Whether it’s an app or a device, the path from start-up idea to full-fledged company often leads through programs called accelerators or hubs that can provide workspaces, guidance and even funding. In Pittsburgh, there is AlphaLab, AlphaLab Gear and Ascender.
But competition can be stiff for the limited spots in these programs. For those who do get in, it's usually a full time commitment, said Randy Eager, an entrepreneur-in-residence at the University of Pittsburgh's Innovation Institute.
Image: Gagan Biyani, co-founder of the online learning platform Udemy, speaks at the San Francisco Founder Institute in 2015. Biyani is a graduate of the Founder Institute and now serves as a mentor in the program. - FOUNDER INSTITUTE
