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Startup Summer 2025

Bloomington, IN | June 1 – August 1, 2025

Welcome to the premier startup accelerator for collegiate founders, designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs take their ideas, prototypes, or revenue-generating businesses to the next level. Over the course of nine intensive weeks, participants work full-time on their startups, receiving mentorship, financial support, and access to a vibrant entrepreneurial community in Bloomington, Indiana. 

Business After Hours Program Posters 2024

Turning Vision into Traction

$6,000 stipend so you can focus full-time on your venture

Programming sessions tailored to the stage of your startup

Mentorship from successful founders, investors + experts

Investor Swarms + Startup Showcase to pitch your business

Application deadline is March 21, 2025!

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Learn More

This is not just another summer internship or class—this is a real-world accelerator
experience where founders make meaningful progress on their startups. Whether you're
validating an idea, testing an MVP, or scaling an early-stage business, Startup Summer
provides the structured support, expert guidance, and founder community you need to
turn vision into traction.

  • Full-Time Focus: Work exclusively on your startup for nine weeks with dedicated
    mentorship and a structured curriculum.
  • $6,000 Stipend: Get paid to build your company, eliminating the need for side
    jobs.
  • Expert-Led Learning: Participate in hands-on workshops led by experienced
    entrepreneurs, investors, and startup mentors.
  • Peer + Mentor Network: Join a cohort of like-minded founders and get direct
    access to startup experts and investors.
  • Customized Founder Tracks: Tailored guidance for startups at different
    stages—Idea, MVP, or Early Revenue.
  • Startup Showcase: Pitch your business to a live audience of investors, mentors,
    and startup leaders at Demo Day.
  • Bloomington Startup Ecosystem: Work out of The Mill, Indiana’s leading
    entrepreneurial hub, with access to co-working space and post-program support.

Startup Summer is designed for collegiate founders and recent graduates who are
serious about launching or scaling their businesses.

 
You should apply if:

  • You have a startup idea, prototype, or early-stage business.
  • You are ready to commit full-time (40+ hours per week) for nine weeks.
  • You want mentorship, funding, and real-world experience to accelerate your
    business.
  • You are eager to connect with a strong community of founders, investors, and
    startup experts.
By the end of Startup Summer, participants walk away with a stronger business, a
powerful network, and the clarity and momentum to keep building beyond the program.

Application Deadline: March 21, 2025

Why Bloomington?

Bloomington isn’t just a college town—it’s a thriving hub for startups, innovation, and entrepreneurship with a growing ecosystem that supports founders at every stage. As home to Indiana University, a vibrant business community, and a dynamic network of investors and mentors, Bloomington provides the ideal environment to launch and grow a startup.

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Founder Tracks

Startup Summer is designed to meet founders where they are and accelerate their progress with a structured track-based approach. Participants will select (with validation) one of three tracks.

Idea Stage

You're just getting started. You're refining your idea + validating the problem. What you should arrive with:

  • A well-defined problem statement. You understand the problem you want to solve but need to test assumptions.
  • Initial market research: You’ve identified who you think your customers are buthaven’t validated this with real data.
  • A commitment to customer discovery: You’re ready to conduct interviews andsurveys to refine your approach.
  • A willingness to pivot: If your assumptions are wrong, you’re prepared to adjustyour strategy.
  • Your focus: Conducting customer interviews, defining your business model, and creatingan MVP prototype.

MVP Stage

You have a working prototype. Now, you need to refine it, test user feedback, and start marketing. What you should arrive with:

  • A working prototype or MVP: Your product is functional, even if rough around theedges.
  • Initial user feedback: At least a few people outside your immediate network haveused or tested it.
  • Defined hypotheses for improvement: You have specific ideas for what needs tobe tested or fixed.
  • Early marketing efforts: You’ve explored ways to reach users but may not havestrong traction yet.
  • Your focus: Iterating on your MVP, testing pricing models, and preparing for growth.

Early Revenue Stage

You’re already making sales. Now it’s time to scale and prepare for investment. What you should arrive with:

  • A functional product with paying customers: You’ve generated revenue, even if small.
  • Basic financials: You have some understanding of customer acquisition cost, pricing strategy, and revenue.
  • Proof of demand: You’ve had people pay for your product or service beyond just friends/family.
  • Challenges in scaling: You need to refine marketing, improve retention, or expand sales efforts.
  • Your focus: Optimizing sales funnels, refining unit economics, and preparing for investor conversations

FAQs

Startup Summer is a full-time, 9-week immersive program. Expect to dedicate 40+
hours per week to working on your startup, attending workshops, participating in mentor
sessions, and networking with fellow founders.

No. This is an in-person program based in Bloomington, IN. Founders are expected to
be onsite for workshops, mentorship, and collaborative opportunities throughout the
summer.

Yes! Both solo founders and teams are welcome to apply. If you have co-founders, they
are encouraged to participate.

Participants will have access to:
- A 6-month free coworking membership at The Mill.
- Continued peer accountability pods for ongoing support.
- Alumni networking and investor connections to help keep momentum going.

Yes! Each accepted founder receives a $6,000 stipend paid in three installments over
the summer. The stipend is intended to support living expenses so founders can focus
entirely on their startups.
No. While it may be beneficial to formalize your startup, there is no requirement to have
an LLC or corporation to participate.
Yes! We encourage founders from across Indiana to apply.
Housing is not automatically provided, but we work with participants to find affordable
housing options.
Not necessarily! The Mill is centrally located in downtown Bloomington, and most
essentials (groceries, restaurants, co-working spaces) are within walking or biking
distance. Rideshare services and public transit are also available.
Startup Summer is open to:
- Collegiate founders who are actively working on a startup.
- Both solo founders and teams.
- Startups at the Idea, MVP, or Early Revenue stage.
No problem! You’ll self-select a track during the application process, and if needed, we’ll
work with you in Week 1 to adjust your placement based on progress and goals.
This depends on your track, but typically founders will:
- Idea Stage: Validate problem, test assumptions, and develop an MVP.
- MVP Stage: Gain users, refine the product, and prepare a go-to-market strategy.
- Early Revenue Stage: Optimize revenue streams, scale customer acquisition,
and develop a fundraising strategy.

What are you waiting for?

Join us this summer and accelerate your startup.