top of page

CARNEGIE MELLON VENTURE CHALLENGE

Annual national startup competition to win seed funding, legal services, and mentorship.

Demo Day March 23th, 2024

We believe in great ideas.

Student teams that compete at CMU VC are truly offered a unique value proposition - exposure, funding, and feedback. Early-stage companies require significant prototyping funds before a working product can materialize. In order to help teams grow from the experience, the CMU VC aims to objectively reward innovative teams with capital, services, and constructive feedback from experts in a variety of technical and legal domains.

News From 2023 Finalists

Abby Huang, Duke University 2023 graduate, launches headquarters in New York!

September 9, 2023

​

​

 

dime hq opening.png

CMU VC 2023 Finalist Elythea joins Y-Combinator (S23)

August, 2023

​

​

 

84a56002644b643c0380ce6ace6d5a77a180e101.png

2023 HIGHLIGHT SPEAKERS

Vinod Khosla (born 28 January 1955) is an Indian-American businessman and venture capitalist. He is a co-founder of Sun Microsystems and the founder of Khosla Ventures. Khosla made his wealth from early venture capital investments in areas such as networking, software, and alternative energy technologies. He is considered one of the most successful and influential venture capitalists.

Vinod Khosla

Co-founder of Sun Microsystems, Founder of Khosla Ventures

vkhosla.jpg

Lucy Guo

Co-founder of Scale AI, Co-founder Backend Capital

lguo.jpeg

Lucy Guo is the founder and general partner at Backend Capital, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm, and a co-founder of Scale AI, a data platform for artificial intelligence which enables developers to use an API for repetitive human tasks. Guo studied Computer Science and Human Computer Interaction at Carnegie Mellon University. She dropped out her senior year upon winning a 2014 Thiel Fellowship, which awards twenty people under twenty-two years old a $100,000 scholarship and mentorship to build a business. 

Explore CMU VC

For each of the finalists, the CMU VC brings together a strong network of resources, including mentorship from serial entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, attorneys, and the opportunity to present and pitch to a panel of judges and the city of Pittsburgh.

2023 Schedule of Events (EST):

12:00 - 1:00: Vinod Khosla Fireside Chat

1:00 - 3:00: Pitches

3:00 - 3:30: Break

3:30 - 5:30: Pitches

5:30 - 6:30: Lucy Guo Fireside Chat

6:30 - 7:00  Closing Ceremony 

7:00 -  Networking 

2023 Judges

Screen_Shot_2023-09-20_at_4.40.00_PM-removebg.png

Apply to CMU VC

CMU VC offers teams a chance at unlocking more of their potential, enabling innovators to truly push their creations to the limit.

Our past sponsors

Want to help launch the generation of innovators? Contact us for information about sponsoring, judging, and speaking at the CMU VC 2023.

swartz.png
tepper_logo.png
accel.png
muslaw.jpeg
412VF Text and Logo (W490xH540) (1).png
freshworks-logo.png
pvca.jpg
choolaah.jpg
AikenHouse_black.png
heroku.png
two-sigma-ventures.png
scs1.png
sequoia.jpeg
ggv.png
duolingo.png
salesforce.png
draper-triangle.jpg
contrary.png
generalcatalyst.jpg
alpha_lab.png
blue_tree1.png
innospring.jpg
innovation_works.png
grouseridge.jpg
dietrich.png
senate.jpg
campusvc.png
sdc.png
drf.png
rdv.png
bottom of page