Apply to the Hatchery
Are you a University of Maryland student with a fearless idea or startup in need of seed funding and exclusive access to entrepreneurial mentorship and resources? The Mokhtarzada Hatchery might be for you!
Applications for the Hatchery usually open about two weeks before the start of the fall semester.
Benefits of Joining the Hatchery
Receive intensive and customized coaching and mentoring—we meet you where you are and help you accelerate your startup’s progress
Broaden your professional network by connecting with speakers, mentors, and advisors drawn from leaders in the Washington, D.C. startup ecosystem
Learn from your peers in the cohort and build lasting relationships
Access to a dedicated 24/7 working space in the Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering
Up to $10,000 funding per team per year
Eligibility Requirements
Each team must include at least two members and no more than four members.
At least one team member must be a current degree-seeking student at the University of Maryland. The other team members can be current students or students who graduated from UMD the spring before the team applies to the Hatchery.
There are no restrictions on whether a team has other funding when joining the Hatchery.
Team members from past years may reapply.
Preference will be given to technology companies.
Application Process
Each team fills out one online application outlining details about:
their team
their idea
the problem they are trying to solve
how they were inspired to solve this problem
their proposed solution
how they believe this solution might support a sustainable, stand-alone business