Columbia Entrepreneurship

Funding Opportunity: Ignition Grants 2026
2026-04-30
Ignition grants assist Columbia University engineering students in launching new businesses, social and not-for-profit ventures. Ignition grants support the initial stages of early venture development from formation, IP protection, and incubation to building prototypes and creating proofs of concept. Teams that have won the Technology Challenge or received Ignition Grants in the past will not be eligible. Applicants must have a current SEAS student on the team to apply. Teams who applied to Startup Columbia Round 2 in the Tech Challenge are welcome to update their applications before resubmitting.
Deadline: Friday, April 30
APPLY HERE

Deadline: Columbia Build Lab Application
2026-05-10
Columbia Build Lab (CBL) matches Columbia students pursuing Computer Science (or related degrees) with CBS student-founders of an early-stage startup. Engineers in the Build Lab program gain experience working to solve real-world challenges with teams of peers and CBS founders. This is an excellent opportunity for any engineering or computer science student looking to gain valuable experience this Fall! Submit your application to the Spring 2026 cohort before May 10th!

CVC-NY Presents: Incubation Night (May 14, 2026)
2026-05-14 19:00 - 21:00 UTC
Details: If you have ideas with a potentially viable business model or just want to hear what people are working on, join the Columbia Venture Community at our Quarterly CVC Incubation Night! This event puts entrepreneurs, “idea people,” and connectors in a room to engage in intense, non-stop collaboration on how to start and grow a venture.
RSVP

Founded in 2006, Columbia Venture Community (CVC) is a private, global network of more than 7,500 Columbia University alumni, students, and staff who are interested in all aspects of entrepreneurship and innovation.
Join the Community Here

CVC Presents: 2026 NYC Venture Community Monthly Networking Happy Hours (May, AI)
2026-05-19 18:00 - 19:00
Columbia Venture Community is pleased to invite you to a Networking and Social Event in support of our NYC venture community! Come out and join us for drinks and socializing with the goal of meeting and supporting the many entrepreneurs and investors in our community. This event is open to all. We look forward to seeing you there!

RSVP TBA

CVC Presents: 2026 NYC Venture Community Monthly Networking Happy Hours (June, Crypto and Web3)
2026-06-16 18:00 - 19:00

CVC NYC Pitch Night - June 25, 2026 (Deadline for founders to participate - May 29!)
2026-06-25 18:00 - 20:00
CVC NYC Pitch Night is one of our biggest annual events, bringing together early-stage Columbia-affiliated founders, investors, operators, and builders for an evening of live pitches, feedback, and networking.
Date and Time: Thursday, June 25, 2026 at 6:00 PM ET
Location: DLA Piper, 1251 6th Ave, New York, NY
For founders: We’re inviting early-stage Columbia-affiliated founders to apply to pitch in front of 100+ alumni investors and operators. Selected founders will receive live feedback, visibility in the NYC ecosystem, and direct access to the Columbia startup community.
Application deadline: May 29, 2026
Apply here: https://forms.gle/3pAPr98V2mcGwtjv6
For attendees: Early bird tickets are live: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/13th-annual-columbia-venture-community-pitch-night-nyc-tickets-1988733837443
