Accelerate, Wentworth’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, is a place where the Wentworth community can test, learn, iterate, and build as they move their ideas forward. With a 5,000 square foot maker space at the center of its offerings, Accelerate is one of the few places on campus where all majors can come together, build community, inspire one another, and tap into their creativity.

Whether you’re a maker, an innovator, or an entrepreneur, we offer event, workshop, and co-op opportunities that will let you explore your interests and develop new skills. We also surround students with staff, faculty, and experts from different disciplines who are ready to meet one-on-one, offer guidance, and share their own personal stories. 

For Makers

For Innovators

Wentworth students are no strangers to the process of innovation. Accelerate is here to give them the chance to put those innovation skills to the test in fun, creative ways.

• Pumpkin Innovation Challenge
  Inspired by NASA’s annual pumpkin carving competition, Accelerate presents Wentworth’s Pumpkin Innovation Challenge! Teams of students will be given a pumpkin, three days, and the use of Accelerate’s space, materials, and tools, to create the most innovative pumpkin that they can come up with! Winners are selected across two categories, mechanical and non-mechanical, and are chosen by a select group of expert judges. Winners receive a lifetime of bragging rights and their names up on a plaque for all to see!

• Rapid Prototyping Workshops
  Rapid prototyping is a key tool in moving your ideas forward. Learn fundamentals of design-thinking, why prototyping is so important in conveying your ideas, and then put it all into use by creating rapid prototypes of your own.

• Lego Ramp Challenge
  We love Legos. We love them even more when we get to send them down a 12 foot ramp! Join Accelerate and build a team to build Lego cars and see whose design goes the farthest off the ramp. Whether you have friends to bring and need a team to join, we’ll make sure you have people to work with. Pro-tip, the teams that iterate the most usually win!

For Entrepreneurs (and those curious about starting a business)

• Business Series
  This Business Series is a six-part workshop built to give WIT students a chance to learn some basics about the early stages of entrepreneurship, like customer discovery, market segmentation, and prototyping. Whether you have an idea that you want to explore, want to generate an idea to pursue, or are simply interested in understanding what makes an idea a good one, knowing some early-stage entrepreneurship fundamentals can be an important way to differentiate yourself.

• Rapid Pitch Competition
  Rapid Pitch was designed to give students at different business stages the opportunity to present their ideas and ventures to a live audience and guest judges. Participants give a 4-minute, 4-slide pitch for the chance to receive up to $500 for their businesses. By participating, students get the opportunity to receive feedback, expand their network, meet other entrepreneurs on campus, and practice pitching their businesses. 

• Leopard Launch Pitch Competition
  Want a chance to pitch your business to a live audience of Wentworth alumni, while competing for up to $1,500? Student entrepreneurs who have already validated their business ideas, developed a business model, and determined their target market, are encouraged to apply! Money will be awarded to the top three finalists and a fan favorite, voted on by our guest audience of Wentworth alumni.

• Accelerate Co-op for Entrepreneurs (ACE)
  ACE is a unique opportunity for students to use their co-op to launch and/or grow a business, while getting paid! Spend a full semester focusing exclusively on your business, while working directly with faculty advisors and mentors, getting Accelerate support through its staff and maker space, and immersing yourself in a peer network of other WIT student entrepreneurs. You will also receive up to $2,500 to spend on materials and supplies in addition to a $9,000 stipend to ensure that you can focus on your business full-time. 

Learn more about Accelerate by heading to our website here. You can also see our upcoming events, here.