Top 25 Incubators for Early-Stage Startups in North America in 2025
Navigating the startup landscape can be daunting, but having the right incubator can make a significant difference. Here is a curated list of the Top 25 Incubators for Early-Stage Startups in North America for 2025, complete with details on location, investment, focus areas, and links to their official websites.
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1. Y Combinator
Location: Mountain View, CA
Investment: $500k for 7% equity
Focus: General tech startups
Program Duration: 3 months
Why Join: Renowned for its extensive network and high-profile alumni.
2. Techstars
Location: Global (various locations in North America)
Investment: $120k for 6% equity
Focus: General tech startups
Program Duration: 3 months
Why Join: Offers industry-specific programs across multiple cities.
3. 500 Global
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Investment: $150k for 6% equity
Focus: SaaS, Fintech, Healthtech
Program Duration: 4 months
Why Join: Strong focus on mentoring and global network.
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4. Plug and Play Tech Center
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Investment: $25k-$500k
Focus: Various industries including Fintech, Insurtech, and Healthtech
Program Duration: 3 months
Why Join: Extensive corporate partnerships and investment opportunities.
5. MassChallenge
Location: Boston, MA
Investment: Equity-free prize money up to $1M
Focus: General tech startups
Program Duration: 4 months
Why Join: Equity-free funding and extensive mentorship.
6. AngelPad
Location: Multiple locations in North America
Investment: Up to $120k
Focus: General tech startups
Program Duration: 10 weeks
Why Join: Hands-on mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs.
7. Capital Factory
Location: Austin, TX
Investment: $25k for 5% equity
Focus: Tech startups
Program Duration: Ongoing
Why Join: Access to a large mentor network and office space.
8. Amplify.LA
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Investment: Up to $100k
Focus: Media, entertainment, and tech startups
Program Duration: 4 months
Why Join: Strong connections in the media and entertainment industries.
9. IBM Hyper Protect Accelerator
Location: Charlotte, NC
Investment: Up to $120k in IBM Cloud credits
Focus: Fintech, Insurtech, and Healthtech
Program Duration: 3 months
Why Join: Access to IBM resources and cloud credits.
10. Nex Cubed
Location: San Francisco, CA
Investment: $25k for 6% equity
Focus: General tech startups
Program Duration: 3 months
Why Join: Support for companies entering the US market.
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11. DMZ
Location: Toronto, Canada
Investment: $25k for 5% equity
Focus: Tech startups
Program Duration: Ongoing
Why Join: Recognized as a top university-based incubator.
12. PS27 Ventures
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Investment: Variable
Focus: Early-stage companies
Program Duration: 4 months
Why Join: Strong focus on early-stage development and mentoring.
13. Salesforce Accelerate
Location: Various locations in North America
Investment: Equity-free investment
Focus: SaaS and enterprise tech
Program Duration: 3 months
Why Join: Access to Salesforce resources and customer base.
14. AlphaLab
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Investment: $50k for 5% equity
Focus: Tech startups
Program Duration: 6 months
Why Join: Offers hands-on support and investment.
15. Dreamit Ventures
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Investment: Up to $500k
Focus: Healthtech, Edtech, Securetech
Program Duration: 14 weeks
Why Join: Access to a large network of potential customers and partners.
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16. StartX
Location: Stanford, CA
Investment: Equity-free
Focus: General tech startups
Program Duration: Ongoing
Why Join: Backed by Stanford University and provides access to university resources.
17. L-SPARK
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Investment: Equity financing
Focus: SaaS startups
Program Duration: 4 months
Why Join: Strong focus on SaaS and enterprise solutions.
18. Founder Institute
Location: Various locations in North America
Investment: Equity-based
Focus: General tech startups
Program Duration: 4 months
Why Join: Comprehensive curriculum and global network.
19. Element AI
Location: Montreal, Canada
Investment: Variable
Focus: AI and machine learning startups
Program Duration: Ongoing
Why Join: Access to AI expertise and resources.
20. Inovia Capital
Location: Montreal, Canada
Investment: Variable
Focus: General tech startups
Program Duration: Ongoing
Why Join: Strong focus on mentorship and scaling.
21. Betaspring
Location: Providence, RI
Investment: $50k for 6% equity
Focus: General tech startups
Program Duration: 3 months
Why Join: Strong community support and resources.
22. HAX
Location: San Francisco, CA
Investment: Up to $250k
Focus: Hardware startups
Program Duration: 6 months
Why Join: Offers extensive prototyping facilities and resources.
23. Alchemist Accelerator
Location: San Francisco, CA
Investment: $36k for 5% equity
Focus: Enterprise tech startups
Program Duration: 6 months
Why Join: Focus on enterprise startups and strong mentor network.
24. Cedars-Sinai Accelerator
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Investment: $100k for 8% equity
Focus: Healthtech startups
Program Duration: 3 months
Why Join: Access to health system resources and mentorship.
25. Food-X
Location: New York, NY
Investment: $50k for 5% equity
Focus: Foodtech startups
Program Duration: 14 weeks
Why Join: Dedicated to food and beverage industry startups.
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FAQ
Q: What is the top-ranked university-based incubator in North America for 2025?
A: DMZ at Toronto Metropolitan University holds the #1 spot among university-based incubators. Learn more about DMZ.
Q: Which incubator in North America focuses on fintech startups?
A: IBM Hyper Protect Accelerator in Charlotte, NC, focuses on fintech, including Insurtech and Healthtech. Discover IBM Hyper Protect Accelerator.
Q: What incubator is recommended for startups entering the US market?
A: Nex Cubed in San Francisco is known for helping companies enter the US market. Check Nex Cubed.
Q: Which incubator in Austin, TX, is notable for its funding raised by alumni?
A: Capital Factory has helped alumni raise $1 billion in funding. Learn more about Capital Factory.
Q: What program is highlighted for startups in the entertainment/media sector?
A: Amplify.LA in Los Angeles is known for its focus on entertainment and media startups. Check Amplify.LA.
Q: Which accelerator has programs for deeptech startups?
A: Hello Tomorrow Global Summit in Paris, although mentioned in a global context, focuses on deeptech innovations. Explore Hello Tomorrow Global Summit.
Q: What is the most significant general startup accelerator across the globe?
A: Y Combinator in Mountain View, CA, is recognized as a leading global accelerator. Visit Y Combinator.
Q: Which accelerator has a strong focus on cybersecurity startups?
A: Gust maintains a directory for accelerators, including those with a cybersecurity focus. Explore more on Gust.
Q: Which accelerator is best for early-stage founders in New York?
A: Founder Institute's New York program offers excellent support for early-stage founders. Learn more about the Founder Institute.
Q: Which are the top startup accelerators for seed and early-stage startups?
A: Plug and Play, Techstars, and 500 Global are notable for their focus on seed and early-stage startups. Learn more about these accelerators.
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.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
