Student Milestone Fund

The Tsai CITY Milestone Fund supports Yale students working on early-stage ideas that solve real-world problems. Whether you’re designing a new product, launching a nonprofit, building a community initiative, or producing a creative work intended to solve a tangible problem, this fund is here to help you take the next step.

 

Teams can receive up to $2,000 in funding per academic year. You are welcome to apply more than once (for example, $500 in October and $1,500 in April), as long as you stay within that total. All applications for building prototypes that include both a hardware and software component will be considered for the Rothberg Catalyzer Prototyping Fund. Applications are reviewed by the Student Funding Team and Tsai CITY staff, and award amounts may be adjusted based on your venture’s stage and the priority of the funding category selected.

 

How it works

 

Who can apply: 

  • Any team with at least one Yale student enrolled in a degree-granting program at the university.

 

When to apply:

  • Fall semester: Applications open on October 2. Reviews take place every other week from October 2 through December 4. 
  • Spring semester: Applications open on February 12, and close for the year on April 16. Reviews will also take place every other week. 

 

What you'll need:

  • Identify a clear next step for your startup and present a plan for how funding will advance your idea, initiative, or venture to achieve it. Explain why this stage is the most strategic time to receive financial support. 
  • Include information about customer discovery and details on how feedback from customers has been incorporated, if applicable. 
  • Include a small sample of results or proof that your idea, initiative, or venture can solve a real-world problem. 
  • Include an itemized and relevant budget aligned with the milestone, having already ensured you are unable to source materials from Yale’s existing resources, such as the Bass Media Library or the CEID. 

 

When preparing your budget, it is useful to note that we are able to fund the following:

  • Most software tools and equipment
  • Raw materials and supplies, e.g., to create a new product or service
  • Prototyping and production services
  • Marketing and customer discovery costs, including travel or conference expenses to find new customers, but excluding paid online advertising and incentives for customer surveys.
  • Legal and accounting consultation

 

We are unable to fund the following:

  • Team wages & stipends
  • Personal expenses & living costs
  • Honorariums
  • Contractor fees
  • Research costs

 

 

Additional application details:

  • Explain sources of recurring revenue.
  • Choose one category from the Student Milestone Fund Categories (available on the application).
  • Explain why that category is your top funding priority.

 

Example budget:

Venture: AI-powered meditation app designed for students.

Funding Milestone: Launch and complete a 25-student pilot program to test engagement, gather feedback, and validate the user experience.

  • AI credits - $30
  • Payment processor setup to test first transaction fees - $20
  • Print color posters to advertise the pilot - $10
  • Catering from a cafe to attract students to tabling - $200
  • Duct tape to put up posters - $10
  • Sturdy folding table - $60

 

Decision process

  • Decisions are made during the review period listed above based solely on the information provided in the application. If the Tsai CITY team has questions about your application, an interview may be requested. A member of the Tsai CITY team will email you once a decision is made. Students may apply multiple times to the Student Milestone Fund, as long as the total requested funding does not exceed $2,000 per academic year.
  • We use the following criteria to evaluate each application.
  • Special note: Teams that have participated in Summer Fellowship, won a Startup Yale Prize, or have received funding exceeding $10,000 may only apply to the Student Milestone Fund once per academic year.

 

After funding

All teams that receive funding may be asked to submit a brief follow-up form with an update on their progress. No receipts or detailed budget reporting are required.


 

The application process will begin on October 2, 2026.

*Do you have questions? Schedule office hours to meet with the funding team.