Become an Altitude lab resident.

Altitude Lab provides the scientific infrastructure, community, and national network of experts to help you transition your startup from an early business concept to a funded startup.

This term is now closed. See options below to apply for future terms

FAQ

What makes someone eligible?

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  • Sector: Life science and health care companies (therapeutics, diagnostics, research use tools or services,and digital health care). We are currently not accepting device and tools companies unless they are pursuing a combination therapeutic-device model. We plan to include device companies in the future. If you are interested in learning more contact us at info@altitudelab.org 
  • Stage: Early-stage companies with 5 or fewer employees 
  • Team experience: Founders’ and executives’ professional background align to their technology or business ambition
  • Representative & inclusive teams: While we have no absolute quotas or requirements of individual startups, Altitude Lab aims for 50% of our startups to have at least one underrepresented founder or executive. We do require all companies to make a commitment to build inclusive businesses. Preference for grants will be given to exceptional leaders from historically underrepresented backgrounds

What should I expect after I apply?

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What to expect after you apply

  • Meet us
    We will set up a call and answer any questions you have about the space, our mission, and our services
  • Follow up for grant applicants
    After an initial review, you will be invited to meet our board of directors. This will help us see where you might fit within our 10 Trail Angel Grant seats
  • Get notified

We promise to notify you of your application status within 3 weeks of applying.

What is the criteria for applicants?

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We require all residents to meet the following criteria:

  • Sector: Life science and health care companies (therapeutics, diagnostics, research use tools or services, and digital health care)
  • Stage: Early stage companies with 5 or fewer employees and a soft limit of $2M in equity-based funding or annual revenue.

    We understand that stage, funding, and team size is relative to your vertical and operation. If you exceed the above guidelines but believe you are still at an early stage, we are eager to discuss your unique situation with you to determine incubator fit together
  • Team experience: Founders’ and executives’ professional background align to their technology or business ambition

In addition to these requirements we evaluate companies based on their alignment to our mission. Preference will be given to companies who are building:

  • Breakthrough businesses or products: Innovation-driven technologies with compelling patents or publication track record or disruptive, differentiated market strategies
  • Representative & inclusive teams: Altitude Lab aims for 50% of our startups to have at least one underrepresented founder or executive and requires all companies to make a commitment to build inclusive businesses. Preference for residency will be given to exceptional executives from historically underrepresented backgrounds.

How do we access your grant or fellowship programs?

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Altitude Lab bridges the gaps for founders to make big strides—in all the ways their journey demands. Our grant programs help you along the way.

Trail Angel Grant

For exceptional founders and business ideas Altitude Lab offers the Trail Angel grant to cover the cost of 1 year of residency at zero cost and zero equity, a >$30,000 value. Grant recipients not only earn facility access but are coached through pitching, term sheets, and their top business challenges by leaders in their field. Grant recipients receive: 

  • 1 year of residency at zero cost, zero equity
  • 1 wet lab bench and 2 desks in our co-working office
  • Complete access to our facilities, services, and instrumentation
  • 10 grants available, 5 of which are specifically for companies with at least one underrepresented founder or executives

Get There Travel Grants

Scored a key meeting with a top investor or partner and need to fly out tomorrow? We’ll make it possible. Travel grants are available for any resident company and recipients receive:

  • Airfare up to $750
  • Meals and accommodations for two days of travel

Join the Chris and Summer Gibson Founder Fellowship for underrepresented and first-time founders transitioning from academia to entrepreneurship. Here's what's included:

  • Fellowship Focus: Empowering underrepresented and first-time founders in the transition from academia to entrepreneurship.
  • Benefits for Fellows:$40,000 Stipend: Funding for entrepreneurial endeavors.
  • 1 Year of Lab and Office Space: Access to world-class facilities, including wet lab bench and co-working space.
  • Expert Mentorship: Quarterly sessions with Chris Gibson, co-founder, and CEO of Recursion.
  • Discounted Resources: Deep discounts on select lab reagents and consumables.
  • Eligibility: Open to underrepresented or first-time founders completing graduate or postdoctoral training within 12 months. Secure your place in the program today.

Apply Year Round

The Altitude Lab program is designed to give founders the space not only to get started, but to grow and take each next step that your journey brings you with confidence. Here are a few details of what that looks like.

This term is now closed. See options below to apply for future terms
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The Resident Experience

Altitude Lab has served us as a great launch pad. Before we started the company, we did not fully appreciate the logistical intensity of starting a biotech. Altitude lab has allowed us focus on our science while the rest of the lab needs and so much more were taken care of for us.

Trent Fowler

Being able to access the lab facilities has been amazing! As well as having access to a community of other scientists for help and to learn from.

Eva Serio

Residence allowed our company to begin running experiments and moving forward while we raised capital for our own equipment and space.

Andrea Mazzocchi

Having an affordable place to set up our lab and do our initial work is beyond measurable value. Also, the ability to connect with others in the same space for advice and shared experience is also incredibly helpful.

Joshua Schiffman

The key thing is infrastructure for us. We've been able to navigate legal stuff and fundraising without a ton of outside help but having a physical space to receive shipments on our behalf and instrumentation for us to use has really helped. I expect that benefit to jump when we finally move our lab operations there!

Ian Quigley

The lab space has been extremely helpful, having access to all the equipment has been crucial for company progression.

Luke Bennink

Lab space, and being able to move/work away from the university has been huge for us. From a technology standpoint as well as allowing us to work faster and more efficiently. Having a working environment (desks) where we can grow and collaborate has been useful too. The space allows us to be dynamic as we grow and our needs change

Susan Wojralewicz

Altitude is an enriching environment that provides countless opportunities for our company to grow, network, fundraise, and further develop our products.

Robert Williams

Lauryn and Chandana have been excellent. They consistently go above and beyond their duties to help my company and me be successful. They have been instrumental in getting us connected with vendors, equipment set up, lab issues resolved, and so much more. They are always more than willing to help with whatever questions I may have. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with them.

Liz Enrico

Provided lab space for our employees as we progress and grow this start-up biotech company

Jim Levison

ARTICLES & PRESS

All >
Resident Story

The Other Way to Build a Startup

You don’t have to quit your job to launch a successful startup. Freyya's founder built the company while still working full-time at another startup, proving that structure, support, and purpose can power progress. He managed both roles efficiently by carving out deep focus time and working from a shared space. While raising awareness around pelvic health remains a challenge due to stigma, intentional communication is breaking barriers. The real lesson? Success isn’t about hours worked—it’s about what you deliver.

Resident Story

Building a Startup with My Dad: Lessons in Family, Boundaries, and Trust

Kevin Yang reflects on co-founding NephroNovus with his dad, sharing how their father-son relationship evolved as they built a startup together. He talks about the challenges of giving feedback, maintaining trust, and learning to separate family dynamics from business decisions. The piece offers a grounded look at the balance between personal connection and professional growth.

News

Altitude Lab Launches Pre-seed Venture Fund, Anchored by Recursion CEO Chris Gibson, Enabling SBIR-awarded Biotechs Hit by Funding Gap to Build in Salt Lake City

Altitude Lab has launched the Altitude Lab Fund to support early-stage biotech startups impacted by federal funding cuts. In partnership with Recursion, the fund offers $100,000–$250,000, lab space, and accelerator access to high-potential SBIR-reviewed companies. Led by industry leaders, it aims to bridge funding gaps, support underrepresented founders, and strengthen Salt Lake City’s biotech hub.

Workshops

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