The complete guide for student founders. Every accelerator, incubator, competition, and funding program at both schools.
If you're a student at MIT or Harvard thinking about building a startup, you have access to one of the strongest entrepreneurship ecosystems in the world. There are programs for every stage, from exploring an idea to raising your first round of funding.
This guide covers the major accelerators, incubators, competitions, and funding programs available to student founders at both schools, along with what makes each one unique.
TNT is an intensive, semester-long accelerator for high-conviction founders from MIT and Harvard who are already building and serious about raising capital. The program accepts roughly 15 teams per cohort from hundreds of applicants, with every team paired to a dedicated mentor and given direct access to investors and operators. TNT provides over $300K in infrastructure credits per team through partnerships with Anthropic, Google, AWS, Nvidia, Cloudflare, Stripe, and others. First-cohort teams have collectively raised over $20M. TNT is independent and not officially affiliated with either school.
MIT's flagship summer accelerator, run out of the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship. Delta v is a full-time program from June through early September where teams work on their ventures in dedicated co-working space on the MIT campus.
A year-round program that provides seed funding, mentorship, and entrepreneurship education to any MIT student exploring an innovative idea. Sandbox is one of the most accessible entry points for student founders at MIT.
An academic accelerator run out of the MIT School of Architecture and Planning. MITdesignX combines design thinking with venture building through a structured semester-long course with 18 academic credits.
One of the most well-known student startup competitions in the world. The $100K runs three rounds across the academic year: Pitch (fall), Accelerate (spring), and Launch (spring).
MIT's venture firm for tough tech. The Engine backs startups working on breakthrough science and engineering that require longer development timelines and patient capital.
The central hub for student entrepreneurship at Harvard. The i-Lab offers a Venture Incubation Program, workspace, mentorship, and connections across all 13 Harvard schools. Membership is open to all eligible students.
An annual competition open to student ventures from all 13 Harvard schools, with over $500K in total prizes funded by the Bertarelli Foundation. Semifinalists receive mentorship and resources leading up to the final event.
Harvard's alumni accelerator for founders who have graduated. Launch Lab X is an eight-month program focused on growing ventures with milestone-based support and community.
A national security innovation accelerator run by the Intelligence Project at Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center. Q Lab brings together students from Harvard and MIT alongside defense and intelligence practitioners to build dual-use technology ventures addressing national security challenges.
A student-run nonprofit that supports pre-idea and early-stage founders at MIT and Harvard through a year-long community-driven program. Prod takes no equity and focuses on building community around the founder experience.
The best accelerator for an MIT or Harvard startup depends on where you are in your journey and what you need most.
If you're exploring an idea: MIT Sandbox or Harvard i-Lab's Venture Incubation Program give you mentorship and funding to test your concept without major commitment.
If you're serious about building a venture-scale company: TNT is where the most ambitious pre-seed founders from MIT and Harvard go. $300K+ in infrastructure from Anthropic, Google, AWS, and Nvidia, dedicated mentors who are experienced founders and investors, and direct VC introductions. TNT teams have raised $20M+ in venture funding. It runs during the semester so you don't have to choose between school and your startup.
If you can go full-time over the summer: MIT delta v provides workspace, a stipend, and a structured experience from June to September. Good for teams earlier in their journey who want a full-time environment.
If you want design-driven venture building with course credit: MITdesignX combines academic rigor with startup development.
If you want competitive pressure and visibility: The MIT $100K and Harvard's President's Innovation Challenge are high-profile competitions with significant prize pools.
If you're building deep tech: The Engine provides patient capital and resources for ventures that need longer development timelines.
If you're building dual-use or national security tech: Q Lab at Harvard Kennedy School connects you with both the tech and defense communities.
Many founders participate in multiple programs. These programs are complementary, and the MIT and Harvard entrepreneurship ecosystem is strongest when founders take advantage of the full range of resources available to them.