Startup Launchpad

Two students at the Emerging Technologies Institute working with vr technologies.

Startup LaunchPad

Startup Launchpad

From Spark to Startup: Your Entrepreneurial Journey Starts Here

The Startup Launchpad is your place to learn about startups, experience what it takes to build one, gain practical entrepreneurial experience, and get the support you need at every stage of the journey.

You do not need to arrive with a startup idea, a team, or any previous experience. You just need to be curious and ready to explore.

The Startup Launchpad brings together learning opportunities, campus challenges, mentorship, and connections to the wider startup community. Whether you want to understand how startups work, join a team, develop an idea, or take an existing project further, the Launchpad can help you find your starting point and keep moving forward.

Along the way, you will build skills that are valuable in any career, including critical thinking, creative problem solving, collaboration, communication, and execution planning skills turning ideas into action.

The Pathway

Educate Icon - decorative icon describing the educate pathway

Educate

Ideate icon- decorative image for ideate pathway

Ideate

Incubate icon- decorative image for incubate pathway

Incubate

accelerate icon- decorative image for accelerate pathway

Accelerate

The Startup Launchpad connects programs, people, and opportunities across four core phases:

Educate: Explore the startup world, learn the basics, build confidence, and discover that you belong in the innovation community.
Ideate: Put your learning into action by exploring problems, developing ideas, meeting collaborators, and participating in campus challenges.
Incubate: Move your promising project forward with sustained dedicated mentorship, practical workshops, project milestones, and support as your team tests and builds its solution.
Accelerate: Connect your project to the wider startup ecosystem through external mentors, industry partners, funding resources, and other opportunities beyond Foothill.

You do not have to complete every phase in a straight line. Start where you are, find the support you need, and take the next step when you are ready.

Where are you in your startup journey?

Choose the statement that sounds most like you. We will help you identify the Launchpad phase that best matches where you are right now.

I'm curious but have no idea where to start.

Your Launchpad Phase:
Educate

What You鈥檒l Experience:
You will get a welcoming introduction to startups and entrepreneurship through 鈥淪tartup 101鈥� learning, workshops, events, guest speakers, and other beginner friendly experiences. You will learn what startups are, how people develop them, and how startup skills can help you in school, your career, a small business, or a future venture. You can also join the Startup Club, where you will find a supportive community of students who can help you learn, make connections, and feel at home in Foothill鈥檚 startup community.

What do you need to have to start this phase:
Just bring your curiosity, an open mind, and a willingness to learn. You do not need an idea, a team, business experience, or technical skills.

I have a cool idea (or want to join a team).

Your Launchpad Phase:
Ideate

What You鈥檒l Experience:
You will get hands-on opportunities to explore real problems, shape early ideas, meet potential teammates, and practice working with others. Through design thinking activities, campus challenges, competitions, and light mentoring, you can test your thinking and learn whether an idea is worth developing further. This phase helps you move from learning about startups to actually trying the process.

What do you need to have to start this phase:
You should have a basic understanding of startups and be ready to participate actively. You may bring an early idea, a problem you care about, or simply an interest in joining a team and contributing your skills.

I am ready to build a project.

Your Launchpad Phase:
Incubate

What You鈥檒l Experience:
You (and your team) will receive more sustained guidance as you develop and test your project. This may include regular mentor meetings, focused workshops, project milestones, customer discovery, market research, and support with business and product development. You will work toward concrete progress, such as validating the problem, refining your solution, and developing a prototype or proof of concept.

What do you need to have to start this phase:
You (and your team) have a promising idea or project that you are ready to develop. Your team should be prepared to meet regularly, work between meetings, learn from feedback, and make steady progress toward agreed milestones.

We are ready to scale and connect externally.

Your Launchpad Phase:
Accelerate

What You鈥檒l Experience:
You will get help connecting your project to opportunities beyond Foothill. Depending on your team鈥檚 goals and needs, this may include introductions to industry experts, experienced founders, outside mentors, funding resources, startup communities, pitch opportunities, and external programs. The purpose is to help your team find the right next step in the broader startup ecosystem.

What do you need to have to start this phase:
Your team should have a developed project, evidence that you are solving a meaningful problem, and a clear idea of the support or connections you need next. You should also be ready to represent your project professionally and act on external opportunities.