The Forge

Pitt students and alumni who have developed advanced ideas and startup projects are eligible to apply for the Forge, Pitt’s program for ongoing startup incubation.


Forge teams have 24-7 access to Big Idea Center space (when applicable) and come together monthly for meetups that encompass peer-to-peer learning and sharing. Forge participants also have access to Big Idea Center entrepreneurs in residence and an outside network of mentors with professional experience in related fields.

Participating Forge teams may also apply for seed funding awards to help defray certain startup expenses.

Students can participate in the Forge until they “graduate” to an outside incubator or accelerator, such as YCombinator, AlphaLab, AlphaLab Gear, etc.

Learn More & Apply