[1][2][3] It began as a spin-off of Stanford Student Enterprises, the non-profit financial arm of the Associated Students of Stanford University, which sponsored earlier events called SSE Labs in 2009 and then SSE Ventures.

[6] At least one member of each company must have some Stanford connection, but undergraduates, graduates, faculty and staff are involved in the seminars and advise program.

StartX received a $800,000 grant from the Kauffman Foundation in August 2012 (which allowed Teitelman to earn a salary),[10][11] and $400,000 from Silicon Valley companies in February 2012.

Along with Stanford Hospital and Clinics, it created a new Stanford-StartX fund (of uncapped amount) to invest in current and alumni StartX companies.

[8][14] To receive the investment from Stanford, StartX companies must raise at least $500,000 on their own from professional angel investors or venture capitalists.