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Military Founders Lab (formerly Bunker Labs Veterans in Residence)

Generalist & Demographic · Run by D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), Syracuse University · Syracuse, NY

Verified Oct 1, 2026Official websiteHow to apply

Every field is checked against a primary source where we can. How we verify.

The facts

All fields verified Oct 1, 2026
Terms model
Equity-freeProvides support with no cash invested and no equity taken.
Investment
Not publishedFree, no fees, no equity, and no direct investment (education/mentorship program), so amounts are null by design. Bunker Labs was acquired by IVMF in January 2024 and its programming continues under IVMF. Fully virtual, 10 weeks, about 5 to 8 hours per week. Three cohorts a year begin in winter, spring, and fall; the 2026 schedule was 26A January 26 to April 5, 26B April 20 to July 5, and 26C September 14 to November 22. The FAQ says full cohorts range from 75 to 230 participants, with track caps of 30 (Startup Stage 50). The 2027 schedule is not yet published; the old application link now redirects to the program page, which offers an interest form.
Equity taken
Not publishedFree, no fees, no equity, and no direct investment (education/mentorship program), so amounts are null by design. Bunker Labs was acquired by IVMF in January 2024 and its programming continues under IVMF. Fully virtual, 10 weeks, about 5 to 8 hours per week. Three cohorts a year begin in winter, spring, and fall; the 2026 schedule was 26A January 26 to April 5, 26B April 20 to July 5, and 26C September 14 to November 22. The FAQ says full cohorts range from 75 to 230 participants, with track caps of 30 (Startup Stage 50). The 2027 schedule is not yet published; the old application link now redirects to the program page, which offers an interest form.
Program length
10 weeks
Format
Remote
Location
Syracuse, NY
Cohorts per year
3
Cohort size
75 to 230 participants per cohort
Stage focus
early stage (6+ months operating; under $250K revenue or capital-backed pre-revenue)
Sub-vertical
veteran/military-connected founder incubator with 8 tracks (Women, Black, Latinx, AAPI/NI, Seed Stage, Startup Stage, Construction Skilled Trades, Non Profit)
Demographic focus
veterans, active-duty, guard/reserve, and military spouses/family
Backers
PwC Foundation, Home Depot Foundation, Bank of America, Macy's, Travelers, Truist, GM
Notable alumni
Not published

Terms notes: Free, no fees, no equity, and no direct investment (education/mentorship program), so amounts are null by design. Bunker Labs was acquired by IVMF in January 2024 and its programming continues under IVMF. Fully virtual, 10 weeks, about 5 to 8 hours per week. Three cohorts a year begin in winter, spring, and fall; the 2026 schedule was 26A January 26 to April 5, 26B April 20 to July 5, and 26C September 14 to November 22. The FAQ says full cohorts range from 75 to 230 participants, with track caps of 30 (Startup Stage 50). The 2027 schedule is not yet published; the old application link now redirects to the program page, which offers an interest form.

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Terms in plain English

Military Founders Lab is a free 10 week virtual program from Syracuse University's IVMF, with no fees, no equity taken, and no direct investment. Participants get a weekly speaker series, track specific office hours called Founders Exchange, and structured coursework at roughly 5 to 8 hours per week, in cohorts of 75 to 230 participants. Tracks include Women Founders, Black Founders, Latinx Founders, and Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native Islander founders, plus seed stage, startup stage, skilled trades, and nonprofit tracks. IVMF runs three cohorts a year beginning in winter, spring, and fall; the 2027 schedule and application deadlines are not yet published, and an interest form is open.

Who this is actually for

Military connected founders, meaning active duty, veterans, guard and reserve members, and military and veteran spouses, life partners, adult dependents, and caregivers with documentation of honorable service. Eligibility requires a registered business with at least six months of active work and either under $250K in annual revenue or capital investment funding.

Military Founders Lab (formerly Bunker Labs Veterans in Residence) application deadlines

  • 27A cohort (winter 2027); 2027 schedule not yet published, interest form open: Timing expected, exact dates not yet confirmed.

    Verified Oct 1, 2026Source

  • 26C cohort, runs Sep 14 to Nov 22, 2026; application close date not published by IVMF: Not accepting applications.

    Verified Sep 28, 2026Source

Frequently asked questions

When is the next Military Founders Lab (formerly Bunker Labs Veterans in Residence) application deadline?
A specific application window for Military Founders Lab (formerly Bunker Labs Veterans in Residence) is not yet published. Timing is expected but not confirmed.
How much does Military Founders Lab (formerly Bunker Labs Veterans in Residence) invest?
Military Founders Lab (formerly Bunker Labs Veterans in Residence) does not publish an investment amount, so we record it as not published.
How much equity does Military Founders Lab (formerly Bunker Labs Veterans in Residence) take?
Military Founders Lab (formerly Bunker Labs Veterans in Residence) does not publish the equity it takes, so we record it as not published.
Where is Military Founders Lab (formerly Bunker Labs Veterans in Residence) located and is it in person?
Military Founders Lab (formerly Bunker Labs Veterans in Residence) is based in Syracuse, NY and runs a remote program.
Is Military Founders Lab (formerly Bunker Labs Veterans in Residence) still active?
As of our last check on Oct 1, 2026, Military Founders Lab (formerly Bunker Labs Veterans in Residence) is active.

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Sources

Everything above was checked against these, verified Oct 1, 2026.