What is Startup Launch? 

Startup Launch is an on-campus accelerator to help students launch their startups. 

Do all team members have to be Georgia Tech students? 

No. We require only one team member to be a Georgia Tech student or alumni. The others can be students from other colleges/universities, faculty members, and even people who are already working. 

What do you require of teams accepted into Startup Launch? 

You have to commit at least two members of the team to attend all the summer sessions, team socials, pitch practices, Product Day, and the Demo Day that will occur in the second week of the Fall semester. 

What resources do admitted teams receive? 

$5K in seed funding and $30,000 in in-kind services including legal services, full-time summer coaching from startup experts, mentoring from industry professionals, 24/7 access to collaborative space, and networking with other student startups.

Who is the law firm? 

www.foley.com

What are the summer sessions/what is the format for the summer? 

• 12 weeks during the summer
• Tuesdays, 9-11 a.m. (business updates), 11 a.m. -12 p.m. (topical discussion), 12-1 p.m (group lunch), 1-4 p.m. (1:1 coaching hours)
• Pitch practices, socials, Preview Day, and Demo Day

What are Preview Day and Demo Day?

Product Day is a mid-stream event during Startup Launch. It is a trade-show format event where startups will have booths and will interact with about 400 attendees from Georgia Tech, local startups, industry, and the Atlanta investment community. Demo Day is the graduation event for Startup Launch. It is held in the Fox Theater and usually attracts 1000+ attendees.

Who are the “coaches”? 

Coaches are either faculty members who have startup/business experience or startup veterans from the Atlanta startup ecosystem. Each mini-batch will have two dedicated coaches. You are however welcome to consult with the other coaches as well. 

Who are the “mentors”?

Mentors are usually Georgia Tech alums who are currently in industry and have had successful careers. Each team is attached to two mentors. Each mentor will spend one to two hours per week with the startups.

What do you look for in selecting teams for Startup Launch? 

We look at three things: team, market/problem, product (in that order). Teams that are admitted are strong in one or more of these dimensions. We are looking for a committed team that really wants to make impact through their startups. We favor teams working on big problems over teams that are going after smaller issues. 

I don’t have a team. Can I still get in? 

Yes, if you rate high on other factors above. However, you will still need to find co-founder(s) before the program starts. 

We don’t have a product. Can we still get in? 

Yes, absolutely. We will work with you to build a great product! 

What are some successful startups that have come out of CREATE-X?

FIXD, Gimme, Grubbly, Stord, Replantable, Memeois, CareerBlitz, TopTime, iSimuVR, and Synapse

What happens after Startup Launch?

CREATE-X will continue to work with the startups to help them progress. Topical workshops are offered on a regular basis so that startups can continue to hear and get help from experts. CREATE-X makes investor connections to help startups raise funding.

What information should I have prepared for the application?

Find the list of questions in the Startup Launch application here.

What if I have additional questions about Startup Launch or CREATE-X?

If you have any further questions, please email us at: create-x@groups.gatech.edu.