Zahn Venture Incubator and Competition (2027 cohort)

Zahn Innovation Center, City College of New York (CUNY)

Deadline: November 8, 2026

Amount

Up to $15,000 grand prize and $5,000 finalist prize per track; founders keep full ownership

Location

New York, NY (City College, Harlem)

Cost

Free

Class level

Any level

A free, semester-long startup incubator at CCNY with weekly workshops, mentors and a Demo Week pitch. Four tracks: Software, Social Impact, Hardware, and Women+Tech (Standard Chartered).

Why it matters

The prize money is non-dilutive, so student founders keep full ownership of their startup, and the official rules set no citizenship requirement.

Who can apply

U.S. citizensGreen-card holdersDACA / TPSUndocumented studentsInternational students (F-1 and other visas)Refugees and asylees

The official page does not state a citizenship or immigration rule. Confirm with the organizer before you invest time.

No citizenship rule is stated; eligibility is based on CUNY enrollment. Prize payments may require a U.S. tax form — ask the Zahn Center.

Eligibility

Solo founders or teams of up to 5. Each team needs at least one current CUNY student (December 2026 graduates count). Non-CUNY members allowed. All majors and years. Purely brick-and-mortar and multi-level marketing businesses are excluded. Attendance required: Team Dynamics session, two pitch practices, and at least 8 of 9 other sessions per team.

What you need

• At least one current CUNY student per team (December 2026 graduates count)
• Teams of 1 to 5, all majors and years
• Attend Team Dynamics, two pitch practices and 8 of 9 sessions
• Not a brick-and-mortar or multi-level marketing business

How to apply

Apply online by Sunday, November 8, 2026 at 11:59 pm ET. Semi-finalist interviews follow; kickoff December 10, 2026. Workshops run Thursdays 12:15–1:45 pm at CCNY in spring 2027.

Closes Sunday, November 8, 2026 at 11:59 pm ET