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IncubatorDirect fundingNo equityVerified

TIA Incubator

Also known as: Thought Into Action Incubator, TIA

Colgate University · Hamilton, NY

Thought Into Action (TIA) Incubator is Colgate University's flagship entrepreneurship program, founded in fall 2009. The year-long program (September-April) guides student entrepreneurs through venture creation with 7 monthly workshops, mid-month conference calls, deliverables, and intensive alumni mentorship. Teams develop businesses, nonprofits, social enterprises, or campus initiatives. The program culminates in the TIA Entrepreneur Showcase. Cumulative impact (as of 2019): 528+ entrepreneurs, 349+ ventures, 150+ mentors.

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Quick fit check

  • Offers direct funding
  • No equity required
  • Currently active
  • Verified by research

Key numbers

Funding range

$5,000 – $5,000

Grant

Equity

None

Application

Annual

Campus Wide

Last activity

2026-04-11

High confidence

Application and Timing

Annual cycle: September-April. Application process includes written application and in-person interview. Workshops held first Saturday of each month, 10am-3pm (mandatory in-person attendance). Summer research required before first workshop. 7 workshops + mid-month calls + 3 deliverables between workshops.

Participants

Open to all Colgate students (all class years) as well as alumni, faculty, staff, and local community members. Teams require at least 2 founding members. Open to for-profit, nonprofit, and campus initiatives.

Funding and Equity

Up to $5,000 in seed grant funding per venture, disbursed as venture develops (ideation through scaling stages). Non-dilutive grants. No equity taken. Additional funding available through TIA Summer Accelerator and TIA Entrepreneur Showcase.

Recent Activity

2025-2026 cohort active as of April 2026. Grand Challenges series (AI, Sustainability, Mental Health) integrated into incubator programming. TIA now in its 16th year. NYS Business Incubator & Innovation Hot Spot designation with $625K grant over 5 years.

Verification Gaps

  • Venture count data from 2019 (10-year retrospective); current numbers likely higher.
  • Seed grant disbursement schedule across stages.
  • Selection rate and cohort size by year.

TIA Incubator

Known Ventures

  • PLNT (Porter Comstock '26) — Plant industry modernization. 2026 Showcase winner ($10K).
  • MajiSafi Solutions (Agnes Ndanu '28) — Water scarcity in Kenya. $2,500 Chicory Award.
  • Hatch Pay (Fletcher Goodell '26) — Digital wallet for event payments.
  • EchoScape (Mike Ahearn Wilcox) — Therapeutic sound design.
  • Cha'Gate — Bubble tea venture on campus.
  • RUBY (Riley Decker '23, Emily Untermeyer '23) — Food waste reduction.
  • SoilSoul (Harshitha Talasila '26) — Sustainable farming.
  • Vitalize (Talia Broder '28) — Health/wellness.
  • Oasis Running (Andrew Sullivan '26) — Running apparel.
  • Scores of additional ventures across consumer, tech, social impact, and campus categories.
Additional research notesShow