>
BUILD ACCELERATOR APPLICATION
The 2024 Polsky Summer Accelerator applications are now open.
There are two programs available to student ventures. These two summer accelerators are differentiated by the stage of your venture.
THIS IS THE APPLICATION FOR THE BUILD ACCELERATOR
Learn more about the build accelerator here. >>
CONTACT
—
Paul Cavalieri
Senior Associate Director and BUILD Accelerator Program Director
ELIGIBILITY
—
The BUILD ACCELERATOR allows students to spend their summer building the key elements of their venture, and validating assumptions around their market or customers.
The following people/teams are eligible to apply:
- Full and part-time students of the University of Chicago
- UChicago Alumni within 5 years of graduation
- For-profit or non-profit ventures
Eligible companies plan to focus on:
- Customer and market validation
- The creation or advancement of a pilot or minimal viable product
- Early stage venture creation education
Apply if:
- You have an idea and want to validate it
- You are still building your pilot or MVP, or still need to build these
- You plan to apply to one of the New Venture Challenge tracks the following academic year (optional)
- You are not yet in the market, or are minimally in the market
The BUILD Accelerator is not differentiated from the LAUNCH Accelerator based on the quality or potential of your business idea. Each serves a different stage of teams. Applicants are highly encouraged to apply for ONLY the accelerator program that fits the stage of their venture. If you would like to talk to someone about which track might best fit your goals, do not hesitate to reach out to the Polsky Center.
PARTICIPATION EXPECTATIONS
—
- Participants must be committed to working full-time on their business (at least 40 hours/week). Participants CANNOT split the 40 hour time commitment amongst themselves.
- Participants must attend all mandatory programming days.
- Participants must agree to work from provided co-working space, unless an accommodation has been provided by the accelerator team, or unless business operations necessitate otherwise.
- Participants must agree to remain accountable to coaches and mentors.
- Participants must agree to stay on track with milestones
- Participants are expected to communicate needs with program organizers
- Participants must be ready to accelerate!
KEY DATES & DEADLINES
—
- Application deadline: April 1, 2024, 3:00 PM CT
- Admissions begin: Early April 2024
- Interviews: Mid/Late April, 2024
- Final acceptances: Late April/Early May 202
- Orientation: Late May/Early June 2024
- Polsky Accelerator: June 17-August 23, 2024