Summer Founders Program
About the program · 1 linked sources
The Summer Founders Program offers $15,000 equity-free grants to startups with at least one Penn State student founder, enabling full-time summer work on their venture. Hosted at Happy Valley LaunchBox in State College for 13 weeks (May-August). Provides weekly coaching, 100+ adviser network, 24/7 coworking access, and software tools.
Also known as: Penn State Summer Founders
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
$15,000
Grant
Equity
None
Application
Annual
Campus Wide
Last activity
2026-06-24
High confidence
Keep this on your radar Deadline reminders ↓
Reminders
Summer Founders Program
Get an email before a director-verified deadline for this program, this school, or this state. The program never sees your address.
Student experiences · Read or add a note
Student notes
Summer Founders Program
No posts yet.
Application and Timing
Annual cycle. Info session February. Applications open February, close early March. Program runs May 20 through August.
Participants
Penn State students from all campuses (including World Campus), undergrad and graduate. Must commit to full-time (40 hrs/week) in State College. Solo founders and teams of 2-3 accepted.
Funding and Equity
$15K equity-free grant per startup. No equity taken. Funded by donor contributions from Y Combinator partner Michael Seibel, Weebly co-founders Chris Fanini and David Rusenko, and others.
Recent Activity
- 2026: Teams selected — FitLifeAI (AI fitness platform), Now You Know (social card game), Vayla (biodegradable hair accessories), Whirl Pong (spinning cup pong).
Known Startups or Winners
- 2026: FitLifeAI, Now You Know, Vayla, Whirl Pong.
Research gaps & things to verify
Verification Gaps
- Historical team lists (pre-2026) not captured.
- Post-program startup outcomes and funding raised.
Additional research notesShow
Evidence
- Summer Founders Program official page with 2026 teams, eligibility, and funding details.[1]
News & articles
News articles and official sources documenting Summer Founders Program at Pennsylvania State University.
1 source
