For Faculty

Severino Center Staff

The Severino Center has assembled a team of innovators with deep experience in the entrepreneurial space. Learn more about the Severino Center team. Learn more about the Severino Center Staff

AdVenture Team

Want to speak to an experienced entrepreneur or venture advisor? Learn more about the AdVenture Team.

Venture Legal Alliance

Need legal assistance for your startup? RPI has established special partnerships with multiple attorneys. Learn more about the Legal Alliance. 

BrainTrust

The Severino Center has leveraged RPI’s comprehensive network of industry leaders, successful entrepreneurs, and other partners to guide innovators through all stages of venture development. Learn more about the RPI BrainTrust. 

Faculty Fellows

Faculty Fellows are experienced innovators and professors who mentor students and faculty on entrepreneurship and technology commercialization. Learn more about the Faculty Fellows.

Catalyst Incubator

Interested in developing your idea and exploring its commercial potential? RPI's Catalyst Incubator walks innovators through the earliest stages of startup development. Learn more about the Catalyst Incubator program.

Ignite Business Activator

Interested in developing your company and working toward the commercialization of your product or service? RPI's Catalyst Incubator walks entrepreneurs through the stages of new venture organization and growth. Learn more about the Ignite Activator program.

NSF Innovation Corps

Do you have a technology and want to explore its commercial potential? The National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program helps transition technology-based innovations from the lab to real-world application. Learn more about the I-Corps program.

SCALE.Rensselaer Accelerator

SCALE.Rensselaer is a business accelerator for startups with validated tough tech innovations that are working toward scale up, manufacturing, and commercialization. Ready to scale up? Learn more about SCALE.

Tech Transfer Challenge

Spring Annually. Pitch competition for viable technology-based ventures based on technology from RPI’s existing IP portfolio and, in partnership with NASA, NASA’s IP portfolio. Selected by invited judges. Intended to lead into the New York State Business Plan Competition. 

RPI Business Model Competition

Spring Annually. Business plan competition for viable technology-based ventures based on their own novel technology. 8 minute pitches. For students only. Selected by invited judges. Intended to lead into the New York State Business Plan Competition. 

New York Business Plan Competition

State-wide business plan competition with events at the regional and then state levels. For students only. 8-minute pitches to panels of judges for prizes and prestige. Organized by Upstate Capital. (Pitch focused.) 

Problem Pitch Competition

A competition that rewards students for identifying unique problems worth solving. The bigger the impact on society, the better. The less obvious the problem, the better. Take a few minutes to pitch your problem – define it, explain its significance and why it is compelling to solve – and win cash prizes. Make a good pitch about a compelling problem and impress the judges. Open to any current RPI student.

Change the World Innovation Challenge

A weekend innovation sprint to engage teams of students in creating solutions to address some of society’s greatest challenges. The Change the World Innovation Sprint Challenge starts on a Saturday morning and ends with a pitch competition on Sunday afternoon. Students from all disciplines form teams and develop unique ideas into a viable business concepts over one weekend. Mentors, workshops, and materials are provided. This is a hands-on experience in innovation. The most promising ideas are awarded cash prizes and in-kind services to develop the innovations into tangible products & services.

Learn more about each competition

SaaS Digital Venture Prize $3,000

Supported by the Clarke Thrasher, IV ’24 Fund, the Digital Venture Prize is awarded annually to the most promising ventures focused on software as a service (SAAS). Open to any current RPI student. The award is given annually at a pitch competition.

Catalyst Launch Prize $5,000

Supported by the Ajit Prabhu ’98 Catalyst Fund, Catalyst Launch Prizes are awarded twice annually to the most promising ventures that complete the Catalyst Incubator Program or the Ignite Activator Program. Funds are used to support early-stage activities of RPI startups. RPI students, faculty, and staff are eligible to compete.

Prize for Innovation in Quantum Computing $5,000

Supported by the Vida and Art Goldstein ’57 Fund, this annual student competition recognizes high-potential innovations grounded in quantum science, quantum computing, or quantum-enabled applications. The program encourages venture development and translation of ideas into real-world impact. Open to any current RPI student. The award is given annually at a pitch competition.

Business Plan Grand Prize $7,500

Supported by the Agrawal Family Foundation Fund, the Business Plan Grand Prize is awarded to the most outstanding student business plan. Open to any current RPI student. The award is given annually at a pitch competition.

Tough Tech MVP Award $15,000

Supported by the Ajit Prabhu ’98 Catalyst Fund, the Tough Tech MVP Award is a funding opportunity designed to empower early-stage RPI-affiliated startups that are tackling some of the world’s most difficult technical challenges. This award supports the creation of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) — a functional prototype or proof-of-concept — that demonstrates the feasibility and potential of transformative “tough tech” innovations. RPI students, faculty, and staff are eligible to compete. Awarded twice annually to the most promising ventures in tough tech.

Innovation Prize $20,000

Supported by the Bala Excellence Fund, the Bala Innovation Prize is awarded to the most promising students and student-led startups to continue development of their entrepreneurial efforts. The funds are awarded annually at a pitch event. RPI students are eligible to compete.

Catalyst Pre-Seed Award $30,000

Supported by the Ajit Prabhu Catalyst Fund, the Catalyst Pre-Seed Award supports student-, staff-, and faculty-led ventures in developing technology-based innovations into market-ready products and services. The goal of this award is to accelerate promising ideas toward market readiness by providing financial support, mentorship, and access to university innovation resources. The award is non-dilutional. RPI students, faculty, and staff are eligible to compete. Awarded twice annually to the most promising new ventures with scalable technology-based innovations.

Faculty Translation Grant $30,000

Supported by the Ajit Prabhu Catalyst Fund, the Faculty Translation Grant supports faculty, research staff, and research teams seeking to translate promising, technology-based discoveries into commercially viable applications, products, or startup ventures. The goal is to accelerate innovation emerging from RPI’s research laboratories toward real-world impact by supporting proof-of-concept validation, prototype development, and market readiness activities.

Learn more about innovation awards

September

• Tough Tech MVP Award
• Faculty Translation Grant
• Catalyst Pre-Seed Award

October

• Entrepreneur of the Year Award Pitch Competition

November

• Problem Pitch Competition

December

• Special Opps Award
• Tough Tech MVP Award
• Faculty Translation Grant
• Catalyst Pre-Seed Award

January

• Tough Tech MVP Award
• Faculty Translation Grant
• Catalyst Pre-Seed Award

February

• Change the World Weekend Challenge

March

• Business Model Competition
• Tech Transfer Challenge
• Catalyst Launch Prize
• Digital Venture Prize
• Prize for Innovation in Quantum Computing
• Business Plan Grand Prize

April

• Bala Innovation Prize

Seminars and workshops focused on translation, innovation, formation and growth of new ventures, and commercialization of technology. Click on the image to find out more.

Monthly networking and pitch events where a community of entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, service providers, and those who are curious come together and connect. Click on the image to find out more.

Innovation is a significant part of RPI's storied past. The RPI Innovator Network is a connector for past, present, and future RPI innovators.

RPI Alumni: Are you an inventor? A creator? A founder? An entrepreneur? A change maker?

Join the RPI Innovator Network. Connect with other alumni innovators, share your experiences with current students, and be a part of the next generation of innovation coming out of RPI. If you are interested in being an advisor, coach, partner, investor, consultant, contractor, or connector for new ventures coming out of RPI, join the Innovator Network. Want to know about new innovations happening on campus? Join the Innovator Network.