Accelerate What Comes Next
VIP-X/San Francisco is Venture Lab’s four-month accelerator for Penn student and alumni founders building ventures in the Bay Area. Through personalized advising, peer collaboration, funding opportunities, and access to the Penn and Wharton entrepreneurial network, founders gain the focus, relationships, and accountability needed to reach their next significant milestone.
Penn students & alumni | San Francisco Bay Area | Four months, in person | Up to seven ventures per cohort
Penn’s Entrepreneurship Ecosystem, Connected to the Bay Area
Venture Lab is the University of Pennsylvania’s hub for entrepreneurship and innovation. Through a partnership among the Wharton School, Penn Engineering, and the Stuart Weitzman School of Design, Venture Lab connects students and alumni across Penn with programs, expertise, funding, spaces, and community.
At Wharton San Francisco, VIP-X/SF extends that ecosystem into the Bay Area and creates a focused pathway for founders ready to move from early traction toward sustained growth.
A Focused Accelerator for Ventures With Momentum
VIP-X/SF is designed for founders who have moved beyond the idea stage and are prepared to address the strategic, operational, and organizational decisions that shape early-stage growth.
Each cohort combines one-on-one and group advising, peer accountability, seed-funding and award opportunities, community, and co-working access at Wharton San Francisco. The program is offered in fall and spring cycles, and participating ventures complete one four-month term.
Is Your Venture Ready for VIP-X/SF?
Competitive applicants should be able to demonstrate the following:
- Penn affiliation: A current Penn student or Penn alumnus/alumna holds a leadership role in the company.
- Bay Area presence: The founder or founding team will be based in the San Francisco Bay Area for the duration of the cohort.
- Validated demand: The venture has credible evidence of customer or user interest and a clear problem-solution fit.
- Measurable traction: The company can show progress through revenue, customers, users, pilots, partnerships, or another meaningful indicator.
- A capable team: The venture has the core expertise and commitment needed to execute its next stage of growth.
- Readiness to participate: The founder can attend all required in-person sessions and actively apply advising between meetings.
Recommended preparation: MGMT 231/MGMT 806: Venture Implementation, the Wharton Entrepreneurship Specialization or comparable hands-on founder experience.
What Founders Gain
VIP-X/SF gives founders targeted support around the decisions most critical to their companies.
- Personalized advising: Work with faculty, investors, operators, and experienced advisors on venture-specific priorities.
- Peer founder community: Learn alongside a small cohort of Penn-affiliated entrepreneurs navigating similar growth challenges.
- Funding opportunities: Gain consideration for seed funding, awards, and other eligible Venture Lab opportunities.
- Wharton San Francisco access: Use co-working and convening space during the cohort.
- Network access: Build relationships across the Penn and Wharton alumni, investor, mentor, and industry communities.
- Long-term connection: Remain part of the Venture Lab community beyond the formal program experience.
Built Around Advising, Accountability, and Execution
Each VIP-X/SF cohort runs for approximately four months. Required in-person sessions are held at Wharton San Francisco every two to three weeks and combine cohort discussions, milestone reviews, strategic workshops, peer feedback, one-on-one advising, and expert engagement.
Founders should plan for at least two hours per week across program meetings and advising, in addition to independent venture work between sessions. Consistent attendance and active participation are required.
Fall 2026 Applications
Applications are open July 20-August 9, 2026. The deadline is August 9, 2026, at 8:59 p.m. PT. Selected applicants will advance to live pitches, and accepted founders must attend all required in-person sessions and events at Wharton San Francisco.
- Live pitches: August 21, 2026, 7:30-10:30 a.m. PT
- Cohort kickoff: August 28, 2026, 7:30-11:00 a.m. PT
- Cohort sessions: Seven sessions from September 11 through December 11, 2026, generally held from 7:30-9:30 a.m. PT, with individual advising following most sessions.
Engage With Venture Lab
VIP-X/SF connects founders with the broader Penn entrepreneurship ecosystem while creating meaningful opportunities for alumni, mentors, investors, donors, and industry partners to contribute.
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Founders: Access advising, community, mentorship, and growth resources.
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Alumni and Mentors: Share expertise and support emerging Penn entrepreneurs.
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Investors and Partners: Connect with entrepreneurial talent and promising early-stage ventures.
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Donors and University Stakeholders: Help expand access to entrepreneurship and strengthen Penn’s innovation ecosystem.