Skip to content
Accelerator Atlas
ActiveVerifiedChecked against the program's own website or official documents.

PGH Lab (City of Pittsburgh)

Legal & GovTech · Run by City of Pittsburgh, Department of Innovation and Performance · Pittsburgh, PA

Verified Sep 28, 2026Official websiteHow to apply

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

The facts

All fields verified Sep 28, 2026
Terms model
Non-dilutiveGives money that does not take equity: grants, prizes, or credits. Your ownership is untouched.
Investment
$25,000 stipend per company as payment for the six-month pilot
Equity taken
Not publishedAnnual "first customer" program run by the City of Pittsburgh's Department of Innovation and Performance since 2016, in which local startups and small businesses run six-month paid pilots with city departments from January through June, followed by a wrap-up event in July. Since 2024 each participating company has received a $25,000 stipend as payment for its participation; no investment or equity is involved. It is open to startups and small businesses located in Pittsburgh with a functional product or service ready for City use, with priority for the City's focus areas such as environmental sustainability, public engagement, health and safety, and civic tech. The FAQ says the application opens once a year in the fall, usually mid-September, for four weeks, through the City's OpenGov procurement portal. Cohort 11.0 (four companies) piloted from January to June 2026; as of September 28, 2026 no Cohort 12.0 call was posted on the City's PGH Lab pages.
Program length
26 weeks
Format
Not published
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Cohorts per year
1
Cohort size
4 companies (Cohort 11.0)
Stage focus
startups and small businesses with a functional product ready for City use
Sub-vertical
govtech: paid pilots with city departments (civic tech, sustainability, public safety)
Demographic focus
Not published
Backers
City of Pittsburgh
Notable alumni
Not published

Terms notes: Annual "first customer" program run by the City of Pittsburgh's Department of Innovation and Performance since 2016, in which local startups and small businesses run six-month paid pilots with city departments from January through June, followed by a wrap-up event in July. Since 2024 each participating company has received a $25,000 stipend as payment for its participation; no investment or equity is involved. It is open to startups and small businesses located in Pittsburgh with a functional product or service ready for City use, with priority for the City's focus areas such as environmental sustainability, public engagement, health and safety, and civic tech. The FAQ says the application opens once a year in the fall, usually mid-September, for four weeks, through the City's OpenGov procurement portal. Cohort 11.0 (four companies) piloted from January to June 2026; as of September 28, 2026 no Cohort 12.0 call was posted on the City's PGH Lab pages.

Get Legal & GovTech deadline alerts

One digest a week. Deadline alerts only for verticals you pick. Unsubscribe anytime.

Terms in plain English

PGH Lab is the City of Pittsburgh's pilot program for local companies: each company selected runs a six-month pilot with a city department and is paid a $25,000 stipend for taking part. There is no investment and no equity involved. The value is a first government customer, direct feedback from city staff, and the ability to cite the City as a client.

Who this is actually for

Startups and small businesses located in Pittsburgh with a working product or service that city employees could use now, especially in sustainability, public engagement, health and safety, or civic technology. You apply through the City's procurement portal and should be ready to work with a city department from January through June.

PGH Lab (City of Pittsburgh) application deadlines

  • Cohort 12.0 (applications usually open in mid-September for four weeks; not posted as of September 28, 2026): Timing expected, exact dates not yet confirmed.

    Verified Sep 28, 2026Source

Frequently asked questions

When is the next PGH Lab (City of Pittsburgh) application deadline?
A specific application window for PGH Lab (City of Pittsburgh) is not yet published. Timing is expected but not confirmed.
How much does PGH Lab (City of Pittsburgh) invest?
PGH Lab (City of Pittsburgh) lists an investment of $25,000 stipend per company as payment for the six-month pilot.
How much equity does PGH Lab (City of Pittsburgh) take?
PGH Lab (City of Pittsburgh) does not publish the equity it takes, so we record it as not published.
Where is PGH Lab (City of Pittsburgh) located and is it in person?
PGH Lab (City of Pittsburgh) is based in Pittsburgh, PA.
Is PGH Lab (City of Pittsburgh) still active?
As of our last check on Sep 28, 2026, PGH Lab (City of Pittsburgh) is active.

Compare this program

Put PGH Lab (City of Pittsburgh) side by side with up to two others to weigh cash, equity, and timing.

Compare PGH Lab (City of Pittsburgh)

More like PGH Lab (City of Pittsburgh)

Sources

Everything above was checked against these, verified Sep 28, 2026.