the cube

IFTP student team working
The Cube logo full color

Welcome to The Cube

The Cube, hosted by the PSU Center for Entrepreneurship (CE) and the Portland State Business Accelerator (PSBA), supports student-led startups as they transition from ideas to real-world impact. This application is a screening tool to help us learn more about potential startups at PSU. 
 
 
 

This student incubator is an industry-agnostic program created specifically for student-led startups who have their prototype and initial target market selection completed. It is designed to prepare companies for launch, and to go-to-market by the end of the program. 


Topics covered in this student incubator include product testing, customer validation, supply chain, and distribution logistics, marketing, fundraising, recruitment, and legal formation. The program also offers a chance to connect with mentors and industry leaders to scale and grow companies post-launch. The Cube is open to current PSU students and recent alumni.

 

The Cube offers a one-year experience, including:

Recruitment (Sept - Nov 2024): We have exploratory conversations with student entrepreneurs and mentors who may be able to help them meet specific business goals.

Selection & Matchmaking (Nov - Dec 2024): We carefully pair startups with mentors who align with their goals.

8-Week Sprint (Jan - Feb 2025): Intensive mentorship to help startups achieve key deliverables, such as launching products, generating sales, or preparing for investment.

Campaign Kickoff (April 2025): A celebratory event to officially launch each startup's campaign.

Post-Sprint Support (May - Dec 2025): Continued access to workspace, mentorship, and a collaborative environment at the PSBA.

 

Introducing the Inaugural Cube Cohort Class of 2020! 

TheCube Couch team

Couch

Homeownership remains an aspirational goal that’s out of reach for many. Couch is setting out to streamline the buying process and making it easier for people to invest in a home as a group or in a partnership.

ProduceMate Profile Picture

ProduceMate

Produce Mate is the world’s first antimicrobial silicone kitchen mat that extends the shelf life of your fruits and vegetables. Simply place one on the counter top or in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator, store produce on top, and we’ll handle the rest!

TheCube Theory  Parking

Raedam

Raedam saves time, energy, and money by alleviating the need to look for a parking spot. Using sensors installed at each parking spot, Raedam will collect data in real-time and guide commuters directly to an available spot.

TheCube Seiji’s Bridge

Seiji’s Bridge

Seiji’s Bridge has developed the Eli Ball, a tool to help educators, therapists, parents, and peers better communicate and interact with students in the special education system.

TheCube-Turner Automotive team

Turner Automotive

As natural resources continue to deplete, Turner Automotive wants to turn existing gas-powered automobiles into a zero-carbon, hydrogen-powered vehicles. The team has created a conversion kit that can transform a gas-powered engine to one that runs on hydrogen.

TheCube-Woppa team

Woppa

Go North Imports aims to diversify the snack aisle with better infusion of South American flavors. His first product, Alfajores, brings a new product to the US market that has been popular for years in South America. German and his team have gained significant traction & acceptance in the PNW retail space

TheCube-Impact Real Estate team

Impact Real Estate

The mission of this company is to create access for historically excluded people to create wealth through real estate. Impact Real Estate provides rent to own properties to people who cannot purchase a home through traditional financing methods.

TheCube-Grade A Team

Grade A Ware

We’re all well aware of the Big Plastic Problem. Single-use, PET plastics wreak havoc on the environment because they don’t decompose and are not easily recyclable. Grade A Ware offers an environmentally conscious alternative to traditional plastic containers based out of plant fibers instead of fossil fuels.