Applications for Summer 2026 open in January
The Petersen Family Venture Accelerator (SVA) is designed to help student teams move from idea to market in just three months, setting ventures up for sustainable growth beyond the program.
Venture teams selected for the program will have the opportunity to receive up to $5,000 in venture funding to support their early-stage operations and go-to-market strategies.
The SVA is open to all current CSU undergraduate and graduate students, as well as alumni who have graduated within the past year.
All venture types are welcome, including:
- For-profit, non-profit, and B-Corp models
- Product-, service-, or tech-based ventures
- Small business, scalable startup, and social entrepreneurship ventures
Program Timeline (Tentative)
- Applications Open: January 2026
- Applications Due: March 2026
- Ventures Announced: April 2026
- Accelerator Program: June – July 2026
- Funding: Up to $5,000 in venture funding per team
Application Requirements
- Completion of Venture Validator (Free sign up @ innovate.colostate.edu; email csu_entrepreneurship@colostate.edu if unable to attend live sessions for recorded materials)
- CSU student or recent alum (within 12 months of graduation)
- 1-Page Executive Summary
- Completed Business Model Canvas (BMC)
- 40 Customer Discovery Interviews
- Working MVP or prototype (Does not need to be perfect or finished product)
- 5-Minute Company Pitch Video