About this programme
Launch Chapel Hill is a startup accelerator and community based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Its flagship program, Launch Powered by KPMG, is run in partnership with KPMG and is built for deep tech and dual-use founders who want to get in front of enterprise buyers and land a first customer.
Alongside the KPMG accelerator, Launch Chapel Hill also runs a Student Summer Accelerator open to teams with at least one current university student founder, from any industry or venture type.
Neither program takes equity. Both are free to attend and centered on customer discovery, mentorship, and access to a professional network rather than direct cash investment.
How it works
Launch Powered by KPMG runs as a 6-week program with programming concentrated on Mondays and Tuesdays, mostly in person with occasional Zoom sessions, ending in a Demo Day. Cohorts run 10 to 12 teams. Companies get access to KPMG's industry expertise and client networks, plus a year of free coworking membership at Innovate Carolina. The program targets at least two companies per cohort landing an enterprise partnership by the end.
The Student Summer Accelerator runs as a 3-week, full-time, in-person program across two cohort options each year, with tracks for Early Ideas (social entrepreneurship, lean startup basics) and Growing Businesses (validation, customer discovery, pitch practice, hand-selected mentors). Students also get a year of free coworking membership.
Who can apply
Launch Powered by KPMG does not require a UNC affiliation and is open to any founder. Ventures should be past pure ideation, ideally with an MVP or early sales traction, completed customer discovery, an identified target market, and readiness for an enterprise pilot. The program is aimed at eight 'innovation frontiers': Advanced AI, Physical AI/Industry 4.0, High Performance Computing, Semiconductors, Dynamic Energy Management, Biotech and Life Sciences, Supply Chain Resilience, and an 'Other' category covering sustainability, crypto, and the space economy.
The Student Summer Accelerator requires at least one founding team member to be a current university student (undergraduate, graduate, or May graduate), open to any industry or venture type, with the venture already past ideation and customer discovery underway.
How to apply
- For Launch Powered by KPMG: submit an application before the stated deadline (the most recent fall cycle closed July 31, 2026 at 5:00pm EST), go through review in the following weeks, and receive an acceptance notification (the most recent cycle notified by August 21, 2026).
- For the Student Summer Accelerator: complete the single online application, which has text and video components and takes about 30 minutes, during the open window (the most recent window ran March 30 to April 28, 2026); one application covers both available cohort time slots.
Frequently asked
Does Launch Chapel Hill take equity in exchange for the program?
No. Neither Launch Powered by KPMG nor the Student Summer Accelerator takes an equity stake, and both are free to join.
Do I need to be affiliated with UNC to join Launch Powered by KPMG?
No, that program is open to any founder regardless of university affiliation. UNC, NC State, Duke, or Triangle-region connections matter for the student track, which additionally requires a current student on the founding team.
How long is the program?
Launch Powered by KPMG runs 6 weeks with programming concentrated on Mondays and Tuesdays, ending in a Demo Day. The Student Summer Accelerator runs 3 weeks, full-time and in person.
What do companies get out of it beyond mentorship?
A year of free coworking membership at Innovate Carolina, access to KPMG's industry expertise and enterprise client network, and for student teams, a hands-on curriculum plus office space in downtown Chapel Hill.
What kind of startup fits Launch Powered by KPMG?
Deep tech and dual-use ventures across eight target areas: Advanced AI, Physical AI/Industry 4.0, High Performance Computing, Semiconductors, Dynamic Energy Management, Biotech and Life Sciences, Supply Chain Resilience, and other areas like sustainability, crypto, or the space economy.
More funding in North Carolina
Black Founders Exchange
American Underground · North Carolina
A no-fee week of mentorship, covered accommodation, and pitch showcase in Durham for Black tech founders.
IGNITE Loan Program
Carolina Small Business Development Fund · North Carolina
Loans up to $75,000 for North Carolina small businesses operating at least two years, with a discount for veterans.
NC Biotechnology Center Company Funding
North Carolina Biotechnology Center · North Carolina
Loans of $150,000 to $650,000 for North Carolina life sciences and agtech companies.
One North Carolina Small Business Program
North Carolina Department of Commerce (Office of Science, Technology & Innovation) · North Carolina
North Carolina's state-level companion to federal SBIR/STTR, reimbursing Phase I proposal costs and matching Phase I awards for NC small businesses.
Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP)
Carolina Small Business Development Fund · North Carolina
Loans up to $50,000 at 7% interest for microenterprises in designated rural areas of North Carolina.
NC IDEA MICRO
NC IDEA · North Carolina
$10,000 grants twice a year plus a six-month program for early North Carolina startups validating their business model.
All 9 programmes in North Carolina →
Reviewed 2026-09-25. Programmes change, so check eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private firm and is not part of any government body.