Summer Seed Grant

Get paid to work on your idea or early-stage start-up over the summer
The ECenter's Summer Seed Grant offers students the opportunity to pursue their early-stage idea or start-up over the summer, by providing funding grants and mentorship in lieu of a traditional summer job.
* Please note applications for the Summer of 2023 will open February 6, 2023. *
Top Reasons to Participate:
$18,000 Summer Seed Grant
- Get paid to develop your own idea or business
- Don't stress over finding a meaningful summer job
- Weeky 1:1 sessions with experienced mentors
- Work remote and/or in-person at the ECenter
I will always be so grateful for my experience with the Summer Seed Grant Program. The resources that the ECenter and its partners provided were incredible (in particular, Catchfire Creative and Pierce Atwood, LLP). The NH Toy Library Network got so much of its beginning during the 2019 Summer Seed Grant season, and in terms of professional growth, so did I.
Marisa Rafal '19 (CHHS), Founder of the NH Toy Library network
Quick Steps
Important Information
About the Summer Seed Grant
The Peter T. Paul Entrepreneurship Center (ECenter), with the support of Pierce Atwood, LLP, and RiverStone - A Fairfax Company, invites all freshmen, sophomores, and juniors to submit applications for grant funding to take their entrepreneurial ideas to the next level through the development of prototypes, business models and/or companies during the summer months. Summer is one of the best times for students to work on ideas and early stage start-ups. This grant allows a student/students to focus full time attention on the venture and receive a grant payment to do so in lieu of having to find a summer job.
All University of New Hampshire freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are eligible to submit proposals if you have exciting ideas or early stage venture you want to continue to develop. Up to four students will be selected. This also may be especially interesting to students that have enrolled in entrepreneurship courses and programs of study, students who are members of the entrepreneurship club, student participants in the Holloway Challenge and/or the NHSVIC, and students who participated in the Undergraduate Research Conference who aspire to commercialize their research.
About Our Sponsors
PIERCE ATWOOD, LLP
Pierce Atwood LLP is the official legal sponsor of the Summer Seed Grant. They are a full service law firm and their Catalyst Program provides today's growth companies with the skilled legal services they need to become the successful companies of tomorrow. Their team has experience assisting entrepreneurs and start-ups in the following key areas: corporate governance, employee benefits, intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, litigation (including patent litigation), securities, and venture capital.
RIVERSTONE - A FAIRFAX COMPANY
With over a 20 year history, the RiverStone Group comprises insurance, reinsurance and service companies specializing in the management of legacy and run-off insurance businesses and portfolios. As an industry leader in reinsurance recovery, dispute resolution, claims and coverage litigation, we employ over 350 professionals, operating across multiple offices and affiliates spread throughout the US.
Previous Summer Seed Grant Winners
Student Experience Videos
Watch the videos below to hear from our students about the Summer Seed Grant experience!