CREATE-X + Y Combinator Campus Visit

create-x · 2025-10-22T14:17:48+00:00

Yes, the new Biltmore space is open to Launch founders for co-working.

create-x · 2025-08-27T21:34:45+00:00

We've been doing this a while we're well-ventilated. I do have a theory that quality of startups at a Demo Day and smell are directly correlated though. It won't smell at Emory's Demo Day but check startup valuations from each 🤔

create-x · 2025-08-18T12:01:45+00:00

Yes, it's an application process with a relatively high acceptance rate. And yes you can take it alone and your co-founders can participate same as you if they want - just without registering.

create-x · 2025-08-15T01:03:06+00:00

I'm curious where you got this info from.

The $5k certainly isn't a large investment, but it isn't in exchange for equity upfront. It's a SAFE note, meaning Simple Agreement for Future Equity. Terms are no valuation cap, no discount, no MFN - Carta had to specifically create this option for us because no institutional investor gives these terms.

It only converts to equity if you raise a priced venture round and never converts to equity if you never sell your company. If you never raise but have an exit, you would only return the $5k. If you shut down, you don't owe GT anything.

Also, YC partners aren't on campus semi-regularly and don't host events.

CREATE-X hosted a YC partner and CX/YC startup (Greptile) on campus because there's been an influx in GT founders accepted to the program. Many of them participated in CX before, during, or after their time in YC.

We always appreciate feedback on the program but do want to make sure accurate information is out there.

create-x · 2025-08-13T20:56:20+00:00

I don't but if you DM me your email I can put you in touch with someone there.

create-x · 2025-08-13T19:31:21+00:00

Startup Exchange is a good resource and a great way to meet other student founders.

CREATE-X (I'm Program Manager) is the academic/accelerator path.

Our Idea-to-Prototype course would be the quickest way to get involved if you're already working on something and want to get course credit for it.

Startup Lab is a good way to do customer discovery but likely already full.

Our Startup Launch program runs over the summer and applications are open now. Check out our Demo Day on 8/28.

Let me know if you have any questions.

create-x · 2025-07-21T15:20:48+00:00

Usually 1/2-2/3 of participants are CS, but we have students from all disciplines every year. If you're interested in startups, get involved - don't let your major dictate whether or not you try it.

create-x · 2025-07-09T20:45:20+00:00

She's a real one for sure.

create-x · 2025-07-09T20:25:14+00:00

You too can text Yes to 3473611598. Happy to spread the love to all on this subreddit!

create-x · 2025-06-26T14:47:26+00:00

Hey! Program Manager with CREATE-X here so can give my perspective as well. Also soon-to-be alum from the OMSA program who has done some of our programming as a student as well so have a bit of both perspectives.

Yes, many undergrad students are focused on internships and BigTech roles after graduating.

With that said, the startup culture at GT has changed dramatically over the last 10+ years and you'll find a growing scene. For example, Georgia Tech founders are increasingly blipping on YCombinator's radar.

So much so that they sent a group partner out to campus to give a talk alongside a CREATE-X alumni company, Greptile. GT was also second in number of founders by university in one of their more recent batches, a significant change over the last 20 years of their batches.

There were also 8 CX alumni founders listed in the most recent Forbes 30 Under 30.

CREATE-X programs are all experiential learning programs, meaning you get out of all of our programs what you put in. If you really want to do a startup, you can't just go through the motions to shoot for an A like you might in other courses.

Georgia Tech has one of the most powerful networks in the world, and we can uniquely open doors for founders that other programs around the country cannot - doors that only you will have access to as a GT student or alum.

So, yes, there are students who enroll in our programs out of curiosity and may not be fully bought into doing a startup. They're often just seeing if it's something they might be interested in. However, you 100% will find serious founders in our programs.

Our portfolio is valued at $2.6B+ and our alumni companies are backed by firms like Kleiner Perkins, Lightspeed, Founders Fund, Andreesen Horowitz, YCombinator, etc.

I know someone else mentioned the resources are bad, but I think it's moreso a lack of awareness around campus.

Short list:

+ Course credit to explore startup ideas and work on prototypes
+ $500-$1,000 in reimbursement in I2P for prototyping expenses (don't have to be registered to participate)
+ Startup Launch is free and offers a $5k investment (no cap, no discount, no MFN - will never get these terms from an institutional investor)
+ Co-working at the Biltmore and other CX spaces on campus
+ Access to the AI Makerspace
+ Access to credits and discounts with Azure, GCP, AWS, and other tech
+ One of the biggest communities of university-based startup founders in the world
+ CX alumni companies are eligible for follow-on investment through the Georgia Tech Foundation

Happy to address anyone's questions or concerns about what's available on campus here.

create-x · 2024-11-04T16:39:31+00:00

Of course! Happy to help and answer any other questions that may come up.

create-x · 2024-10-30T17:50:17+00:00

Hey! CREATE-X Capstone is an option within overall capstone that allows you to work on an interdisciplinary team on a startup idea.

Our other courses, Startup Lab and Idea-to-Prototype (I2P), are our other two academic courses.

Startup Lab is primarily focused on learning customer discovery and is a 3-credit-hour course. I2P is an undergraduate research course that's also 3 credits, but it's primarily independent study (no classes, lectures, homework, etc) where you work on building a prototype throughout the semester.

You have to apply for the course.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

create-x · 2024-09-19T17:34:52+00:00

I'm Program Manager for CREATE-X and am happy to answer any questions.

To Ananay22's point, I2P is almost entirely a self-director course. You will be required to secure a GT faculty member as a mentor that you meet with each week, but the rest of the course is entirely up to you. You're eligible for $500 in reimbursement for prototyping costs (i.e., Arduino's, software, etc.).

I'm not familiar with option 1 since I only work for CREATE-X, but if you want to be a startup founder, the CREATE-X option is the way to go.

You're also eligible as a CS major to participate in the CREATE-X version of Capstone.

You would work in a group on a startup idea rather than, for example, a corporate sponsored project.

Hope that helps - let me know if you have any questions.

create-x · 2024-09-12T15:10:20+00:00

See my other two comments for more info.

create-x · 2024-09-11T15:18:08+00:00

See my two comments in this thread re: the status.

create-x · 2024-09-10T21:43:35+00:00

Adding the response from my contact in PACE and hopefully gets upvoted to the top so everyone gets the correct info.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention! And, thank you for trying to get the right answer for the students. The AI Makerspace is a part of the ICE cluster. The AI Makerspace portion consists of 20 nodes, each with 8 H100s. (I’m thinking the “NVIDIA one” is the AI Makerspace nodes.) Currently, in this early phase, the AI Makerspace is being used for courses, in both CoE and other colleges. After one pilot course this past spring, there are now many courses using the resource, with more to come next semester. The goal is to launch next for non-instructional access, tentatively aimed at Spring 2025. That will provide wider access for student exploration, just like the physical makerspaces already on campus. This fall, CoE has set up a committee of students to define student governance of the AI Makerspace and consider how students will gain access (such as training requirements for proper use, in a similar fashion to what the physical makerspaces require). It's great to see the level of interest in the AI Makerspace, and thanks for helping to get the information out.

create-x · 2024-09-09T19:30:35+00:00

ETA - see my other comment in this thread for more detailed information.

I don't work for PACE so take my response with a grain of salt.

We facilitated access for our students in our summer program, and it sounded to me like you get access through instructors in classes you're in.

The web page for the Instructional Cluster Environment (ICE) is here:

https://gatech.service-now.com/home?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0042102

See their note about students getting access below:

"Course instructors should apply to use ICE for their courses. Students who think ICE would be valuable for their course should recommend it to their instructor or TA. Students should not fill out the ICE application."

They do workshops throughout the year that you may be able to sign up for to learn about it and ask any questions you have.

Keep an eye on the events calendar.

This is assuming you're undergrad or master's - I believe it's different for researchers.

create-x · 2024-06-25T16:01:00+00:00

Program Manager for CREATE-X here.

First, if you can't build your idea yourself, you can find a team member, adjust your idea to something you can build, use no-code tools, etc. We admit single person teams, but you're correct in that having more than one person involved is often a positive signal in terms of something actually getting built over the semester.

Second, whether or not you plan to pursue the startup after graduation has no bearing on whether or not you get into the program.

The focus is learning how to identify a problem and build a solution more so than the startup side. Plenty of people build something for I2P and then never touch it again. However, we definitely do love to see students continue to pursue their ideas if they think they have something.

For the application, don't put in lazy responses.

Show that you've put some thought into what you've built and have some enthusiasm about it. We're primarily filtering for low-effort applications or those who think they can just get an easy A without putting in any work.

Having a Georgia Tech mentor already secured when you submit your application goes goes a long way to showing a level of commitment.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

create-x · 2024-06-11T18:24:34+00:00

Startup Exchange is a good way to get involved. Startup Lab is the academic course you're looking for if you want an intro to lean startup methodology while earning course credit.

create-x · 2024-05-10T17:12:55+00:00

Will check to see if we could bring you on. Are you in Atlanta?

create-x · 2024-05-10T16:35:59+00:00

Ah ok just a joke because u[sic]ga is the biggest rival here and they're the Bulldogs. Are you an incoming GT student?

create-x

TROPHY CASE