Frequently Asked Questions

Thank you for your interest in LLX GEO! Please find answers to the most frequently asked questions below.

1. What’s the length of the program?

The program runs for approximately six months. It begins with an in-person orientation in September followed by an official kick-off in October. Founders are expected to meet twice monthly for one to two hours.

2. Who is eligible to apply for LLX GEO?

LLX GEO is open to for-profit and nonprofit Harvard alumni-founded ventures across a wide range of industries. Your venture should be a pre-seed to seed-stage venture working towards product-market fit. Ventures that are admitted may have achieved some of the following milestones: monetization as proof of demand, an ongoing or completed pilot study, and/or meaningful feedback and traction from end-users. Our goal is to accept teams at a similar stage of venture creation.

Here are our eligibility requirements:

• Teams must have a Harvard alum as a full-time founder; the Harvard founder cannot be working in another role or capacity.
• Teams must demonstrate that they have funding to sustain their ventures for the six-month program.
• Ventures must have less than $2 million USD in revenue. In addition, they may not have raised more than $2.5 million USD (not including grants) in total debt/invested equity capital. Teams must meet both criteria. Invested capital is defined as funding appearing on the plan’s balance sheet at the time the application is submitted. Teams will disclose any prior funding received at the time of application.
• Harvard investors are not eligible to submit companies unless they are identified as a founder or co-founder who holds a majority stake in the venture and is involved full-time in day-to-day operations.
• The Harvard founder must be present at all events and be the pitch lead.
• Investment funds, acquisitions, and consulting services are not deemed “ventures” and are not eligible.
• Previous Launch Lab and Launch Lab X participants cannot apply with the same venture.
• The Harvard Innovation Labs reserves the right to remove an individual or team that violates the rules or spirit of the program. This decision is final and binding.

3. Do Extension School, Executive Education, HBS Online, and postdoctoral students qualify for LLX GEO?

This program is only open to individuals who have graduated from a degree-granting program and have Harvard alumni status, which is confirmed before acceptance letters are sent. Postdoctoral students are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

4. Can former Harvard Innovation Lab teams or President’s Innovation Challenge participants apply?

Yes! We welcome alumni who have already participated in our programs as well as those who are new to the Harvard Innovation Labs.

5. What are you looking for in a venture (and how early is too early to apply)?

If you are just developing your idea, exploring potential customers, and validating the problem, you are likely too early. A good litmus test is your ability to answer at least 90% of the questions in the application. The sooner you apply, the more time we’ll have to review your application and reach out to you if we have questions.

6. What is the acceptance rate?

The acceptance rate is determined by the quality and stage of applicants. LLX GEO is a program designed for a carefully curated community of teams that are at a similar point in their venture’s life cycle.

7. For accepted venture teams, how much programming is offered each month?

We host one to two sessions each month lasting one to two hours. Attendance is mandatory and active participation is key to your success. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, if you do not attend two or more learning sessions during the six-month program, we may ask you to withdraw. Our goal is to build and maintain a cohort of individuals and teams that stay connected to each other and are committed to the learning process.

8. With the program being online, how structured is it?

In order to create consistency and ease for founders, most programming takes place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays with sessions primarily in the mornings or afternoons Eastern Standard Time. (We may update the timing based on speaker availability and the geographies of teams.) We will provide you with a calendar of events for the year, and we may offer new sessions on timely topics. You will also be invited to community-building events to forge deeper relationships with your cohorts.

9. How do I get personalized advice on my venture?

LLX GEO teams have access to experts on a wide range of topics. Some of these experts may turn into your advisors, and we will ensure that you have several opportunities to receive structured feedback from experts during pitch feedback sessions

11. Does Harvard Innovation Labs take any equity in the venture?

Harvard Innovation Labs does not take any equity in your venture and remains an “IP-free zone.”

12. Do all co-founders need to be Harvard alumni?

No, your venture must have at least one co-founder who is a Harvard alum to be eligible. We may ask the Harvard lead to confirm their equity holdings.

13. Can LLX GEO ventures work out of the Harvard Innovation Labs?

The Harvard Innovation Labs is currently open to alumni teams in the Launch Lab X GEO program. Each team must apply for access which is reviewed every semester.

14. What do you look for in an application

Our reviewers come from a diverse range of backgrounds. If you have a sophisticated venture or are entering a new space, please take care to fully explain the breadth and scope of your venture. It’s important to highlight how big the market opportunity is for your venture, the unit economics, and how you will generate revenue. Most importantly, we want to understand why you want to join the program and how you plan to contribute to the LLX GEO community now and into the future.

15. How much detail should we provide in the financial projections section of the application?

You only need to provide high-level financial projections. We do not need to see your financial accounting. What are the key drivers of business economics (e.g., price points, margins, customer acquisition costs)? What do you anticipate as the primary cost/revenue streams? Please define your assumptions so it is clear that you have developed a realistic model. Upload any financial projections on the Portfolio tab.

16. How does the program support raising a seed round or other funding?

In addition to connecting you with VCs during the programming and pitch feedback sessions, teams that complete the program will be invited to Online Demo Day in May/June when you will have access to more than 1,000 investors.

17. Who do we contact with additional questions?

Please contact Thara Pillai or Alexa Barry at i-labalumni@harvard.edu with questions regarding the program or the application process.