Harvard Innovation Labs (i-lab)2027 deadline, funding, equity and how to apply

The Harvard Innovation Labs is Harvard University's hub for student and alumni founders. The i-lab opened in 2011 at 125 Western Avenue in Allston, across the river from Harvard Square. It now includes the Student i-lab, the Pagliuca Harvard Life Lab for science ventures, and the Harvard Alumni Launch Lab, added in 2014.

For students, the i-lab takes no equity and charges no rent. Membership in the Student i-lab is not competitive. Any Harvard student, or venture with an active Harvard student founder, can join. Signups for the 2026 to 2027 year reopened on August 17, 2026. Members with an active venture can then apply to the Venture Incubation Program, a 12-week program with fall, spring, and summer cohorts and stage-based support from i-lab coaches.

Alumni have separate options. Launch Lab X is a virtual accelerator for ventures founded and led by Harvard alumni, with at least one alum working full-time on the venture. Its 2026 to 2027 application ran from April 7 to May 12, 2026.

The President's Innovation Challenge is Harvard's flagship venture competition. In 2026 it had 25 finalists from 11 Harvard schools sharing more than $500,000 in prizes funded by the Bertarelli Foundation. Ventures that came through the i-lab include Shield AI, SES, and Veho, which Harvard says are each valued at over $1 billion.

Students first become Student i-lab members, which is open to all Harvard students. Members get workspace in Allston, workshops, office hours with experts in areas like law and fundraising, and access to events. Ventures with active membership can then apply to the Venture Incubation Program.

It runs for 12 weeks in fall, spring, and summer cohorts. Teams get stage-based support from dedicated i-lab coaches, and benefits are added as a venture advances, including concierge introductions, showcase opportunities, and accelerator nominations. The i-lab takes no equity and charges no rent for student ventures.

Alumni ventures can apply to Launch Lab X, a virtual accelerator. The annual President's Innovation Challenge awards prize money to student and select alumni ventures. Harvard also runs the Allston Venture Fund, a separate collaborative that provides pre-seed funding and equity-free grants to student-led ventures.