The UP/Start Competition provides over $105,000 in award funding every year.
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UP/Start focuses on incubating and building creative business ventures within the MICA community. Working with industry partners, UP/Start provides mentorship and capital to help nurture ideas into sustainable businesses.
The 2026 UP/Start Venture Competition is only open to MICA Class of 2025 and 2026.
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MICA's UP/Start Venture Competition 2025 begins with Round 1! Round 1 applications will be due on Friday, October 31, 2025 at 12pm.
A panel of judges will review Round 1 online applications and select 15 applicants to participate in a 'Pop Up and Pitch'.
The top 10 ideas will then advance to the next round of competition and compete for $105,000 in funding!
2026 UP/Start Venture Competition
IMPORTANT DATES
Monday, October 6, 2025, 6-7pm | Virtual UP/Start Info Session - Recording & Slides
Wednesday October 8-29, 2025, 6-7pm | Creative Entrepreneurship Bootcamp with Paula Landry - Register here!
Friday, October 31, 2025 | UP/Start Round 1 applications due by 12PM
Tuesday, November 11, 2025 | Top 15 Ventures Participate in Pop Up & Pitch
Monday, November 17, 2025 | 10 UP/Start Finalists Announced
Friday & Saturday, November 21-22, 2025 | UP/Start Intensive
December 2025 - April 2026 | UP/Start Accelerator [Weekly Sessions]
Friday, March 13, 2026, 4-7pm | MICA/IMET Pitch & Mix
Friday April 10, 2026, 6-8pm | 2026 UP/Start Venture Competition Finale
ELIGIBILITY
The 2026 UP/Start competition will be open to MICA Classes of 2025 (alumni) & 2026
(Undergraduate seniors, students in one year programs and second year MFA students).
The competition is only open to US permanent residents and citizens at this time. Participants must be able to attend in-person sessions in Baltimore. Read the full Eligibility & Criteria here.
Contact rcce@mica.edu or schedule a 1:1 meeting if you have any questions.
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More than $900,000 in Start Up Funding Awarded to our Student Ventures!
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JESS JESS PRESS // Jessica Lipinsky ‘23 (Illustration BFA), Jess Linn ‘23 (Graphic Design Printmaking BFA) - $35,000 + $5,000 People's Choice Award
Deadbeat Devil // Luka Shanahan ‘24 (General Fine Arts BFA) - $25,000
DUST // Justin Remo ‘24 (Printmaking BFA) - $20,000
Vers // Jantzen Nolan ‘24 (Fiber BFA) - $10,000
Plexo // Anthony Culp ‘23 (Product Design BFA) - $10,000
Finalists:
AOT Labs // Robert Stephenson ‘25 (The Business of Art & Design MPS)
SharingCare // Banu Akman & Deb McCabe ‘23 (User Experience Design MPS)
Strawbwycake Game // Cloudy Muscolino ‘24 (Illustration BFA)
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ORA The Brand ($30,000) // Elana Wallach ‘23 (Fiber BFA)
Chimaera Gallery ($20,000) //Angela McQuillan ‘22 (Business of Art & Design, Entrepreneurship MPS)
Baldridge Studios ($20,000) // Natalie Baldridge ‘22 Business of Art & Design, Entrepreneurship MPS), Addison Baldridge
Oopsduck ($6,000) // Gabriel Chez ‘22 (Interactive Art BFA), Chloe Azcuy ‘24 (Interactive Arts BFA), Alex Rosales ‘24 (Graphic Design BFA)
Endless Dolls ($6,000) // Kendra Bray ‘23 (Business of Art & Design, Entrepreneurship MPS)
Darling City ($6,000) // Laura Akromas ‘23 (Business of Art & Design, Entrepreneurship MPS)
Nocrastination ($6,000) // Natasha Fray ‘23 (Design Leadership MA/MBA)
e-Sprouts ($6,000) // Ellis Edwards ‘22 (Animation BFA)
People’s Choice Award
Oopsduck ($5,000) // Gabriel Chez ‘22 (Interactive Art BFA), Chloe Azcuy ‘24 (Interactive Arts BFA), Alex Rosales ‘24 (Graphic Design BFA)
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View 2022 Winners Profiles Here
Seed Funding Awarded To:
Blvck Door ($40,000) // Iman Carr ’22 (Design Leadership MA/MBA) and Shakeel Alexander
Compressent Co. ($30,000) // Herschel Ruben ’21 (Product Design BFA)
Convo ($15,000) // Emma Koramshahi ’22 (Design Leadership MA/MBA) and Julia Breskin ’22 (Design Leadership MA/MBA)
‘Knock the Block’ ($12,000) // Book Karnjanakit ’21 (Illustration Practice MFA)
People's Choice Award
Pharma-D ($5,000) // Kristen Karlovich ’21 (Product Design BFA)
Other UP/Start Finalists Include:
Mira // Jana Thompson ’21 (UX Design MPS)
Core Immersive Labs // Paolo Narciso ’22 (Data Analytics & Visualization MPS)
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View 2021 Winners Profiles Here
Seed Funding Awarded To:
TamPal ($35,000) // Erica Duffy ‘21 (MBA/MA Design Leadership)
Reside Burials ($25,000) // Carrie Carter ‘20 (BFA Product Design)
Garden Party Press ($20,000) // Chelsea Conrad ‘20 (MA Illustration)
Anchovy Press ($14,100) // Rebecca Marimutu ‘20 (MFA Photography & Electronic Media), Priyanka Kumar ‘20 (MFA Illustration Practice)
Dexter Design Co. ($8,900) // Christian Dexter ‘20 (BFA Graphic Design & Printmaking)
Confetti Collection Co. ($2,000) // Charlene Etienne ‘ 21 (MPS Data Analytics & Visualization)
Other UP/Start Finalists Include:
Le Boi // Yuze Le ‘21 (MBA/MA Design Leadership)
Foraday Inc. // Sean Duffy ‘20 (MPS User Experience Design), Stephanie Petagno ‘02 (BFA General Sculpture Studies), Amber LaRosa
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View 2020 Winners Profiles Here
Seed Funding Awarded To:
Makers for Humankind ($29,750) // Mikea Hugley ’19 (Graphic Design BFA)
Small Island Clothing ($29,000) // Sara Stanton ’19 (Business of Art & Design MPS)
Hadassah Dowuona ($15,000) // Hadassah Dowuona ’20 (Fiber BFA)
Pura ($11,250) // Claire Chuff ’20 (Product Design & Graphic Design BFA)
Photo Story Workshop ($10,000) // Heidi Good Boncana ’20 (Social Design MA)
STITCH AND DESTROY ($5,000) // Haven DeAnglis ’20 (Fiber BFA)
Other UP/Start Finalists Include:
Blackives // Deyane Moses ’19 ’21 (Photography BFA and Curatorial Practice MFA)
M Strickland Design // M Strickland ’19 (Social Design MA)
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