The Media Lab Entrepreneurship Program is a cross-cutting theme within the Media Arts and Sciences academic program that helps students translate promising ideas at the Media Lab from compelling prototypes towards real-world products or services—i.e., translating ideas into impact. Such translation has historically occurred when sponsors absorb promising concepts and hire graduating students and also when new businesses or even NGO organizations are formed, sometimes with Media Lab sponsors as co-investors, co-developers, or lead customers.