Drexel Startups Fund

Drexel Startups Fund is a twice-yearly pitch competition that supports student startup ideas. Generous donations from Drexel alums and Yope, a non-profit organization supporting student entrepreneurs nationwide, provide funding for the program.

The competition is run by the Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship and supported through its Baiada Institute for Entrepreneurship team. The competition provides non-dilutive grants, mentoring, investor introductions and incubation services to students for their startup ventures, with a preference for (though not exclusively for) promising senior, graduate or post-graduate students.

The competition has several stages:

• Application (including a required pitch video)
• Application review and selection of applicants for due diligence
• First round presentations from select applicants
• Final round of presentations from select first round presenters
• Awards announcement

Eligibility

Applicants to the program can be from any major and include undergraduate seniors, graduate students and post-graduate. We define post-graduate as someone having graduated within one year of the program application deadline.

How to Participate

A Drexel student must be the founder or co-founder of the venture as designated by the criteria outlined in the Rules and Legal Considerations. Carefully read and review the rules before applying.

Once you’re ready to apply, visit StartupTree: Competitions and select the Drexel Startups Fund.

Selection Committee

A Selection Committee comprised of Drexel faculty, staff and Drexel alumni will meet to review applications and select the awardees. The Committee will recommend the awardees chosen for funding with the final selection made and confirmed by the Office of the Dean at the Close School.

Specific selection criteria will be provided to the competitors.

Awards

Up to twenty thousand ($20,000) may be awarded in this cycle to one or more competitors. Award amounts may vary depending on the decision of the Committee, and the Committee can also decide to not award any amount in any given selection cycle.

Awarded competitors will also have access to mentorship, incubator space in the Baiada Institute and introductions to angel and venture capital funding from the university’s alumni network.

Awards will be considered “prizes” as is typically done for programs such as entrepreneurship competitions and the awards will not have any equity ownership or debt implications. Awardees will receive funding following similar procedures for such awards and will be responsible for taxes on those awards.

Fall 2025 Schedule

• Sunday, Oct. 19 11:59 p.m. ET: Applications due
• Monday, Oct. 27: Announcement of selections for first round presentations
• Tuesday, Nov. 4: First round presentations (online)
• Friday, Nov. 14: Final round presentations (live during Drexel Startup Fest)