10/22/2026
Four years after its founding, the Donald R. Ryan Incubator in the Arts and Sciences has a new name — and a fundraising challenge. Now known as The Donald Ryan ’69 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Accelerator, it was established in 2022 with a $2 million donation from the Ryan family to encourage students from all academic disciplines to create and test ideas for new products, services, and organizations.
If $500,000 is donated to the Ryan Accelerator Activities Fund before December 1, 2026, the Ryan family will contribute an additional $500,000 to the fund, which supports programming and activities for students interested in entrepreneurship.
The Ryan Accelerator supports students by offering a robust menu of programs and services. Through the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fellowship, more than 30 students have secured internships aligned with their interests and received financial stipends. Through the accelerator, they can also access grant funding for their ventures, secure consulting opportunities with startups, and receive alumni coaching. Each year in the Elevator Pitch Competition, pictured here, students compete for $9,000 in prize money to support their ideas.
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