Launchpad Services

Working across campus and the community, and through a powerful collaboration with the Blackstone LaunchPad - Techstars global network, we offer a variety of services for inventors and innovators.

Activities

The LaunchPad prepares Syracuse University applicants to compete in large prestigious NYS competitions, such as 43 North, GENIUS-NY and 76 West.  Teams working with the LaunchPad won the $1 million 43North grand prize and GENIUS-NY prizes.

  • Orange Central alumni entrepreneur event
  • ‘Cuse Tank
  • Global Entrepreneurship Week
  • Impact Prize
  • Hult Prize
  • Syracuse University ACC InVenture Prize
  • RvD iPrize
  • Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards
  • Compete CNY regional qualifier for the New York State Business Plan Competition

Mentors

The LaunchPad augments its professional staff with student innovation mentors, providing outreach, peer support, and multidisciplinary skill sets. 

These student employees help run events like Startup Weekend with Techstars, which build the pipeline for the program, and provide direct technical support for student startups.

They come from various academic programs to ensure cross-functional support with skills in engineering, software and data management, industrial design and product development, graphic design, web design and UX, digital media and content development, marketing, sales and finance.

We also offer mentors from our alumni and professional networks. Learn more about joining our mentor network to offer your skills, time and guidance to new entrepreneurs and innovators.

Syracuse University Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars.
1
Campus-Wide Accessibility

CAMPUS-WIDE ACCESSIBILITY for faculty, staff and students across all majors, with a focus on inclusive entrepreneurship.

2
One-Stop Connections

ONE-STOP CONNECTIONS to the University’s robust network of entrepreneurial resources, programs and activities, through a “hub and spoke model” that is highly collaborative.

3
One-on-One Mentoring

ONE-ON-ONE MENTORING that cultivates entrepreneurial thinking and helps ventures from ideation to acceleration.

4
Impact Entrepreneurship

IMPACT ENTREPRENEURSHIP programming that catalyzes civic engagement and social entrepreneurship, and can facilitate innovation within existing organizations and the public sector, as well new venture creation.

5
Specialized Tools

SPECIALIZED TOOLS to help get startups off the ground and scale, including an exclusive technology platform for students to build teams around their ideas, find mentors, collaborate, conduct patent searches, and showcase their ideas to potential investors;

6
Team Building

INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM BUILDING for ideation and venture formation, utilizing collaboration and cross-functional teams to accelerate innovation.

7
Access to World-Class Content

ACCESS TO WORLD-CLASS TECHSTARS CONTENT AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, including training materials and global mentors and serial entrepreneurs who are part of the prestigious Techstars network, and streamlined access to renowned Techstars accelerator programs.

8
Global Connections

REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND GLOBAL CONNECTIONS to venture leaders and top accelerators to share best practices, engage with successful entrepreneurs, expand networks, and find partners.

9
Competitions

GLOBAL, NATIONAL, STATE, REGIONAL AND CAMPUS BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITIONS that provide opportunities to earn seed funding, and meet peer entrepreneurs from around the country, and around the world.

10
Workshops

WORKSHOPS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS to build competence through experiential learning, and highly ranked Syracuse University entrepreneurship education programs.

11
Investment Opportunity

CONNECTIONS TO FUNDERS AND AN INVESTMENT-READY ROADMAP that can help ventures prepare for funding, identify sources of investment, and advance through the capital continuum.

12
Training Programs and Networking Events

TRAINING PROGRAMS AND NETWORKING EVENTS, including Fireside Chats and Toolkit Series, and the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (NSF I-Corps) that build a University-wide innovation infrastructure, bringing together entrepreneurs, researchers, investors and funders, as well as technical service providers.

13
Guest Office Hours

GUEST OFFICE HOURS with entrepreneurs in residence, and technical assistance providers such as the U.S. Small Business Administration, LaunchNY, New York State Science and Law Technology Center, CNY Biotechnology Accelerator, MedTech, The Manufacturer’s Association of Central New York, The Tech Garden, WISE Women’s Business Center, and other state and regional resources.

14
Campus Partners

CAMPUS PARTNERS, including the Invent@SU program, Syracuse University College of Law, Innovation Law Center, Syracuse University Office of Technology Transfer, Syracuse Center of Excellence, Martin J. Whitman Falcone Center, Newhouse Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship, iSchool IDS Student Sandbox program (now located at the LaunchPad), SOURCE (Office of Undergraduate Research located in SU Libraries), and the Syracuse University Office of Community Engagement, among others.

15
Founders Circle

FOUNDERS CIRCLE alumni network that leverages the power of the Syracuse University alumni network as mentors for student innovators.

Learn more about our programs at launchpad.syr.edy/programs.