Program Timeline and Application Process
This year’s program will take place from January–April 2026 with supporting events before and during the program period for students to learn more about creative industries, get feedback on their application, refine business concepts, and build team capacity.
After the application deadline on October 31, 2025, a cohort of teams is selected to participate in the program. Teams receive mentorship from distinguished faculty, alumni, past prize winners, and creative entrepreneurs as well as access to exclusive workshops to help them hone their business models, connect to resources, develop a prototype, and prepare to pitch.
In March, five teams are selected to move on to the final round and present their ventures to a live judging panel on April 30 for a chance to win prizes of either $2,500 or $15,000.
Criteria and FAQ
Past Recipients
September – October 2025: Launch Events & Application Support
Music Entrepreneurship & Innovation: From Guitar Hero to Be the Beat
September 16, 2025 | 5–6:30pm | MIT Martin Trust Center, E40-163
Join us at the Arts Startup Incubator launch event to learn more about creative entrepreneurship and opportunities on campus!
Hear from Eran Egozy, professor in Music Technology at MIT, about his early days as co-founder of Harmonix Music Systems and how they built the wildly successful video game franchises Guitar Hero and Rock Band. MTC grad student and Be the Beat co-founder, Z, will then demo their interactive platform that turns dance into a collaborative musical experience, share his experience working on it in the Arts Startup Incubator last year, and plans for the future. Snacks and refreshments will be provided at this lively event!
Info Session w/ the Arts Startup Incubator & MITdesignX
October 8, 2025 | 12-1:15pm
MIT Building 9-451
Generate impact through art and design! Eat lunch and meet other students working in these creative fields while you learn about the Arts Startup Incubator and MITdesignX Venture Accelerator before their application deadlines!
Program managers will introduce how each program helps you transform innovative ideas into successful startups while past participants share their own experiences and answer your questions. Come if you have an idea, are looking to meet someone that does, or just want to learn more!
Info Session w/ the Arts Startup Incubator & IDEAS Social Innovation Challenge
October 16, 2025 | 5–6:15pm
MIT Building E38-579 | iHQ 5th Floor
Create solutions for a better future! Explore the intersection of art and social entrepreneurship with IDEAS Social Innovation Challenge and the Arts Startup Incubator. Hear from program managers about each one’s offerings—funding, mentorship, workshops, and stakeholder engagement—while you eat snacks and meet other students with creative ideas for positive change.
MIT alum Blake Blaze will share about his experience participating in both programs with two different ventures: Front Row Fantasy, an interactive music discovery platform for up-and-coming artists, and SamWise, a personalized education platform for incarcerated students.
Arts Startup Incubator Application Feedback & Support
Have questions about the program or want feedback on your application before the deadline? Contact philana@mit.edu to see if the program is a good match, ask questions, or share in-progress materials to workshop your creative startup idea before it goes to the selection committee.
November 2025: Applications and Feedback
Applications are open. Please review the application for specific guidance and be prepared to submit the following materials: venture name, venture’s purpose and inspiration, how the arts are at the core of your business, what is innovative about your venture, what stage you are at in development, and long term goals. You will also be asked to share team member information (names, roles, and short bios), business type (non-profit, for-profit, b-corp), other entrepreneurship funding or programs the venture takes part in, and optional materials like a pitch deck, website, or video.
Following submission, teams will be contacted for follow up questions and notified about their application status by November 26, 2025.
December — March: Startup Incubation for Cohort of Teams
Welcome Dinner & Primary Market Research
December 1-10, 2025
Student teams get to know their cohort and preview what’s ahead at the welcome dinner. Shortly after, teams attend an introductory market research workshop so they have the tools to get started on the first step of venture development during the winter recess.
IAP Sprint
January 28-30, 2026
Cohort teams kick-start their businesses and get to know their cohort during this 1.5 day session. You’ll begin to conduct primary market Research so you understand your customer base and find product market fit as well as develop your value proposition and prototype. The program will iTeams kick-start their businesses during this three-day sprint, diving into primary market research to understand the customer base and find product market fit, crafting a compelling value proposition, practicing hands-on prototyping, and receiving 1:1 consultations. The program will include coffee & meals.
Mentorship
January – April, 2026
Student teams are matched with mentors that are working in their same industry or problem space. Mentors meet students where they’re at, leveraging their industry experience to offer direct feedback, expertise, connections in the sector, and one-on-one advice to sharpen their venture plan and pitch. Additional mentors will be available for topic based guidance.
Cohort Workshops
February – March, 2026
Students build a network of peers and industry professionals while they learn core competencies for arts entrepreneurship. Guest speakers introduce key concepts like customer acquisition, financial projections, brand positioning, funding strategies, and pitch coaching that build on research and skills developed in the IAP sprint.
Semi-Final Application
Late March, 2026
Cohort teams submit an updated business plan, pitch deck, 5-minute video, and prototype demo to a panel of reviewers. Reviewers evaluate revised business plans and recorded presentations to select a group of 4–6 teams to advance to the final competition. All teams are provided feedback from the panel to incorporate into their business development.
April: Finalists & Pitch Event
Finalist Workshops & Pitch Coaching
April, 2026
Selected finalist teams further hone their products, business plans, and pitches. Teams continue to meet with mentors, receive pitch coaching, and peer feedback to prepare them to pitch their ventures in a way that is clear and compelling.
Pitch Finales
April 30, 2026
Five finalist teams pitch in front of a live audience, presenting their venture plans and prototypes to a public audience and judging panel. Following deliberation, a winner is announced and the $15K prize is awarded to the winning team. All finalists will receive a $2,500 cash prize.