Offering innovators a deep dive into prototyping and hardware entrepreneurship during a summer-long intensive program

The Prototyping Hardware Accelerator, offered by Rev: Ithaca Startup Works in partnership with Cornell Engineering, provides innovators with a deep dive into prototyping and hardware entrepreneurship during a structured and supportive summer-long intensive program. Teams are led through a process to determine if their product ideas are commercially desirable, technologically viable, and economically feasible. Upon completion of the program, participants are positioned to recruit team members, bring on partners, initiate work with contract manufacturers, and pitch to investors.

The program’s philosophy and methodology is suitable for all types of hardware offerings. In addition to our summer program, Rev hosts a series of speakers + workshops to grow your network of thought leaders, industry experts, and successful startups. We also have a state-of-the-art purpose-built prototyping lab that is open to Hardware Accelerator participants as well as Rev member companies.

Program Tracks

The Prototyping Hardware Accelerator offers three unique program tracks:

• Classic: Open to innovators in any field since 2014, this track provides foundational entrepreneurship training across industries.
• Climate Tech: Innovators developing product ideas that support the decarbonization of the economy are placed in a like-minded cohort and provided with entrepreneurship training, workshops, guest speakers, and mentorship tailored to the clean tech / climate tech ecosystem. Climate Tech participants are eligible for up to $10K in financial support. This track is supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).
• Ag Tech: Innovators developing product ideas in agriculture technology areas such as farming operations, animal husbandry, and food processing are placed in a like-minded cohort and provided with specialized entrepreneurship training, workshops, and mentorship and are connected to experts and potential partners in the region’s robust agrifood ecosystem.  This track is supported by the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s University Center Program.
• Med Tech: Offered in partnership with Cornell Biomedical Engineering and Weill Cornell, the new MedTech track provides innovators developing medical devices in diagnostics and therapeutics access to specialized prototyping equipment, regulatory resources, and research and medical professionals in the field.

Who Should Apply?

The Prototyping Hardware Accelerator is open to anyone with an idea for a product and a passion for entrepreneurship. The program is free and open to the public, and teams do not need to have a legally-formed LLC to participate.