Support & sponsorship
Fund the founders
Long Island is producing.
Aeroventure is free for every accepted student. Sponsors fund student startup grants, events, and programming — directly. No overhead, no administrative markup.
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Active mentors
Founders, operators & domain experts available for 1:1 matching
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LI school districts
High schools and partner networks across Long Island
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Cohort Genesis applications
Applications received Jan–May 2026 for the June launch
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Cohort completed
Inaugural cohort run in 2025 — grants deployed, ventures built
Donor impact
What $500 funds
Every accepted student receives a $500 startup grant — deployed entirely toward their venture. No administrative deductions. No restrictions on how it's spent.
Product samples
A student building a physical product uses the grant to order a first production run and test it with real customers.
Marketing spend
A student with a service business uses the grant to run their first paid ad campaign and validate demand.
Tools & software
A student building a digital product uses the grant to purchase the tools, APIs, or subscriptions they need to ship.
Inventory & fulfillment
A student running a resale or product business uses the grant to stock initial inventory and cover their first orders.
Students decide how to spend their grant — with mentor guidance, not program approval. We trust founders to make the right call for their venture.
Sponsor a grantStartup grants
What the grant covers
Accepted students receive up to $500 in startup capital. Students decide how to spend it — with mentor guidance. Here's what qualifies.
What we fund
- Inventory and product materials
- Software subscriptions and tools
- Website hosting and domain name
- Marketing materials and paid ads
- Prototypes and samples
- Event and demo materials
- Customer testing and research costs
- Packaging design and production
- Design assets and branding
- Professional services (photography, printing, etc.)
What we do not fund
- Personal purchases unrelated to the venture
- Unapproved expenses not reviewed in advance
- Activities that violate our safety or conduct policy
- Anything not tied to the student's active venture
- Expenses submitted without receipts or documentation
Unsure whether an expense qualifies? Ask your mentor or the Aeroventure team before spending. Unapproved expenses cannot be retroactively reimbursed.
Where it goes
How sponsorships are used
60% — Venture funding
Direct capital to student founders for inventory, tools, and marketing.
25% — Program & mentorship
Playbooks, workshops, mentor coordination, and cohort support.
15% — Community & events
Pitch nights, office hours, and in-person meetups on Long Island.
Sponsorship, not a donation — for now
Aeroventure is currently operating as a sponsored program while our nonprofit structure is finalized. Contributions are accepted as sponsorships — not tax-deductible charitable donations. We will notify all sponsors when 501(c)(3) status is confirmed and donation receipts become available. We don't take equity from students, and every dollar goes toward student founders.
Sponsorship options
$500
Sponsor a student grant
Fully funds one accepted student's startup grant — deployed toward inventory, tools, marketing, or other business expenses of their choosing.
$5,000
Sponsor a cohort
Covers the full funding pool for one cohort cycle — startup grants, playbooks, mentor coordination, and cohort events.
Varies
Sponsor Demo Day
Fund the venue, materials, and production for one Aeroventure Demo Day — where student founders pitch to a live audience of mentors and community members.
Varies
Sponsor school outreach
Cover the cost of outreach to one Long Island school district — including presentations, referral materials, and counselor toolkits.
Custom
Larger or recurring sponsorship
For companies, foundations, and major donors — reach out before giving so we can discuss naming, reporting, and the best structure for your contribution.
Get involved
Four ways to support Aeroventure
There's a path for every type of supporter — whether you're a student, operator, school, or someone who just wants to help.
Apply as a student
Long Island high school students (grades 9–12): join the interest list for the next cohort — funding, mentorship, playbooks, and community.
Join the interest listBecome a mentor
Founders and operators: volunteer 1:1 time with a matched student. Sessions every two weeks, in person or over video.
Apply to mentorPartner with us
Schools, businesses, and organizations: host events, provide mentors, sponsor funding, or support programming.
PartnerDonate
Support student venture capital, programming, and community events. Every dollar goes toward student founders.
Give nowEach pathway directly benefits student founders on Long Island
Corporate partners
Sponsorship for companies
Companies and organizations that sponsor Aeroventure are directly funding student-owned ventures on Long Island. Sponsorships are structured around your goals — whether that's brand recognition, talent pipeline, or community presence.
School partnerships
Partner with your school
We work with Long Island high schools to get Aeroventure in front of students who would benefit most. School partnerships are free, and we do the work — all we need is access.
Awareness presentation
We come to your school and present to interested students or a class.
Counselor toolkit
Materials your counselors can share with students flagged for entrepreneurial interest.
Referral program
A direct pipeline from your school to Aeroventure applications — we track and report outcomes.
Event hosting
If you have a venue, we can bring workshops, office hours, or cohort sessions to your campus.
Mentorship
Volunteer as a mentor
Mentors are the most valuable part of the Aeroventure experience for students. If you've built something — a company, a product, a career — you have something worth sharing.
Apply
Fill out a short form about your background, industry, and the commitment track you prefer (light, standard, or active).
Get matched
We match you to a student based on their venture focus and your domain. You review the match before anything is confirmed.
Meet every two weeks
Sessions are structured — each one has an agenda. You guide; you don't do the work for them. Most mentors say it's more fun than they expected.
All mentors are screened. No unsupervised 1:1 contact with students.
Transparency
How funds are handled
Collected as sponsorships
Contributions are accepted as sponsorships while our nonprofit structure is finalized — not as tax-deductible charitable donations. We will notify all sponsors when 501(c)(3) status is confirmed.
No overhead deductions
Sponsorships designated for student grants are passed through to students in full. We don't take an administrative cut from grant-level contributions.
No equity from students
Aeroventure never takes equity or ownership in a student's venture in exchange for the grant, mentorship, or any program benefit. Students keep 100% of their company.
Reporting to sponsors
Sponsors who request it receive a written report describing how their contribution was used — which cohort it funded, what students built, and what came next.
Questions about how contributions are structured, used, or reported? contact@aeroventureinstitute.org
Other ways to help
Share the program
Tell students, counselors, and parents about Aeroventure.
Introduce a partner
Connect us with schools, venues, or sponsors on Long Island.
Follow along
Stay updated on events and stories via our Instagram and social channels.
Let's talk
Whether you want to make a gift, mentor a student, or explore a partnership — we'd love to hear from you.