Two Yale student artists explore creativity, experimentation, and the journey of an idea through new art installations at Tsai CITY.

What began as a desire to address college access in his hometown grew into Circle Match, a nonprofit now serving students across 12 Title I high schools. Michael Sanchez (YC ’23) reflects on building for lasting impact, finding community at Tsai CITY, and redefining what innovation can look like.

Tsai CITY kicked off the fall semester with two signature events celebrating creativity, community, and the many ways Yale students are turning ideas into action.

Whether you have an idea you’re ready to build, something you’re curious about, or no idea where to begin, there’s a place for you here.

From building Freedom Libraries to designing merchandise, Quinton Maddox (YC '28) shares how his summer at Freedom Reads reshaped his understanding of design, innovation, and the power of intentional work.

Isabel Nuno (YC '27) reflects on how her summer at Freedom Reads transformed her understanding of social innovation, showing that the strongest impact often begins behind the scenes.

Before Demo Day, Tsai CITY Summer Fellows test assumptions, learn from customers and mentors, and make difficult decisions that reshape their ventures. Follow three summer fellow founders as they turn feedback into focused plans, meaningful pivots, and measurable progress.

Through Venture Ready, student founders learned that building a venture-scalable company requires more than a great idea—it requires the clarity, discipline, and vision to make the right decisions.

Tsai CITY is proud to welcome 16 teams participating in our Summer Fellowship program as they continue building impactful ventures beyond the academic year. The Tsai CITY Summer Fellowship is a multi-week, full-time accelerator that supports student-led companies, nonprofits, and initiatives as they sharpen their ideas and move their work forward.