The Georgia Institute of Technology’s CREATE-X Startup Launch, a program for Georgia Tech students and alumni who want to launch their projects from idea stage (or beyond) into fully functioning and viable startups, is now accepting applications for summer 2022. The deadline to apply is March 14, 2022.

Startup Launch was established through CREATE-X, a Georgia Tech initiative devoted to instilling entrepreneurial confidence in students and empowering them to launch successful startups. The overall entrepreneurial confidence initiative is a pathway, consisting of undergraduate and graduate curricular and co-curricular learning opportunities that, in total, give all interested students, regardless of major or year of study, the skills to value and pursue entrepreneurial opportunities that are real, not theoretical; in short, CREATE-X enables students to be “entrepreneurially confident.” 

The Startup Launch pilot program was introduced in summer 2014 with eight teams and 30 students participating from a wide variety of disciplines. To date, the program has helped launch more than 300 companies founded by Georgia Tech students, including “unicorn” startup Stord, who reached a valuation of over $1.4 billion in 2021. The summer 2022 on-campus accelerator will be the ninth iteration of the program.

“Startup Launch provides students an incredible opportunity to create real startups,” said Rahul Saxena, Interim Director for CREATE-X. “Through the program, CREATE-X is working to establish Georgia Tech as the number one startup campus in the nation with the most funded student startup enterprises.”

When selecting participants for Startup Launch, CREATE-X evaluates the team, market/problem, and product. Teams accepted into the program receive $5,000 in seed funding and $30,000 worth of in-kind services to put students on the road to startup success. In-kind services include:

• Intense coaching from experienced entrepreneurs and business faculty
• Mentorship from industry veterans and notable Georgia Tech alumni
• Pro-bono legal incorporation services from a full-service law-firm 
• Accounting services from a CPA firm including tax planning and compliance
• 24/7 access to co-working office space
• Access to prominent investors at Demo Day

“FIXD wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for CREATE-X,” said John Gattuso, CEO of FIXD. “The program gave us the confidence to start our company and make it our full-time job after graduating.”

Both FIXD and Stord started with CREATE-X as an idea that evolved into a successful startup.

During the 12-week summer program, Startup Launch participants attend sessions, team socials, and pitch practices. In addition, they have the opportunity to attend Product Day, a trade-show format event where startups can interact with attendees from Georgia Tech, local startups, industry, and the Atlanta investment community, and Demo Day, Startup Launch’s signature event that attracts more than 1,000 attendees.

Following the completion of Startup Launch, CREATE-X continues to work with founders by offering workshops and making investor connections to help startups progress.

Students and alumni who are interested in participating in the summer 2022 Startup Launch program can apply online at bit.ly/cxstartuplaunch22 through March 14, 2022.