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The wider ecosystem

Accelerators and cohort programs

Time-boxed programs that take a group of companies through a batch of mentoring, peers and a closing showcase.

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Often a fit for: Founders with a first product or a strong team who want speed, peers and an investor audience.

Independent programs; no affiliation implied unless stated. Each entry was checked against the program’s own page in October 2026. Programs change; confirm details with the program before you apply.

20 programs

  • Y Combinator

    A funded batch in which each company works with a dedicated YC partner, with a kick-off and a batch each season.

    Who it is for
    Early-stage startups invited to interview after applying.
    Format
    Batches run in each season; the Winter batch runs January to March.
    Where
    San Francisco (In person)
    Stage
    Idea, Building, Launching
    Open to
    Open to all founders

    Visit Y Combinator Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • Startup School (Y Combinator)

    A self-paced online course on how to start a startup, with co-founder matching and weekly progress tracking.

    Who it is for
    Early-stage founders, people turning a side project into a company, and the curious.
    Format
    About seven weeks at one to two hours a week.
    Where
    Online (Online)
    Stage
    Idea, Building
    Open to
    Open to all founders

    Visit Startup School (Y Combinator) Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • Techstars

    Mentorship-driven accelerator programs with access to networks and capital, run in cities and by industry vertical.

    Who it is for
    Early-stage startups; verticals include health, finance, space and defense, and critical infrastructure.
    Format
    Programs of about three months.
    Where
    Boston, Boulder, Chicago, Columbus, London, New York, Tokyo and a program open to teams anywhere (Varies by location)
    Stage
    Building, Launching
    Open to
    Open to all founders

    Visit Techstars Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • 500 Global

    Flagship accelerator and regional programs for founders, plus programs for investors, mentorship, venture education and events.

    Who it is for
    Globally ambitious founders building fast-growing technology companies.
    Format
    Programs vary by region; some events are by invitation.
    Where
    United States and a global network (Varies by location)
    Stage
    Building, Launching, Growing
    Open to
    Open to all founders

    Visit 500 Global Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • Antler

    Pre-seed capital, a network and a local team for founders ready to build, plus scale-up capital through Antler Elevate.

    Who it is for
    Founders ready to build at pre-seed, and breakout technology companies seeking Series A and later capital.
    Format
    Delivered through local offices; see the program page for the current format.
    Where
    Offices across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa (In person)
    Stage
    Idea, Building, Growing
    Open to
    Open to all founders

    Visit Antler Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • Entrepreneur First

    Co-founder matching, a residential retreat and a cohort for individuals who want to build a company, with support through first revenue and demo day.

    Who it is for
    Individuals who have outperformed their peers and want to build a company, with an idea or without one.
    Format
    Office space for three months in San Francisco, or nine months in London, Bangalore and San Francisco.
    Where
    London, Bangalore and San Francisco (In person)
    Stage
    Idea, Building
    Open to
    Open to all founders
    Stated terms
    The program states an investment of up to $250K once a company is formed; read its page for the full terms.

    Visit Entrepreneur First Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • Alchemist Accelerator

    A six-month accelerator with coaching, investor access and fundraising support for technical founders building enterprise companies.

    Who it is for
    Technical founders building enterprise or B2B companies, including AI software and deep tech.
    Format
    Six months, with an in-person kick-off week in the Bay Area and a virtual demo day.
    Where
    San Francisco Bay Area; founders can join from anywhere (In person and online)
    Stage
    Building, Launching
    Open to
    Open to all founders
    Stated terms
    The program states a single-digit equity grant, typically 5 percent, and an optional investment.

    Visit Alchemist Accelerator Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • HAX

    Pre-seed investment and hands-on engineering support for hard-tech startups, with industrial-grade space and a technical team.

    Who it is for
    Pre-seed startups solving hard problems with hard tech: energy, advanced compute, transportation, health tech and manufacturing.
    Format
    Founders join one of the program locations; applications go through the SOSV site.
    Where
    San Francisco, New York and Newark (In person)
    Stage
    Idea, Building
    Open to
    Open to all founders

    Visit HAX Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • gener8tor

    Investment accelerators, shorter coaching programs, skills accelerators and corporate and sustainability programs.

    Who it is for
    Startups, creatives, career seekers and corporations, depending on the program.
    Format
    A twelve-week investment-for-equity program, and four- or seven-week coaching programs.
    Where
    More than 50 communities (Varies by location)
    Stage
    Building, Launching
    Open to
    Open to all founders
    Stated terms
    The investment accelerator is an investment in exchange for equity; other programs differ.

    Visit gener8tor Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • Founder Institute

    A structured program for founders with an idea: ten sessions, mentor feedback, an AI-assisted curriculum and a funding day.

    Who it is for
    Founders with an idea who want to build a company, including solo founders.
    Format
    Ten sessions and a funding day, run in cohorts.
    Where
    More than 200 cities, with online cohorts (In person and online)
    Stage
    Idea, Building
    Open to
    Open to all founders
    Stated terms
    The program describes an entrance fee and a small equity pledge to a collective; read its page for the current terms.

    Visit Founder Institute Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • Startupbootcamp

    About thirty industry-specific accelerators, including programs for energy and climate, food and agritech, health, mobility, and a program for female founders.

    Who it is for
    Startups in the industry each program names.
    Format
    Three-month accelerators, mostly hybrid.
    Where
    Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Georgia, Australia, Italy, Mexico City, South Africa and Saudi Arabia (In person and online)
    Stage
    Building, Launching
    Open to
    Open to all founders, Women

    Visit Startupbootcamp Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • Creative Destruction Lab

    An objectives-based program run by a nonprofit, organized in streams, with mentors.

    Who it is for
    Seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies that aim to scale massively.
    Format
    Streams at sites in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Australia; applications for 2026/27 are open.
    Where
    Seventeen sites including Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Seattle, London, Berlin and Paris (In person)
    Stage
    Building, Launching
    Open to
    Researchers and scientists

    Visit Creative Destruction Lab Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • Village Capital

    Accelerator programs, resources and tools, with impact investments in equity, debt and revenue share, delivered with local partners.

    Who it is for
    Impact startups in climate innovation, economic mobility and equitable access to essential services.
    Format
    Accelerator programs with locally led partners.
    Where
    Network of local partners (Varies by location)
    Stage
    Building, Launching, Growing
    Open to
    Under-resourced founders

    Visit Village Capital Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • Seedcamp

    Seed investment with advice, support and a network for early-stage founders.

    Who it is for
    Early-stage founders with ambitious plans.
    Format
    An early-stage investor with a founder network; see its page for how to apply.
    Where
    London, United Kingdom (Varies by location)
    Stage
    Idea, Building, Launching
    Open to
    Open to all founders

    Visit Seedcamp Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • Dreamit Ventures

    Customer sprints and investor sprints for early-stage cybersecurity startups, with an active partnership on customer acquisition and fundraising.

    Who it is for
    Pre-Series A U.S. cybersecurity companies with early signs of product-market fit.
    Format
    Quarterly customer sprints and investor sprints.
    Where
    United States (Varies by location)
    Stage
    Launching, Growing
    Open to
    Open to all founders

    Visit Dreamit Ventures Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • Endeavor

    Entrepreneur programs, a global community of mentors and local boards, and co-investment through the Endeavor Catalyst Fund.

    Who it is for
    High-impact entrepreneurs who are scaling businesses.
    Format
    Selection into a global network of entrepreneurs.
    Where
    Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the United States and Canada (Varies by location)
    Stage
    Growing, Scaling
    Open to
    Open to all founders

    Visit Endeavor Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • Google for Startups

    Accelerators for growth-stage startups, Startup School online lessons, AI immersion programs, forums, workshops and API sprints.

    Who it is for
    Startups from early stage to growth stage, depending on the program.
    Format
    A mix of programs, live-streamed lessons and digital events.
    Where
    Online and in person, by program (Varies by location)
    Stage
    Idea, Building, Launching, Growing
    Open to
    Open to all founders

    Visit Google for Startups Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • Microsoft for Startups

    Cloud credits, AI models and developer tools, technical resources and access to Microsoft’s customer network for go-to-market help.

    Who it is for
    Startups building, scaling and selling their products.
    Format
    An online benefits program.
    Where
    Online (Online)
    Stage
    Building, Launching, Growing
    Open to
    Open to all founders

    Visit Microsoft for Startups Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • AWS for Startups

    Cloud credits through AWS Activate, technical guidance, go-to-market support and investor connections.

    Who it is for
    Startups at any stage, from an early idea to pre-IPO.
    Format
    An online benefits program with credits that offset usage.
    Where
    Online (Online)
    Stage
    Idea, Building, Launching, Growing, Scaling
    Open to
    Open to all founders

    Visit AWS for Startups Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

  • NVIDIA Inception

    Technical courses, preferred pricing on select hardware and software, cloud credits, a venture-capital connection network and go-to-market opportunities.

    Who it is for
    AI startups that are incorporated, have a developer and a website, and are under ten years old.
    Format
    Membership by application; the program states it has no deadlines or cohorts.
    Where
    Online, with events in various cities (Online)
    Stage
    Building, Launching, Growing
    Open to
    Open to all founders

    Visit NVIDIA Inception Source: program page, retrieved October 2026.

Ask before you join

  • What does the program take in return, and is that written down before you apply?
  • How many hours a week does the batch really need?
  • What do alumni say a year after the batch ended?

Other kinds of program

Join them. Then build for the long run.

Join them. WE works alongside, for the long run. Tell WE where your company is. A readiness review says plainly whether the work fits, and which of these programs would help most right now.

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Every program here is independent. WE lists it because founders may want to consider it. No affiliation, partnership or endorsement is implied, and none is stated for any entry.

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