Incubator

Accelerating Program Launch & Success

PACE’s Incubator Fund provides seed funding for high-growth, mission-aligned programs to fast-track development and launch. These funds can cover upfront costs such as course design, faculty stipends, bring-to-market campaigns, and other agreed-upon expenses to bring online or low-residency programs to market quickly. The model supports early and mid-stage growth, transitioning to lower reinvestment for ongoing quality from Year 3 onward. This is a shared risk/reward initiative, with top-line revenue sharing beginning in Year 2 once student enrollment starts.  Incubator projects are:

  • Differentiated, high-potential programs aligned to our UVM brand and expertise. 
  • Designed according to contemporary best-practices for the intended audience and according to how best positioned they are in their markets.
  • Ideated and launched on a predictable (mutually agreed upon) timeline in order to continue to qualify for funding. 

How it works

In Year 0, academic units provide a program point of contact equivalent to one course load, while PACE leads program planning and project management. In Year 1, the academic unit continues to supply the point of contact, and PACE adds marketing, inquiry management, and instructional design to its project management role. By Year 2, academic units maintain the point of contact and return 4.5% of gross revenue to PACE, which also provides student success support alongside its existing services. From Year 3 onward, this structure continues, ensuring sustained collaboration and shared responsibilities for program success.

Current Incubator Funding Levels

Investment Levels – FY26

Online and/or Hybrid Master’s Degrees

  • Target: 3 net new programs @ $250,000 each
  • Target: 3 existing modality additions @ $150,000 each

Online Graduate Certificates (or Microcredentials) – stackable from existing or new degrees

  • Target: 3 stackable CGS @ $50,000 each
  • Target: 3 stackable mCGS @ $30,000

Strategic Verticals Workforce Development programs
(degree or non-degree, typically short courses or a series of no more than 4–5 courses)

  • Target: 4 @ $30,000 from existing degrees
  • Target: 5 @ $50,000 for industry aligned/partnership project

Online UVM Advance (non-degree) course offerings

  • Target: 15 @ $30,000 (2–3 credits) aligned to market need