EPFL Startup Launchpad · Blaze

Blaze application

Thank you for your interest in Blaze. This application helps us understand your project, your team, and your goals. Answer as thoroughly as you can — we value authenticity over perfection. If you are early-stage and don't have all the answers yet, tell us your current thinking.

Before you start — this is a long form

Count on 45–60 minutes. You don't have to finish in one sitting, but please save as you go so nothing is lost halfway through:

Your answers are saved automatically in this browser as you type, and reappear when you come back to this page.
That copy lives only in this browser, on this device. A private window, clearing your browsing data, another computer, or a different browser will not have it.
So use ⤓ Download draft in the bar below from time to time. It saves a small file you can keep, share with a co-founder, and load back here with ⤒ Load draft.

Nothing reaches us until you press Submit application at the end — and nothing is checked before then, so you can leave gaps while you work.

Draft saved on this device only. Not online, and not sent to us yet.

Your startup

The basics, so we can file your application.

Startup / project name *

Headline — your startup, in one simple sentence *

Plain language, no jargon.

Website

Optional — a landing page or repository counts.

Company LinkedIn

Optional.

Founding team

Internal — not published

One card per person involved in the project. We use these details to contact you about the application and, if you are selected, to set up EPFL access for the team — so please be accurate and complete. Mark whoever should be our main contact.

Project fundamentals

These questions help us understand what you're building and why it matters.

Q1What sparked this project? *

Describe what triggered the idea — a problem you experienced, an insight, a technology, a research result, or simply curiosity. Help us understand the origin story of your project.

Suggested length: 100–200 words

Q2Who or what could benefit from this project? *

List the people, users, organizations, or systems that might gain value from your solution. Even if it's still broad or uncertain, describe who you believe would benefit and how.

Suggested length: 100–200 words

Q3What exists today? *

Briefly describe the current state of your project — an idea, a concept, a prototype, working software, research results, or anything you already have. Be honest about where you are.

Suggested length: 100–200 words

Q4What change or impact do you hope to create? *

Explain the improvement, outcome, or positive effect you would like this project to achieve. What will be different in the world if you succeed?

Suggested length: 150–250 words

Market & validation

These questions help us assess market opportunity and customer validation.

Q5What customer discovery have you done? *

How many people have you interviewed or surveyed about this problem? What have you learned? Do you have any customers, pilot partners, beta testers, or letters of intent? If you haven't started customer discovery yet, explain your plan.

Suggested length: 200–400 words

Include · number of interviews · key insights · any committed partners or customers

Q6How large is the market opportunity? *

Who specifically is your target customer, and approximately how many of them exist? If you have market size estimates (TAM/SAM/SOM), share them. If you're early-stage, provide your best assessment of the potential market size.

Suggested length: 200–350 words

Include · target customer definition · estimated market size · geographic scope

Q7Who else is working on this problem? *

Who else is serving these customers or addressing this need? This includes direct competitors, indirect alternatives, and the status quo. What makes your approach different or better than existing solutions?

Suggested length: 200–350 words

Include · main competitors and alternatives · your key differentiators

Business model

This section helps us understand your path to sustainability.

Q8How will this project generate revenue? *

Describe your pricing strategy and who will pay for your solution. If you don't have a clear revenue model yet, explain your current thinking or potential monetization approaches you're considering.

Suggested length: 150–300 words

Include · revenue model · pricing structure · who pays · target price points

Team & execution

These questions help us understand how you work together and what you plan to do next.

Q9Tell us about your founding team *

You have already given us each person's details in the Founding team section above, so use this space for the team as a whole: how you came together, why this team is the right one for this problem, how the roles and the workload are split, and anything still missing.

Suggested length: 200–400 words

Include · how you met · complementary strengths · how decisions are made · gaps you need to fill

Q10What are your key milestones for the next 6–12 months? *

When do you expect to launch (or expand) your product? What are the 3–5 most important milestones you need to achieve, and what needs to happen to get there? What are your biggest dependencies or potential blockers?

Suggested length: 200–400 words

Include · 3–5 major milestones with timeframes · launch date if applicable

Accelerator fit

These final questions help us understand if Blaze is the right fit for you right now.

Q11What do you need next to move forward? *

Tell us what would help you progress: validation, access to users, technical support, co-founders or teammates, funding, mentorship, network access, or other resources. Be specific about your most pressing needs.

Suggested length: 100–200 words

Q12Why are you applying to Blaze now? *

What do you specifically hope to gain from the Blaze program? Why is now the right time? Have you participated in other startup programs or received funding? How committed is your team to participating fully in the program?

Suggested length: 200–350 words

Include · specific goals for Blaze · timing rationale · prior programs and funding · commitment level

Additional information

Optional

Anything else that would help us understand your project.

Pitch deck, demo video, prototype, publications…

We can't accept file attachments through this form — please share links (Drive, Dropbox, YouTube, GitHub…) set to "anyone with the link".

Your application goes straight to the Blaze program team. You'll see a confirmation here once it's in.

Questions about the application or the program? Marius Conti, Program Lead · marius.conti@epfl.ch.