The E-Team Program, part of the VentureWell Accelerator, supports student ventures as you embark down the path you’re likely to take as an innovator and entrepreneur. We help you advance your invention through a powerful mix of up to $25,000 in grant funding, entrepreneurship training, mentorship by dedicated staff, national recognition, and networking with peers and industry experts.
Do you have an idea that can change the world? Every year, we award over $800,000 in non-dilutive E-Team grants to early-stage innovator teams that develop scalable innovations which aim to solve a large social, health, or environmental challenge.
Pioneer for the E-Team Program: The First Stop in Bringing Your Innovation to Life
You’ll start your entrepreneurship journey with Pioneer, the first stage of the E-Team Program. Through $5,000 in non-dilutive funding and an entrepreneurship training workshop designed to help you discover the best market for your invention, we kickstart your potential and outline the possible pathways for your invention.
Propel for the E-Team Program: Build and Test Your Business Model
Once you have successfully completed Pioneer and built a strong foundation for advancing your innovation, you’re eligible to level up and apply for Propel. Propel offers an additional $20,000 in non-dilutive funding and three months of training focused on supporting you as you build your business model canvas and make plans for testing your business hypotheses. Your new discovery can change the world.
Program Eligibility
How do we know if our project is a fit for the E-Team Program?
If your project or product is a science/engineering-based innovation that will benefit people or the planet and your intention is to get it to the market, you’re a fit! Competitive proposals demonstrate the following:
- Your team is solving a big problem (or addressing a big opportunity)
- Your product has a positive impact on society
- What your team is doing is scalable
Still not sure? Contact us.
What types of projects/products does VentureWell fund?
Some examples include medical or healthcare-related devices; products to aid in poverty alleviation or address basic human needs; and clean/green technologies.
We are currently students but one or both of us are graduating—can we still apply?
Students need to be actively enrolled in school at the beginning of the grant period (when their university disburses the funds). However, this varies from school to school, so it’s best to discuss this with your administrative contact.
- Application Deadline: January 28, 2025
- Pioneer In-Person Workshop: April 24-25, 2025, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
- Propel In-Person Workshop: May 8-9, 2025, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH