Batten Institute - Ventures - i.Lab Incubator - Application Process

2026 i.Lab Application Deadlines

i.Lab Eligibility

• Team of 1-3 founders
• At least one founder is a full time UVA student or Alumni
• Venture traction through product validation, active pilot with potential customers, pursuing revenue opportunities.
  • In some situations, ventures working on scientific or medical products must demonstrate alternative progress, such as a non-provisional patent application or a scientific publication

i.Lab Venture Stages

The Build Stage: Idea to Product

• Pre i.Lab Application: Founder has an idea, problem definition, but no product.
• Expectation by End of Program: Build a working MVP/prototype (physical, digital, or service) and test it with real users.
• Foundations to Demonstrate in Application:
  • Clear articulation of the problem/opportunity.
  • Founder-market fit 
  • Evidence of early customer discovery (interviews, research).
  • Basic roadmap for how the program will enable product creation (tools, design, dev support).
• End-of-Summer Deliverables: Tangible MVP and learnings from testers.

The Pilot Stage: Product to Market

• Pre i.Lab Application: Founder has a product or MVP.
• Expectations by End of Program (one or more):
  • Secure at least one paying customer
  • A successful pilot with measurable outcomes.
  • A letter of intent (LOI) or signed agreement from a potential customer.
  • Significant user engagement (beta waitlist, pilot usage metrics).
• Foundations to Demonstrate in Application:
  • Show demo of their product (i.e. in video pitch)
  • Defined target customer segments.
  • Progress toward validation (prototype testing, pilots, or strong pipeline)
  • Clear plan for what “traction” looks like by the end of summer.
• End-of-Summer Deliverables: Paying customer, successful pilot, LOI, significant user engagement

The Launch Stage: Customer to Revenue

• Pre i.Lab Application: Founder has early customers (beta or paying)
• Expectation by End of Program: Demonstrate revenue growth through:
  • Increased paying customers.
  • Renewals or expansions from existing customers.
  • Revenue benchmarks tied to SMART goals.
• Foundations to Demonstrate in Application:
  • Evidence of existing customers or paying users.
  • Defined revenue goals for summer (monthly recurring revenue, unit sales, contracts closed).
  • Clear use-of-funds to scale acquisition, retention, or delivery.
• End-of-Summer Deliverables: Growth in revenue or customer base, with metrics shared at Demo Night.

Application Requirements and Resources

Questions? 

Contact Anya Eisenfrats, i.Lab Program Manager