Overview

There are many ways you can get involved with the Harvard Innovation Labs.

As a current, Harvard student, you can drop in and work on your innovative idea from within our space. You can also attend our workshops. And, you can also schedule appointments to meet with our advisors and experts to answer any and all questions. You can also apply to the Venture Program (VP) for more hands-on accelerated help with your idea.

As a Harvard alumni, you can apply to the Launch Lab X GEO accelerator or the Life Lab and get access to the great resources the Innovation Labs has to offer.

Drop-in

If you’re a current, full-time Harvard undergraduate or graduate student, you already have access to the i-lab with your Harvard ID. If you’re a Harvard Extension School student, find out how you can get involved. (If, for some reason, your ID doesn’t work, contact a staff member for assistance. Access issues are usually resolved within a few days.)

You’re welcome to use the space to ask questions, share your ideas, meet other students who are working on their startups, or to start your own project. Whether you have a seed of an idea, are working on something that’s more fully developed, or have even an iota of interest in innovation and entrepreneurship, we’re here to help you explore.

Office Hours

The i-lab hosts office hours with experts- and entrepreneurs-in-residence (EiRs), faculty mentors, i-lab staff, legal partners, funders-in-residence (VCs), and other visiting practitioners who can help you grow your ideas and move your ventures forward. If you’re new to the i-lab and have general questions or don’t know where to start, we recommend meeting with an i-lab staff expert, first. For students who have questions about their career, venture, or business planning issues, or about innovation in general, the EiR program is a great way to get answers.

Workshops

The i-lab hosts a number of workshops each semester that are open to all Harvard students. If you’re interested in a workshop topic, we encourage you to sign up. They’re a great way to learn, as well as connect with potential team members, founding partners, and experts.

President’s Innovation Challenge

If you have an idea for a sustainable venture that can address a social issue (such as sustainability or equality), respond to the desperate need for innovation within the health and science industry, or make advancements in other areas that transcend categories, the President’s Innovation Challenge is waiting for you.

This Challenge encourages Harvard students to create sustainable ventures that solve social issues (such as equitability, sustainability, safety), respond to the desperate need for innovation within the health and science industry, and make advancements in other areas that transcend categories. The President’s Innovation Challenge is open to teams that include at least one matriculated, full-time and degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate Harvard student, Harvard postdoctoral fellow, or Harvard clinical fellow. Teams compete for a share of $510,000. Get additional information, including selection criteria and prize information, and learn how to apply.

Launch Lab X GEO

Our latest offering is Launch Lab X GEO, an accelerator exclusively for Harvard alumni-led ventures. Launch Lab X GEO was built from the ground up to support the development of your venture from seed-stage startup to sustainable, disruptive business.

Pagliuca Harvard Life Lab

The Pagliuca Harvard Life Lab serves eligible Harvard alumni, faculty and students who are leading high-potential early-stage life sciences startups, with a fully equipped wet lab environment and exclusive access to business-building programming within the Harvard Innovation Labs network of advisors and mentors.

AR/VR Studio

The AR/VR Studio is a resource for any full-time, degree-seeking Harvard students working on projects and developing ventures in the augmented, virtual, and mixed reality spaces and all members of the Venture Program (i-lab, Launch Lab X GEO, and Life Lab).

Maker Studio

The Maker Studio is a resource available to members in the Venture Program. The Maker Studio features a wet zone, a dry zone, multiple 3-D printers and resources, collaborative team space, and areas devoted to assembly, manufacturing, rubber molding, and soldering.

Media Studio

The Media Studio is a resource to help you create multimedia assets for your idea or venture. It features podcasting and video-making equipment.