We get you to the point where you acquire customers and raise money on a larger scale

The Venture Development Center is an incubator specializing in launching early stage startups. We help startups through what is for many the hardest step, from idea to company. This usually means to the point where you've built or proved something impressive enough to acquire customers and raise money on a larger scale.

Mentor-driven

What happens at the Venture Development Center? The most important thing we do is work one-to-one with startups on their ideas. Having launched startups ourselves, we can guide you through developing and testing a business model, sales presentation and investor presentation.

A lot of the problems startups confront are technical, so being at a university, we are able to help with technical as well as business problems.

We also invite experts in some aspect of startups to speak. Typically speakers include venture-backed startup founders, lawyers and accountants. As startups begin to get traction, we arrange one-to-one sessions with investors, from top tier firms such as Sigma Partners, Highland Capital Partners, NorthBridge Venture Partners, 406 Ventures and others.

Cost-efficient

The second most important thing we do at the Venture Development Center is help founders keep their costs to a minimum. We’ll find a team of inexpensive but talented and skilled interns, carefully and specifically selected to meet the job requirements the startup specifies.

We also supply the startups with flexible, ready-to-use workspace with business services that meet the needs of startups. We offer a variety of options to suite needs, from desks and benches to office and laboratory suites.

Inspiring community

The other noteworthy feature of our program is that the entrepreneurs at the Venture Development Center tend to help one another at least as much as we help them. They also benefit from the daily interaction at the coffee bar with the investors, advisors and partners that visit. We seem to have succeeded in creating a good environment, because many founders tell us that their time here is most productive ever.

How to apply

We accept inquiries throughout the year. You can be a business, faculty or student entrepreneur. You don't have to be affiliated with the University of Massachusetts.  

Contact us to schedule a meeting and learn more about the program. We're conveniently located in Boston on the Red Line on the campus of the University of Massachusetts.