. . .
An overview of design, innovation, and entrepreneurship resources available to students and affiliates of Harvard University.
[Updated June 2020]
Incubators and Accelerators
Design, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Courses
- Search the course catalog using terms like: entrepreneurship, innovation, and design to find courses beyond the popular choices below.
- Engineering Sciences 95r: Startup RAD run by the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard (TECH)
- Product and Experience Design for Desirability run by the Design Lab
- Human-computer interaction courses run by SEAS
Maker Spaces
- Harvard i-labs has several resources, including the Maker Studio, AR/VR Studio, and Media Studio
- The SEAS Active Learning Labs provide support for courses affiliated with the engineering school
- Additional makerspaces will be available in the new building in Allston.
Extracurricular Educational Resources
- Undergraduate Technology Innovation Fellows Program
- Venture Incubation Program
The Harvard Technology Fellowship through the Harvard Health Technology Program provides a platform for interdisciplinary collaboration and the development of novel solutions for unmet healthcare needs.
- Graduate Students: The Business Development Fellowship, offered through the Harvard Office of Technology Development (OTD)
- Alumni: The Launch Lab X, managed by the Harvard Innovation Labs
Funding and Mentorship Resources
- The President’s Innovation Challenge
- The i3 Innovation Challenge
- Harvard SEAS undergraduate students can apply for NECTAR funding. Apply via the Active Learning Labs.
- The Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences Research Administration Services provides a curated list of internal and external funding opportunities for postdoctoral scholars
Peer and Professional Advice
- Harvard alumni can also participate in activities through the Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs (HAE), a Special Interest Group of the Harvard Alumni Association, designated to support alumni in various stages of entrepreneurial pursuits
- Mentorship: See the Harvard Innovation Labs’ office hours appointment calendar.
- There are a variety of student-led clubs and organizations that focus on design, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Opportunities With Industry
Researchers and Faculty hoping to work with Industry:
- The SEAS Office of Industry Partnerships can meet with you to discuss opportunities to engage with industry partners.
- Harvard’s Office of Technology Development (OTD) will work with you to advance your research through corporate partnerships and accelerator programs; protect and manage intellectual property created through your Harvard research; and develop a commercialization strategy that could result in licensing or a new venture.
Industry hoping to work with researchers and faculty:
- SEAS Office of Industry Partnerships will work with you to craft an engagement strategy that reflects your company’s interests.
- The Office of Technology Development (OTD) oversees a list of policies regarding discoveries and inventions that arise from research and other academic activities at Harvard. The Office of the Vice Provost for Research also has a comprehensive list of resources that address the ownership and handling of intellectual property.
Boston Area Design and Entrepreneurship Resources
- Harvard Innovation Labs list of resources:
Boston-Area Resources - Harvard Office of Technology Development list of resources: Resources for Entrepreneurs