We Bring the Idea.
You Build the Company.
Form a team of 2–3 aspiring co-founders. Choose from KampusVC's curated Applied AI and Cybersecurity startup opportunities. Bring your technical skills, business ambition, and execution ability. Together, we'll work toward building a real startup.
An exclusive global venture-building challenge for student founding teams from KampusVC partner universities and AI clubs.
Co-powered by student-run clubs; not an official event of UCLA or UT Dallas.
The Opportunities Are Ready. Is Your Team?
Explore 11 venture opportunities identified by KampusVC across Applied AI and Cybersecurity. Assemble a founding team of 2–3 students and choose the opportunity that matches your combined skills and ambition.
AI Security Gateway for LLM and MCP
Organizations adopting LLMs and MCP tools need controls over what models can access and do.
Agentic AI Cyber Threat Intelligence
Security teams are overwhelmed by threat signals that need faster triage and context.
Secure Browser for Academia
Universities need a safer browsing environment for exams, research and campus systems.
AI Penetration Testing
Penetration testing is slow and expensive, so most systems are tested too rarely.
Deepfake Detection
Synthetic audio and video make it harder to trust identity and media.
Certificate Lifecycle Manager
Expired or untracked certificates cause outages and security gaps.
These are proposed venture concepts identified by KampusVC, subject to validation. None is an incorporated or funded company.
Your Team. Our Ecosystem. One Startup.
Great startups are built by complementary founding teams. KampusVC brings curated venture opportunities, experienced CXO mentors, engineering connections, and company-building support. Your team brings the technical expertise, business thinking, leadership, and commitment to execute.
Become Startup Co-Founders
Build toward launching a real startup as a founding team, with support from KampusVC's venture studio ecosystem.
Mentorship from Experienced CXOs
Work through real decisions — product, hiring, pricing — with operators who have built companies.
Access to Founding Engineers
Get matched with engineering talent so the company isn't limited by what one founder can code.
MVP Development Support
Turn the concept into a working first version you can put in front of real users.
Go-to-Market and Customer Discovery
Talk to customers early, test demand and shape a credible path to first revenue.
Angel Investor and VC Introductions
Ventures that show progress may be introduced to relevant angels and early-stage investors.
These are opportunities available through selection, not guaranteed benefits for every applicant.
You're Building a Company. Not Completing an Assignment.
Selected founding teams are expected to take ownership of execution, participate in important product and business decisions, and work toward building a commercially viable startup.
Product Ownership
Help define the product direction, prioritize features, and build an MVP based on customer needs.
Customer Discovery
Interview potential customers, validate assumptions, and refine the business opportunity.
Team Leadership
Divide responsibilities, collaborate as co-founders, and develop the ability to lead a growing company.
Business Execution
Work on go-to-market strategy, early traction, partnerships, and commercial viability.
Founder responsibilities, decision rights, ownership, and governance are determined by any subsequent formal co-founding agreement.
From application to Demo Day.
Up to 20 founding teams, each comprising 2–3 students, may be selected as finalists. Finalist selection does not guarantee venture studio admission, incorporation, funding, or investment.
- Dec 4, 2026Applications Open
- Jan 10, 2027Applications Close
- Jan–Feb 2027Team Evaluation
- Feb 2027Top 20 Founding Teams Announced
- Feb–Mar 2027Venture Development and Mentorship
- Apr 2027Global Demo Day
Built for Founding Teams.
- Applications must be submitted by a team of 2 or 3 students.
- All team members must be current undergraduate or postgraduate students.
- Each member must be affiliated with a KampusVC partner university or partner AI club.
- Teams may combine technical and business backgrounds.
- Cross-university teams are welcome if all members meet eligibility requirements.
- One member acts as the primary applicant and team contact.
- Each team submits one application.
- No existing incorporated company is required.
- No working MVP is required.
- No original startup idea is required.
- Applications are free.
- Student status and partner affiliation may be verified during evaluation.
You Bring the Team. We Bring the Opportunity.
Find 1–2 ambitious classmates or fellow students, combine your strengths, and apply together to build something meaningful.
From Founding Team to Startup.
Selection considers
Does the team combine technical, product, and business capabilities?
Has the team demonstrated an ability to build, deliver, or solve meaningful problems?
Do the members show initiative, leadership, and willingness to take calculated risks?
Does the team understand the customer problem and proposed opportunity?
Can all members dedicate meaningful time to the venture?
Can the members collaborate effectively and make decisions together?
Selection evaluates the team as a whole, not only the credentials of its individual members. Being named one of the Top 20 Founding Teams does not guarantee incorporation, venture studio admission, or investment.
Clear terms, upfront.
Does KampusVC take equity?
Applying to the Global Challenge is free and does not require giving up equity or transferring intellectual property.
For selected ventures entering a formal co-founding or venture studio arrangement, KampusVC may receive up to 30% equity. This reflects the scope of KampusVC's agreed contributions, which may include founder matching, company formation assistance, engineering resources, MVP development, business mentorship, customer discovery, go-to-market support, and investor introductions.
Any equity arrangement is subject to a separate written agreement before venture studio participation.
Does KampusVC invest money?
Direct cash investment is not guaranteed. Selected ventures may gain access to company-building resources, mentorship, startup credits, and investor introductions.
Who owns my idea?
Applicants retain ownership of their pre-existing intellectual property. Applying does not automatically transfer intellectual property to KampusVC. Any subsequent ownership or licensing arrangement must be documented separately.
Be First to Know When Applications Open.
Join the interest list for KampusVC Global Challenge 2027. We'll notify you when co-founder applications open on December 4.
Your Founder Journey Starts Here.
KampusVC brings the venture opportunities. Your team brings the talent, ambition, and drive to build. Form your founding team and apply for the opportunity to co-found an Applied AI or Cybersecurity company.
Applications Close January 10, 2027 | Top 20 Founding Teams Announced February 2027 | Demo Day April 2027