CMU: Open Mic Night in NYC!
Calling all Founders! Are you working on an application to CMU VentureBridge 2026? CMU T&E New York and CMU VentureBridge are hosting a pitch night for all founders to showcase your startup and present an ask for support. If you’re looking for feedback on your pitch, to meet other founders, or just getting your startup out there then be sure to come by for this event!
What This Event Is:
A low-pressure accessible community forum for founders
A place to surface asks and make connections quickly
A starter event that can lead to deeper conversations
Date: March 19th, 2026
Time: 6-8pm
Location: 1251 Avenue of the Americas, 27th Floor | New York, NY
Food and drink will be provided
Limited spots available up to 15-20 people!
DLA Piper is a global law firm engineered to support your ambitions—whether you’re scaling, transforming, or navigating complex challenges. With presence in over 40 countries, we blend local insight with international reach to deliver sophisticated, commercially minded legal solutions. From corporate transactions and litigation to regulatory strategy, real estate, finance, IP, and beyond, we partner with clients across industries to make bold ideas real and manage risk with confidence. Let us help you turn complexity into clarity—and your vision into impact.
CMU VentureBridge (VB), CMU’s flagship pre-seed accelerator fund, is geared for full-time CMU founders building bold, technical companies ready for venture scale. An initiative of the Swartz Center, each year, VB backs a small number of ambitious founders with early capital, high-touch mentorship, and direct access to top-tier investors and operators with Demo Days located in San Francisco, Pittsburgh, and New York City. Since 2018, the program has supported 85+ CMU founded startups who are collectively valued at over $1 billion.
If your founding team has one CMU-affiliated founder, you are eligible to apply for funding. The VB '26 application is currently open with applications closing on March 23rd, 2026.