The campus field guide
Lafayette College
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Inside this ecosystem · 5 linked sources
Lafayette College is a private liberal arts college founded in 1826, located in Easton, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region. Undergraduate enrollment of ~2,700. Endowment ~$1B. Known for engineering, liberal arts, and its Cur Non ("Why not?") ethos. Its entrepreneurship infrastructure is coordinated through the Dyer Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (founded 2017).
Include. Lafayette has a well-coordinated entrepreneurship ecosystem anchored by the Dyer Center (founded 2017) with multiple funded programs: Venture Studio ($3K), Berg Summer Accelerator ($20K), Big Idea Competition (8th year), and DYER Fellowship ($4K junior investment). As a liberal arts college of ~2,700 students, this is a meaningfully resourced ecosystem with a dedicated center director, multiple non-dilutive funding pathways, and a makerspace. However, it lacks a formal incubator lab space, university-managed venture fund, or technology transfer office. Best classified as a solid liberal-arts entrepreneurship hub.
How we know this: the figures on this page come from the linked sources (last verified 2026-06-24); what those sources do not state is left unknown.
At a glance
Indexed programs
5
All currently active
Top direct funding
$20,000
Berg Summer Accelerator
Equity
No equity on indexed programs
Program mix
5
Accelerator · Pitch Competition · Entrepreneurship Center
Programs to explore
Compare funding, equity, and timing before you apply.
5 programs indexed
Pitch Competition
Big Idea Pitch Competition
Pitch Competition—
funding range
- Last activity
- —
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students
- Verification
- Verified
Accelerator
Berg Summer Accelerator
Accelerator$20,000
funding range
- Last activity
- —
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students
- Verification
- Verified
Incubator
Dyer Venture Studio
Incubator$3,000
funding range
- Last activity
- —
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students
- Verification
- Verified
Entrepreneurship Center
Dyer Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship Center—
funding range
- Last activity
- —
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students
- Verification
- Verified
Fellowship
DYER Fellowship
Fellowship—
funding range
- Last activity
- —
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students
- Verification
- Verified
From students
Be the first student from Lafayette College to post a startup.
Post a startupFunding and Equity
No university-managed venture fund, seed fund, or proof-of-concept fund. The Dyer Center administers multiple non-dilutive funding streams: Venture Studio (up to $3K), Berg Summer Accelerator (up to $20K), Big Idea Competition prizes, DYER Fellowship ($4K junior investment), and grant programs. No equity taken by any program. No formal incubator with dedicated lab space or technology transfer office identified.
Recent Activity
2025: Big Idea Competition 8th annual (Locava winner). Dyer Student Venture Grant program inaugural year recap published (Sep 14). Berg Summer Accelerator active. Venture Studio rolling admissions ongoing. 2024: Big Idea Competition 7th annual (Amazolar runner-up). Student Venture Grant program launched. 2021: DYER Fellowship launched. 2019: Berg Summer Accelerator founded with Chip Bergh gift. 2017: Dyer Center founded.
Known startups and winners
Competition winners and notable student ventures from our research.
Amazolar
2nd place
placement
Lafayette College · Big Idea Pitch Competition
Solar-powered internet for Ecuador; 2024 Lafayette Big Idea Competition runner-up.
CherryTree
1st place
placement
Lafayette College
Local farmer-to-consumer marketplace; 2019 Lafayette Berg Summer Accelerator winner.
GoPeer
1st place
placement
Lafayette College
Affordable online tutoring startup; 2019 Lafayette Berg Summer Accelerator winner.
Hey College Girl
Lafayette College
Planner and lifestyle community; Lafayette Dyer Venture Studio project.
Locava
Lafayette College · Big Idea Pitch Competition
Social discovery platform. 2025 Lafayette Big Idea Competition winner (Dunne '27, Gottfried '27, Melgar '27).
Swipe-it-Forward
Lafayette College
Food security initiative redirecting unused dining dollars; Lafayette student venture.
Historical winners (research notes)
- GoPeer — Affordable online tutoring. 2019 Berg Summer Accelerator winner.
- CherryTree — Local farmer-to-consumer marketplace. 2019 Berg Summer Accelerator winner.
- Locava — Social discovery platform. 2025 Big Idea Competition winner (Dunne '27, Gottfried '27, Melgar '27).
- Amazolar — Solar-powered internet for Ecuador. 2024 Big Idea Competition runner-up (Andrade '25, Belaire '27).
- Hey College Girl — Planner and lifestyle community. Dyer Venture Studio project (Sacotingo '25).
- Swipe-it-Forward — Food security initiative redirecting unused dining dollars (Moore '27).
Research gaps & things to verify
Missing Information
- Big Idea Competition prize amounts (not publicly specified)
- Berg Summer Accelerator post-2019 cohort details
- Venture Studio annual participant count
- Grant program amounts (Impact Lafayette, Innovation Grant)
- Current Dyer Fellow cohort size
- Dyer Center annual budget and staffing
More about this ecosystem
Lafayette College
News & articles
5 news articles and official sources documenting entrepreneurship programs, winners, and activity at Lafayette College.
5 sources
Official sources(5)
Lafayette College
Berg Summer Accelerator
Official Berg Summer Accelerator page. 10-week full-time summer accelerator. Up to $20,000 per team. Mentorship, workshops, dedicated workspace, Demo Day. Supported by Chip Bergh '79 gift.
Read on Lafayette College
Lafayette College
Big Idea Pitch Competition
Official Big Idea Competition page. Annual campus-wide pitch competition. 8th year in 2025. Open to all majors. Teams of 2+ current students. Known winners: Locava (2025), Amazolar (2024).
Read on Lafayette College
Dyer Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Lafayette College
Lafayette College
Dyer Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Official Dyer Center homepage. Central entrepreneurship hub at Lafayette College. Three pillars: Get Inspired, Build Knowledge, Take Action. Key programs: Venture Studio, Berg Summer Accelerator, Big Idea Competition, DYER Fellowship, makerspace, grants.
Read on Lafayette College
Lafayette College
DYER Fellowship
Official DYER Fellowship page. Four-year program for incoming first-year students. Focus on first-generation and underrepresented students. Monthly stipend. $4,000 junior-year venture investment.
Read on Lafayette College
Lafayette College
Dyer Venture Studio
Official Venture Studio page. Rolling admission for all students. Dyer Venture Funding up to $3,000 for prototyping, research, materials, marketing. Limited IP commercialization funding available.
Read on Lafayette College
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