ABOUT
Social Venture Incubator (SVI)
Your launchpad for an impact-first venture. SVI supports founders from first hypothesis through early traction.
Who its for
Dartmouth students (solo or teams) with early-stage ideas or prototypes
Founders committed to building ventures that create measurable social benefit
What you get
Weekly working sessions (customer interviews, MVP design, pilots)
Impact model design and simple measurement plans
Mentor matching with alumni and practitioners
Micro-grants for validation experiments
Pitch prep and showcase opportunities
A peer community that keeps you accountable
2026 Spring Term
Ignite (on-ramp)
Early-term, discovery-focused module to sharpen the problem, user insights, and first experiments.
Applications open: Mon Feb 24, 2026 @ 9:00 AM ET
Applications close: Sun Mar 8, 2026 @ 11:59 PM ET
Cohort kickoff: Wed Apr 1, 2026
2026 Winter Term
Amplify (sprint)
Mid/late-term acceleration track for teams ready to push pilots, partnerships, and pitch readiness.
Applications open: Sat Nov 1, 2025 @ 9:00 AM ET
Applications close: Mon Dec 1, 2025 @ 11:59 PM ET
Sprint window: Feb 1 – Mar 8, 2026
How to Apply (SVI)
Tell us the problem. Why it matters and for whom.
Share your hypothesis. What you think will work and why.
Show your learning plan. What you’ll test this term.
Submit your application. Short form + optional 1-pager or 3-minute video.
Conversation. If shortlisted, we’ll talk about fit and readiness.
Selection lens
Problem significance and context understanding
Founder commitment and learning velocity
Feasible early pathway to both impact and viability
Equity and inclusion considerations in design and delivery