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Deep Tech Accelerators (2027): 14 Programmes in North America, Asia and Worldwide, With Cash, Equity and Deadlines

Deep Tech Accelerators: 14 Programmes in North America, Asia and Worldwide for Hard Tech, Biotech and Climate Founders

Deep tech founders (robotics, new materials, biotech, energy, quantum, space, chips) need more from an accelerator than a demo day: lab space, patient money, investors who understand technology risk, and often a stipend while the science is still unproven. Most online lists of deep tech accelerators mix in generic software programmes, closed programmes and terms from years ago. We checked 14 programmes outside Europe on their own websites on 1 November 2026: what each one invests, what it takes, where you have to be and when the next intake is. European founders will find EU programmes in our separate guide, linked below.
Quick answer: for the most cash with lab space in the US, apply to SOSV (HAX in Newark for hardware, SOSV SF and SOSV NY, formerly IndieBio, for bio and other deep tech; up to $550K). Scientists who want to stay equity-free should look at the Activate Fellowship (more than $300K over two years, zero equity) and, for a first step, Blueprint by The Engine (free, eight weeks, online). If you are ready to raise, the Y Combinator Winter 2027 on-time deadline was set for November 2, 2026, and YC still considers later applications. Researchers without a team fit Entrepreneurs First or Antler; in Singapore, National GRIP and Activate Global - Singapore; science-based seed-stage companies anywhere, Creative Destruction Lab (16 sites, no fee, no equity).
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Deep Tech Accelerators Compared

ProgrammeCash and equityWhere and how longNext intake (official)
SOSV HAX$250K first cheque on a post-money SAFENewark, New Jersey, hardware labsNot published; apply online
SOSV SF and SOSV NY (ex-IndieBio)SOSV pre-seed cheques of up to $550KSan Francisco or New York, wet labsNot published; apply online
Activate FellowshipMore than $300K over two years, zero equityFive US communities, two yearsClosed; interest form for Cohort 2028
Blueprint by The EngineFree, no equity, no cashOnline, 8 weeks; showcase in Cambridge, MAFall 2026 closed; Spring 2027 next
Y Combinator$500K: $125K for 7% + $375K uncapped MFN SAFESan Francisco, January to MarchWinter 2027: on-time deadline November 2, 2026; later applications considered
Techstars Space Accelerator$220K: 5% + $200K uncapped MFN SAFEThree months, with the US Space Force and NASA JPL2026 deadline passed (June 10, 2026)
Elemental ImpactMilestone-linked SAFE, note or D-SAFENo relocation; about 9 to 18 monthsYear-round
Creative Destruction LabNo fee, no equity, no cash16 sites on four continents2026/27 closed on July 24, 2026
Entrepreneurs FirstEquity-free grant, then up to $250KLondon, Europe, Bangalore, then San FranciscoRolling
Antler$150K (Singapore) to $500K-$1M (US)Residencies in 20+ marketsUS: year-round
Hello TomorrowFree; Global Challenge prize up to €100KGlobal community and summitYear-round, monthly review
Activate Global - Singapore and BRIDGE JapanStipend funds (Singapore); equity not statedSingapore 12 months; Tokyo 9 monthsNext cohort not announced
National GRIPGrants and fellowships; equity not statedSingapore, 12 monthsApply on its site
CITES DeepTech BoostProgramme terms not stated; CITES invests up to USD 3.5MOnline, 8 sessions; Argentina2025 editions ran; no 2026 call listed
Sources: each programme's official website, checked 1 November 2026. "Not published" or "not stated" means the programme's own site does not say it. Terms change between cohorts, so read the official page before you apply.

Deep Tech Accelerators in North America

1. SOSV HAX (Newark, New Jersey)

HAX is SOSV's hard tech programme, built around product development, manufacturing and fundraising in Newark, New Jersey. Its first investment is $250,000 on a post-money SAFE that has no valuation cap and instead fixes SOSV's target ownership. Founders work from SOSV's Newark offices and labs, with design, engineering and supply chain specialists in Pune, Shenzhen and Tokyo. HAX does not publish batch dates; you apply online at any time. Best for: hardware founders who need prototyping and manufacturing help as much as money.

2. SOSV SF and SOSV NY (formerly IndieBio)

At the start of 2026, SOSV renamed its IndieBio programmes to SOSV SF and SOSV NY, because they had grown beyond biology into chemistry, physics, AI and other deep tech; the teams, labs and locations stayed the same. According to SOSV, it makes about 60 pre-seed investments a year of up to $550k each, plus about 150 follow-on investments. SOSV NY focuses on healthcare and engineering biology with wet labs, and SOSV SF covers all deep tech close to Silicon Valley's investors. IndieBio's 310 graduates raised $3.6 billion between 2015 and 2025, according to the programme's own page. Best for: biotech, food, materials and climate founders who need a wet lab.

3. Activate Fellowship (five US communities)

The Activate Fellowship is a two-year programme for scientists and engineers who lead the commercial development of a hardware-based technology for the first time. It takes zero equity. Each fellow gets a $100K living stipend per year, $100K in R&D support, $12K a year for travel and professional development, a health insurance stipend and a relocation allowance, more than $300K in total. Fellows join one of five communities: Activate Berkeley (with Cyclotron Road at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), Boston, Houston, New York, or Activate Anywhere, sponsored by the National Science Foundation. Your project must be in the physical or biological sciences, not yet selling at scale, and have raised no more than $2M from non-government sources, and you must be able to work in the US. Next intake: applications are closed; Activate has an interest form for Cohort 2028. Best for: PhD-level hard tech founders who want time and money without dilution.

4. The Engine and Blueprint (Cambridge, Massachusetts)

The Engine describes itself as a non-profit incubator and accelerator for Tough Tech, with about 220,000 square feet of wet lab, engineering and office space in Cambridge that companies can rent. Its entry programme, Blueprint by The Engine, is free and takes no equity: eight weeks online with Friday workshops on IP, technology roadmaps and fundraising, mentor groups and an in-person showcase, about 20 hours in total. It is open to graduate students, postdocs, researchers and early founders in the US and Canada, with or without a company; 807 teams have taken part over 12 cohorts. Next intake: the Fall 2026 cohort is closed; an interest form is open for Spring 2027. Best for: researchers who are still deciding whether to start a company.

5. Y Combinator (San Francisco)

Y Combinator is a general accelerator, not a deep tech programme; we list it for its deal and network. Its standard deal is $500,000: $125,000 on a post-money SAFE for a fixed 7%, plus $375,000 on an uncapped SAFE with a most favoured nation clause, invested on the day you are accepted. The batch runs in person in San Francisco. Next intake: the Winter 2027 batch runs from January to March; the on-time deadline was set for November 2, 2026 at 8pm PT, with decisions by December 11, and YC still considers later applications. Best for: deep tech teams that can show progress within three months.

6. Techstars Space Accelerator and Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator

Techstars invests $220,000 in every company in its three-month accelerators: $20,000 for 5% common stock plus $200,000 on an uncapped MFN SAFE, with no fee. Two of its current programmes fit deep tech. The Techstars Space Accelerator, run with the United States Space Force and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, backs space and dual-use companies; its 2026 final deadline was June 10, 2026, the programme started on September 8 and demo day is December 10, 2026. The Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator in Birmingham, powered by Alabama Power, invests across the energy vertical, from storage and grids to carbon capture. Best for: space and energy startups that want a utility or defence customer early.

7. Elemental Impact (climate, United States)

Elemental Impact, formerly Elemental Excelerator, is a non-profit climate investor with offices in Honolulu, New York, Washington DC and San Francisco. Its Strategy Track is for pre-seed and seed companies with at least three full-time people (about nine months of coaching), and its Project Track funds first-of-a-kind and early commercial projects from Series A (12 to 18 months). Funding comes as a SAFE, convertible note, development SAFE or direct investment, with payments linked to milestones; you need at least an operating prototype, and you do not have to relocate. Its new Data Center Innovation Initiative invests $500,000 to $5 million per project in up to 10 startups through 2027. Next intake: applications are open year-round. Best for: climate hardware with a real deployment project.
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Global Deep Tech Programmes (Several Continents)

8. Creative Destruction Lab (16 sites)

Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), founded at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, is a non-profit mentoring programme for pre-seed to seed deep tech startups. It charges no fee and takes no equity. Over five full-day sessions, one every eight weeks, mentors and investors help you set your three most important objectives, and some mentors may invest. It runs in 16 locations: Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, Halifax, Seattle, Texas, Wisconsin and Cleveland in North America, Doha in the Middle East, Melbourne in Australia, and six sites in Europe, with streams such as quantum, space, compute, energy, climate, biotech and defence. You can pick up to five sites in one application. Next intake: applications for 2026/27 closed on July 24, 2026; watch its site for the 2027/28 call. Best for: science-based startups preparing a seed round.

9. Entrepreneurs First (London, Bangalore, San Francisco)

Entrepreneurs First (EF) invests in people before they have a team or an idea, which suits researchers and engineers who want a technical co-founder. It runs a 12-week FORM programme with co-founder matching in its hubs (London, Europe and Bangalore, plus US funding and fellowships), then a 12-week LAUNCH programme in San Francisco. EF pays an equity-free Talent Investment grant to cover living costs, invests up to $250,000 in teams that pass its Investment Committee and move to San Francisco, and adds more than $600,000 in credits, compute, lab access and hardware partners. It reviews applications on a rolling basis. Best for: deep tech talent without a co-founder.

10. Antler (20+ markets)

Antler runs founder residencies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, from Austin and New York to Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, Bangalore and Sydney. It is not deep tech only, but it takes technical founders at day zero. In the US its initial commitment is typically $500K to $1M plus $650K in partner credits, and it reviews applications year-round. In Singapore it invests $150,000 after a six-week residency ($100,000 for 10% plus $50,000 on an uncapped MFN SAFE), up to $400K at inception, with no programme fee. Best for: engineers who want to find a co-founder and raise fast.

11. Hello Tomorrow (global community and challenge)

Hello Tomorrow is a community and competition, not an accelerator. Its Deep Tech Pioneers status is free, open all year and reviewed monthly, for deep tech teams of at least two people that are not a subsidiary of another company. Pioneers get a fast pass to the Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge, with up to €100K of equity-free prize money, early notice of corporate challenges and local challenges in APAC, Japan and Turkey, plus investor meetings at its Investor Day. Best for: visibility with deep tech investors on every continent.
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Deep Tech Accelerators in Asia-Pacific

Several global programmes above already run in Asia: CDL in Melbourne and Doha, Entrepreneurs First in Bangalore, Antler in Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul and other cities, and SOSV's engineering teams in Pune, Shenzhen and Tokyo. Two programmes are built for researchers in the region:

12. Activate Global - Singapore and Activate BRIDGE Japan

Activate's first programme outside the US, Activate Global - Singapore, is a 12-month fellowship run with NTU for researchers turning IP from a Singapore university, autonomous university or A*STAR into a hard tech company. Fellows must set up the company in Singapore and have raised less than S$1M from non-government sources; Activate pays funds directly to fellows for living stipends and business costs, and the programme includes two visits to the US. Its first fellows joined in 2026. In Japan, Activate BRIDGE is a nine-month learning programme, run with Tokyo IPC and Hakuhodo, for researchers before they incorporate, with two in-person workshops in Tokyo and a US immersion trip. Best for: researchers at Singapore and Japanese institutions.

13. National GRIP (Singapore)

National GRIP (Graduate Research Innovation Programme) started in 2018 as NUS GRIP and is now Singapore's national programme, launched by the National Research Foundation with NUS and NTU and open to researchers from all autonomous universities and research institutes. Over 12 months in three phases, it validates the market, matches researchers with business co-founders and builds an investor-ready spin-off, with access to funding, grants, fellowships, master engineers and shared labs. It reports more than 600 teams incubated and more than 160 startups incorporated. (NUS Enterprise, which runs it at NUS, became NUSX in September 2026.) Next intake: applications through its website. Best for: PhD students, postdocs and research staff in Singapore.

Deep Tech Accelerators in Latin America

14. CITES DeepTech Boost (Argentina, online across Latin America)

CITES, based in Sunchales, Santa Fe, Argentina, and backed by Grupo Sancor Seguros, invests in deep tech from the idea stage to Series A, up to USD 3.5 million. Its DEEPTECH BOOST LATAM is a virtual venture builder programme for scientists, entrepreneurs and advanced students: eight sessions of 1.5 to 2 hours on validation, IP, financing and team building, ending in a demo day in front of the CITES team and industry specialists. Next intake: the 2025 editions for Bolivia, Paraguay and Peru and for Uruguay have run; its site lists no 2026 call yet. Best for: Latin American scientists with an early deep tech idea. For non-dilutive money in the region, see our deep tech grants in South America.

Deep Tech Founders in Europe

This guide covers programmes outside Europe, plus global ones. If you are based in the EU or the UK, read our separate guide to deep tech accelerators in Europe, which covers the EIC Accelerator, Women TechEU, ESA Business Incubation Centres, HighTechXL, YES!Delft, imec.istart, StartupYard, DeepTech Alliance and more, and our list of deep tech incubators in Europe. CDL, Entrepreneurs First, Antler and Hello Tomorrow also run in Europe.

Deep Tech Accelerators That Closed or Changed

The 2026 version of this article and its two longer versions together listed more than 40 programmes, many sourced from third-party blogs. Here is what happened to the ones we could trace:
  • Intel Ignite: We could not open Intel's Ignite page, and the old intelignite.com site no longer loads. According to Calcalist, Intel closed the programme in 2024 as part of cost cuts, and according to the Times of Israel it relaunched in Israel as the independent, Intel-backed Ignite DeepTech, whose first cohort started in April 2025. We could not find an official site for it, so it is not in the list.
  • IndieBio: renamed SOSV SF and SOSV NY at the start of 2026 (see above). SOSV's site no longer lists its old European programme RebelBio.
  • Elemental Excelerator: now Elemental Impact (see above).
  • Alchemist Accelerator: its FAQ says Alchemist no longer considers itself an accelerator; it is an early-stage venture firm for deeply technical enterprise teams.
  • AngelPad and Zeroth.ai: AngelPad's application page returns "not found", and Zeroth.ai's site redirects to an error page.
  • 500 Global and MassChallenge: both still run programmes, but not for deep tech. 500 Global's main programme is its USA Flagship Accelerator for tech startups in any industry; MassChallenge now runs industry Traction and Challenge programmes, and its 2027 Healthcare and Life Sciences call has not been announced yet.
  • Plug and Play: still runs corporate innovation programmes, but its homepage shows no programme terms or deep tech intake, so we left it out.
  • NVIDIA Inception: a free programme with credits and discounts, not an accelerator: no cohorts, cash or demo day.
  • Removed: Grind, The Nest, BIV, AWAKE, Houston Technology Center, Draper University, Lifesciences Innovate and Astropreneurs (their old websites no longer load); Growing Place (the domain now belongs to a school); Next Ventures (blank website); VentureOut (a New York market-entry programme, not a deep tech accelerator); Deep Tech Foundry (now a Malta-based venture builder); XFounders (Web3, not deep tech).
  • European programmes from the old lists (see the Europe guide for current options): EIT Health, DeepTech Alliance, Deep Tech Momentum, StartupYard, HighTechXL, EPFL Innovation Park, Blue Horizon, Startupbootcamp, F10, Deep Science Ventures and the British Library's Innovating for Growth.
  • Old terms removed: Techstars "helps startups raise an average of $1M", EF "£80K for 10%", 500 Global "$150,000 for 6%" and SOSV "$150K to $500K+" were replaced with the terms the programmes publish now.

Which Deep Tech Accelerator Should You Choose?

  • You need a lab and a first cheque in the US: SOSV HAX for hardware, SOSV NY or SOSV SF for biology and other deep tech.
  • You are a scientist and do not want to give up equity yet: the Activate Fellowship (Cohort 2028), Blueprint by The Engine (Spring 2027) and Creative Destruction Lab.
  • You can show fast progress and want the strongest network: Y Combinator; the Winter 2027 on-time deadline was set for November 2, 2026, and later applications are still considered.
  • You build for space, defence or energy customers: the Techstars Space and Alabama EnergyTech accelerators, and CDL's space, defence and energy streams.
  • You build climate hardware with a real project: Elemental Impact, open year-round.
  • You have no co-founder yet: Entrepreneurs First, Antler, or National GRIP's founder matching in Singapore.
  • You are a researcher in Asia: National GRIP and Activate Global - Singapore, Activate BRIDGE in Japan, or CDL Melbourne.
  • You are a woman founder: compare these with our guide to accelerators for female entrepreneurs.
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How Deep Tech Founders Use Accelerators

Accelerators work best as one part of a funding plan. Most deep tech companies combine non-dilutive money with their first equity: see our deep tech grants in North America and grants for early-stage startups. Before you apply, collect evidence of demand with our 30-day validation sprint, and when offers arrive, compare them like an investor with our guide to term sheet negotiation. After demo day you need investors who understand long timelines: start with our lists of deep tech VCs, deep tech VCs in North America, deep tech VCs in Europe and early-stage VCs in Asia. Competitions are a cheaper way to test your pitch and win equity-free money: see the deep tech startup competitions in North America and the deep tech startup events where these programmes recruit. If your startup is AI-first, compare the AI accelerators in North America and the global accelerators for AI startups; if you are still choosing where to build, see the startup incubators in Asia and the startup cities in North America.

FAQ About Deep Tech Accelerators

What is the best deep tech accelerator in 2027?

It depends on your stage. For lab space and a first cheque in the US, SOSV (HAX, SOSV SF and SOSV NY). For equity-free support for scientists, the Activate Fellowship, Blueprint by The Engine and Creative Destruction Lab. For the strongest general network, Y Combinator. In Singapore, National GRIP.

What is the difference between a deep tech accelerator and a normal accelerator?

Deep tech accelerators expect longer development times and technology risk, so they offer labs, engineering help, research partners and investors who understand hardware or science, and some pay stipends instead of buying equity. A general accelerator such as Y Combinator or Antler focuses on speed and fundraising.

How much does SOSV HAX invest?

HAX's first investment is $250,000 on a post-money SAFE that fixes SOSV's target ownership instead of using a valuation cap. SOSV says it makes about 60 pre-seed investments a year of up to $550k each across its programmes.

What happened to IndieBio?

At the start of 2026, SOSV renamed IndieBio to SOSV SF and SOSV NY because the programmes now cover all deep tech, not only biology. The teams, labs and locations in San Francisco and New York stayed the same.

Does the Activate Fellowship take equity?

No. Activate takes zero equity and gives each fellow more than $300K over two years: a $100K living stipend per year, $100K in R&D support and $12K a year for travel and development. Applications are closed; the next intake is Cohort 2028.

Which deep tech accelerators take no equity?

The Activate Fellowship, Blueprint by The Engine, Creative Destruction Lab and Hello Tomorrow's Deep Tech Pioneers take no equity. Entrepreneurs First starts with an equity-free grant and only invests once your team passes its Investment Committee.

Is Intel Ignite still running?

Not under that name. The old Ignite website no longer loads. According to Calcalist, Intel closed the programme in 2024, and according to the Times of Israel an independent, Intel-backed Ignite DeepTech programme started in Israel in 2025.

When is the Y Combinator Winter 2027 deadline?

The on-time deadline was set for November 2, 2026 at 8pm PT, with decisions by December 11. The batch runs from January to March in San Francisco, and YC still considers later applications.

Are there deep tech accelerators in Asia?

Yes. National GRIP and Activate Global - Singapore support researchers in Singapore, Activate BRIDGE runs in Japan, CDL has a Melbourne site, Entrepreneurs First runs in Bangalore, and Antler has residencies in Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul and other Asian cities.

How can I get my deep tech startup in front of accelerators and investors?

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About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
2026-11-01 22:55 Top 15