Guidelines

1.Background and introduction

The Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Accelerator powered by Pegasus Tech Ventures is a global startup accelerator for Harvard alumni-founded companies.  The partnership between Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs (HarvardAE) Pegasus Tech Ventures (“PTV”) is designed to support early-stage companies to get to the next level. Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs is a non-profit organization serving the global alumni community. Pegasus Tech Ventures is a Silicon Valley-based global VC firm.

2. Eligibility

​Who can apply:

   a.  We encourage Harvard-alumni founded early-stage startups in any domain to apply. Please note that the startup must be a legal, registered entity and not just an idea or an individual project. Alumni are defined as those who have received a degree or who have alumni status from Harvard University.

   b. If you are unsure about your eligibility to apply to the Accelerator, please contact us before submitting an application.

   c.  We accept applications regardless of your location. 

​   d. There are no restrictions on the amount of capital raised. We encourage everyone to apply.

  e. All materials submitted to the Accelerator must be original to the applicant/ team, or, if not original, used with written authorization of others whose contributions must be identified in the submission. Applications submitted after the application deadlines will not be considered. 

   f. There is no application fee. However, all alumni applicants (founders) must be members of Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs ($55/year).

3. Submitting an Application

   a. Applications need to be completed in one session. You are strongly advised to keep a copy of the information you provide, e.g., in a Word file.

   b. A number of fields require text submission and indicate the maximum number of words you may enter. We recommend that you first develop your answer offline and then copy and paste your answers in the appropriate places.

    c. Once you have completed the application, be sure to submit it by clicking ‘submit’ at the end.

    d. All applications must be submitted in English.

   e. As part of your registration process, applicants are required to share the status of their registration through this social media link. E.g. "Our team just applied to @HarvardAEAccelerator2025 #HarvardAEAccelerator #"YourCompanyName "www.harvardae.org/accelerator".

   g. Applicants agree that HarvardAE and PTV, their affiliates, partners of the Accelerator, judges, and any other party selected by HarvardAE and PTV may use any info submitted on applications without restrictions, and further agree that any information submitted may be shared with partnering or sponsoring organizations of the Accelerator.

   h. Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs or Pegasus Tech Ventures shall be under no obligation to return entry materials submitted to it for the Accelerator. Retention of these materials is not intended to imply that Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs and/or Pegasus Tech Ventures claims any ownership or other proprietary interest in any of applicant’s proprietary ideas or concepts expressed in such materials.

4. Selection 

​ a. The Accelerator enlists the services of expert volunteer “Judges” who are independent and objective, with no conflicts of interest. These Judges review applicant’s team submissions and make determinations on each applicant team’s potential for long term success based upon the Judge’s experience and the quality of the entrant team’s applications and review.

b. In Round One of the application process, Judges base their decisions on whether a team advances on the applicant team’s submitted written application. Round Two (semi-finals), Judges interview each applicant team.

c. All decisions of the Judges are final. No correspondence will be entered into. The number, and composition of the judges may vary based on the number of applications.

   d. Whenever we need to contact you in connection with your application, we will use the contact information provided by you in the application form. Please try your best to provide as much contact information as possible (email, phone number, etc.). We are not responsible for incomplete or incorrect contact information provided.

   e. Applicants grant HarvardAE and PTV, their affiliates, and regional partners of the Accelerator the right to photograph, film, record, and capture applicants’ representatives, presentation material, and any other material of Applicants via any media format at any events hosted by HarvardAE or PTV, and royalty-free right and license to use any such material in any form.

5. The Pegasus Startup World Cup

​The team with the best presentation on Demo Day will be invited to compete at the Regional 2025 Startup World Cup. The winner of the Regional will compete with over 70 regional champions from around the world for a grand prize of a $1 million investment.  

HarvardAE, PTV or the Startup World Cup does not cover flight tickets to the Grand Finale in San Francisco.

6. Questions

A list of frequently asked questions (“FAQs”) is available on the Accelerator website (www.harvardae.org/accelerator-faq). In the event of a conflict between these Terms and Conditions and our FAQs, these Terms and Conditions will prevail.

7. Other

​Participation in the Accelerator is voluntary, and Applicants and attendees forever release HarvardAE and PTV, their affiliates, partners, sponsors, employees of these organizations, and volunteers from any and all claims, costs, expenses, suits, liabilities, losses, and damages. PTV and HarvardAE will be the owners of the information collected on this site, any registration sites, and via other communication methods. By providing us with any company or personal information, you consent to our collection, use, and disclosure of such information.