WPI i3 Lab Demo Day 2026
12:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Welcome to the WPI i3 Lab Demo Day!
Join us for an exciting celebration of student innovation and entrepreneurship, where bold ideas come to life! At the heart of this event is a dynamic pitch competition, offering a unique platform for emerging startups to showcase their vision, gain invaluable exposure, and compete for a share of more than $60,000 prize pool! Whether you’re looking to launch your venture or take it to the next level, this is your moment to shine!
Call for Applications
If you have a passion for innovation and a startup idea you’re ready to share, we invite you to apply for a spot at Demo Day! We’re looking for startups to take part in this exciting event, where you’ll have the chance to present your ideas and compete for prestigious awards that can help drive your vision forward. Take the risk-free leap and apply now!
Call for All Students, Faculty, Staff, WPI Community, and General Public – You’re Invited!
The WPI i3 Lab Demo Day is a celebration of student entrepreneurship, where you can watch your peers pitch their startup ideas and compete for life-changing prizes. Whether you're interested in startups, innovation, or just curious about what WPI students are creating, this event is for you. Attendees will have the opportunity to:
- Cast their votes for the People’s Choice Awards during the poster presentations
- Enter a raffle at the awards ceremony for a chance to win 1 WPI Ultrafan Shirt or 4 WPI Superfan shirts
Be part of the excitement and vote for your favorite team! Register on Eventbrite or MyWPI
Demo Day Key Dates
Wednesday August 26: Application Open
Wednesday September 9th: Info Session
- Time - 1pm-3pm
- Location - i3 Lab, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center (2nd Floor, Innovation Studio)
Wednesday September 16th: Info Session
- Time - 1pm-3pm
- Location - i3 Lab, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center (2nd Floor, Innovation Studio)
Saturday October 3rd - 11.59pm: Application Deadline
- Submit the application form along with your pitch deck
- Your pitch deck should include at least:
1. Challenge or need you're addressing
2. Your unique solution
3. Who will benefit from your idea/innovation - Additional requirements for Innovation and Incubation stages:
4. Who is your customer – who will pay for your product/service, and how you will make money
5. Traction – the progress you’ve made toward your company (e.g., revenue generated, number of customer interviews, or a working prototype)
Wednesday October 7th: Finalist Announced
Sunday October 25: Poster and Slides Submission for Finalists
- Pitch deck: 5-minute pitch slides in .ppt format (innovation and incubation stages only)
- Poster size: 36” x 48” in .pdf format (horizontal will look better)
Wednesday November 4th: Demo Day
- 12:00 PM – Registration & Light Lunch
- 12:15 PM – Opening Remarks
- 12:30 PM – Poster & Prototype Showcase
- 2:00 PM – Pearsall Awards 3-minute Pitch Showcase
- 2:30 PM – Innovation Stage Pitches
- 3:30 PM – Incubation Stage Pitches
- 5:15 PM – Dinner served
- 5:45 PM – Keynote Speaker
- 6:00 PM – Award Ceremony and Closing Remarks
Why Attend
- Exciting Pitch Competition: Watch as student startups present groundbreaking ideas that could change industries.
- Incredible Prizes: See which startups will win the coveted prizes, including up to $20,000 for first place!
- Networking Opportunities: Connect with like-minded students, innovators, and business leaders and be part of our entrepreneurial ecosystem!
- Featured Clubs & Activities: Explore interactive club showcases, hands-on activities, and creative pop-ups tied to entrepreneurship.
- Free Food: Yes, food will be served, so come hungry and leave inspired!
Prize Categories
Awards:
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Incubation 1st Place: $20,000 - Kalenian Award
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Incubation 2nd Place: $10,000 - Nancy & Mike Abrams '77 Award
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Incubation 3rd Place: $7,000 - Incubation Bronze Award
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Innovation Award: $5,000 - Auxilium Award
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Ideation Award: $1,500
Pearsall Awards:
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$1,000 cash each + $4,000 milestone-based funding per team
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4 awards available for students with startup ideas related to fire protection
People’s Choice Award:
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$500 cash – voted by Demo Day attendees
Judging
Judging will be carried out by a panel that includes the Entrepreneur-in-Residence, donors, and industry experts, ensuring a balance of entrepreneurial insight, real-world industry perspective, and community support throughout the competition.
- Incubation Stage: prototype, poster presentation, pitch presentation, market validation, and traction
- Innovation Stage: prototype or proof of concept, poster presentation, and pitch presentation
- Ideation Stage: An innovative idea is all you need. Poster presentation only.
Don’t be discouraged if you’re just starting out — new students and freshmen are encouraged to apply for the Ideation Award. In fact, last year’s winners were first-year students!
Intellectual Property (IP) & Ownership
All participation in i3 Lab events (Demo Day included) follows WPI’s official Intellectual Property Policy. In general, WPI’s policy states that students have ownership rights in intellectual property developed by them independently.
Importantly, the i3 Lab and event organizers do not take equity, claim rights, or assume control over student innovations. Our role is to provide a platform for students to showcase their ideas and receive support, not to obtain ownership.
- All prizes are non-dilutive grants — no equity, debt, or revenue share is required.
- Accepting a prize does not create ownership, board seat, or control rights for the i3 Lab, WPI, judges, or sponsors.
Note on Confidentiality
While participation does not require you to disclose every detail of your venture, you should only share what you are comfortable making public. Protect sensitive information such as trade secrets, patentable details, or proprietary data. Transparency is encouraged, but safeguarding your intellectual property comes first.
For more information, please review WPI’s Intellectual Property Policy or contact the Office of Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OTIE).