Ignite Connect 2026: Accelerating Impact
2026-01-29 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Join us for Cornell’s annual virtual forum spotlighting investment-ready university technologies and venture teams. Ignite Connect features a curated lineup of startups backed by gap-funding programs that have advanced beyond early validation and are actively seeking investment, strategic partnerships, or licensing opportunities.
Ideal for pre-seed/seed investors, corporate venture teams, and innovation scouts, the event includes a spotlight address, four thematic pitch tracks, and opportunities to schedule one-on-one meetings with founders and faculty innovators.
Register here.

Ignite Fellow for New Ventures Info Session 3
2026-01-30 12:00 - 13:00 | https://ctl.cornell.edu/event/ignite-fellow-for-new-ventures-info-session-3-2
Ignite Fellows for New Ventures is the flagship PhD & master’s‑level fellowship in Cornell’s Lab‑to‑Market gap‑fund series. Since its 2022 launch, the program has supported entrepreneurial scientists and engineers ready to turn research into high‑impact startups.
We’re now recruiting our 5th annual cohort, open to master’s graduates, doctoral candidates, and PhD holders. Fellows are matched with a Cornell faculty inventor and receive up to $120,000 in funding. They join as full‑time Cornell employees, working in the lab and engaging with our incubator network for business development.
This is your opportunity to build a business, lead as a founder, advance technology commercialization, and enrich Cornell’s venture ecosystem. Whether your ambition is to become CEO, CSO or CTO—or to apply your entrepreneurial mindset to bold new discoveries—Ignite is designed for you.
What we look for:

Big‑vision innovators who take calculated risks

Scientists or engineers ready to lead a venture

Partners who want to work alongside a Cornell faculty inventor

What you’ll get:

Funding up to $120 K to support you and your early‑stage work

Mentorship and training through Cornell’s startup ecosystem

Access to faculty lab resources, the incubator network, and startup infrastructure

Register here.
