Pava Marie LaPere Center for Entrepreneurship
About the program · 2 linked sources
Central hub for JHU student, alumni, and community entrepreneurship, located at 320 W 29th St in Baltimore's Remington neighborhood. Formerly FastForward U, renamed 2024 to honor Pava Marie LaPere (EcoMap Technologies founder, JHU alumna). Runs the university's entire student-facing entrepreneurship programming including Kindling, Spark, Fuel, Social Innovation Lab, Summer Incubator, Blaze Awards, Ignite Fund, and President's Venture Fellowship. Open 10am-10pm, 7 days/week with co-working space for entrepreneurs.
Also known as: Pava Center, JHU Pava Center for Entrepreneurship
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.
Key numbers
Funding range
Not listed
Equity
None
Application
Rolling
Campus Wide
Last activity
2026-06-24
High confidence
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Known startups and winners
Competition winners and notable student ventures from our research.
Program details
Key Programming
- Kindling Pre-Accelerator — Entry-level in-person program exploring entrepreneurship. Awards up to $700.
- Spark Accelerator — Early-stage student accelerator, 9 weeks, up to $2,000 awards.
- Fuel Accelerator — Later-stage accelerator, semester-long, up to $15,000 including $1K entry + $4K completion + $10K Demo Day.
- Social Innovation Lab — 6-month mission-driven accelerator, $5K grant + $15K prize.
- Summer Incubator — 6-week in-person summer program, $4.5K-$6K stipend.
- Blaze Awards — Year-long grants up to $30,000 non-dilutive.
- Ignite Fund — Monthly rolling grants $100-$1,000, student-led.
- President's Venture Fellowship — Up to $100K + $40K salary for Baltimore-based ventures.
- Alumni Startup Showcase — Inaugural alumni founder networking event.
- Carey Venture Strategy Program — Carey MBA student partnership.
Activity & Impact
Active and growing ecosystem with strong non-dilutive funding pipeline from $100 to $140,000. Accelerators run fall and spring cycles. Blaze/PVF applications open annually. Ignite Fund operates monthly on rolling basis. The Center serves as the primary entry point for all JHU students and alumni seeking entrepreneurship support.
Notes
- All Pava Center funding is non-dilutive (grants, prizes, stipends)
- No dedicated student venture fund
- Part of broader JHTV organization
- Strong Baltimore community focus
- Co-working space available to all participants
News & articles
News articles and official sources documenting Pava Marie LaPere Center for Entrepreneurship at Johns Hopkins University.
2 sources
Pava Center Student Accelerator Programs
Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
Pava Center Student Accelerator Programs
# Pava Center Student Accelerator Programs Pava Center student accelerators: Kindling (pre-accelerator, entry-level, $700/$500/$300 prizes), Spark (early-stage, 9 weeks, up to $2K awards, 50+ teams per showcase), Fuel (later-stage, semester, up to $15K awards, $1K entry + $4K completion + $10K Demo Day prize). Fall and spring cycles. In-person and hybrid options.
Read on Johns Hopkins University
Pava Marie LaPere Center for Entrepreneurship Homepage
Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
Pava Marie LaPere Center for Entrepreneurship Homepage
# Pava Marie LaPere Center for Entrepreneurship Homepage Central hub for JHU student, alumni, and community entrepreneurship located in Baltimore's Remington neighborhood. Open 10am-10pm, 7 days/week. Houses Kindling, Spark, Fuel accelerators, Social Innovation Lab, Summer Incubator, Blaze Awards (up to $30K), Ignite Fund ($100-$1K monthly), and President's Venture Fellowship ($100K + $40K salary). Non-dilutive funding from $100 to $140,000.
Read on Johns Hopkins University