Accelerators for Early-Stage Startups: 16 Programmes Checked on Investment, Equity, Location and Next Intake
Most "top accelerators" lists still quote deals that changed years ago: Y Combinator no longer invests $125,000, Techstars no longer offers $120,000 for 6%, and several famous names on those lists have stopped running accelerators altogether. Before you spend a week on an application, you need four answers: how much money you get, what it costs you in equity or fees, where you have to be, and when the next intake starts. We checked 16 accelerators that take pre-seed and seed startups on their own websites on 4 November 2026, from Y Combinator, Techstars and a16z speedrun to Antler, Entrepreneurs First, Creative Destruction Lab and STATION F. Programmes from the 2025 version of this list that closed, changed or could not be verified are in a separate section.
Quick answer: the biggest cheques come from Y Combinator ($500,000 for 7% plus an uncapped MFN SAFE; late applications for the Winter 2027 batch are still considered) and a16z speedrun (up to $1M, $500,000 of it for 10%). Techstars invests $220,000 for 5% plus an MFN SAFE, with no programme fee; its NYC, London and Anywhere accelerators were set to close applications on 18 November 2026. If you have no co-founder or no idea yet, look at Antler and Entrepreneurs First. If you want support without giving up equity, Creative Destruction Lab and MassChallenge charge no fee and take no equity. Hardware teams should look at HAX, which reviews applications on a rolling basis.
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Accelerators for Early-Stage Startups Compared
Sources: each accelerator's official website, checked 4 November 2026. Terms change between cohorts and by location, so read the official page before you apply.
The 16 Accelerators for Early-Stage Startups in 2027
The list starts with the classic cohort accelerators that invest cash, then the talent investors that back you before you have a team, then programmes that take no equity, and finally regional and sector networks. Each entry links the programme's own page.
1. Y Combinator (San Francisco)
Y Combinator has one standard deal for every company it accepts: it invests $500,000, of which $125,000 goes in on a post-money SAFE for 7% of your company and $375,000 on an uncapped SAFE with a most favoured nation clause, which converts on the terms of your next round. YC invests as soon as you are accepted, and companies get more than $12M in credits and deals from partners. The batch runs in person in San Francisco for about three months and ends with Demo Day. Next intake: YC's application page says the on-time deadline for the Winter 2027 batch (January to March) was November 2 at 8pm PT, and late applications are still considered; on-time applicants hear back by December 11. You can also apply now for the Spring, Summer and Fall batches through Early Decision. Best for: technical teams who can move to San Francisco for three months and want the strongest investor network.
2. Techstars (16 city and sector accelerators)
Techstars has invested $220,000 in each accelerator company since April 2025: $20,000 through a convertible equity agreement for 5% common stock and $200,000 through an uncapped MFN SAFE. There is no fee to join. Each accelerator lasts three months and is mentorship-driven. Its accelerator list now has 16 programmes, among them Boston, Boulder, Chicago, New York City, London, Tokyo, the remote Techstars Anywhere, and sector programmes in health, finance, space and food. Next intake: for the Techstars NYC, London and Anywhere accelerators, applications opened on 24 August 2026 and the final deadline was set for 18 November 2026; the programmes start on 8 March 2027 with Demo Day on 3 June 2027. Best for: founders who want a city or sector network, or who cannot relocate (Anywhere meets in person at three offsites).
3. a16z speedrun (San Francisco)
a16z speedrun is Andreessen Horowitz's accelerator. Its standard deal is up to $1M: $500,000 for 10% upfront on a SAFE and up to another $500,000 in your next qualifying round of $2M or more within 18 months, with no board seat. Companies also get more than $10M in credits. The residency is twelve weeks in person at a16z's San Francisco office, twice a year, and solo founders can apply. Next intake: applications for the SR008 residency closed on 1 November 2026; SR008 runs from 1 February to 18 April 2027. If you apply now, speedrun reviews your application for the next residency. Best for: fast-moving software, AI and consumer teams that want a large first cheque.
4. 500 Global: the 500 Fellowship (San Francisco)
500 Global, known as 500 Startups until its rebrand, now calls its flagship accelerator the 500 Fellowship: four months in San Francisco with a cohort of founders who are in the US or plan to be within six months. Companies can receive up to $50,000 right away, with the potential for up to $1M more as they progress. Read the terms carefully: the same page states a Phase 1 programme fee of $35,000 per startup, excluding travel. Next intake: applications for Batch 36 closed on October 11, and the batch runs from 30 November 2026 to 9 April 2027. 500 Global also runs regional programmes in Latin America, MENA, Eurasia and Asia. Best for: international founders who want a structured path into the US market.
5. Antler (residencies in 30 locations)
Antler backs founders from day zero, before they have a co-founder or an idea, through residencies in about 30 locations. Terms are set by country. In the UK, Antler offers £210,000 at inception: £125,000 for 8.5% equity plus an £85,000 convertible note, plus a £40,000 programme fee, after an eight-week residency in London. In the US, the residency lasts up to three months and applications are reviewed year-round. Next intake: the US (San Francisco, Austin, New York), Canada and the Nordics take founders on a rolling basis; new residencies start in Australia on 8 February 2027, in Nigeria and Korea on 15 March 2027 and in Kenya on 22 March 2027. Best for: solo founders and people who want to meet a co-founder.
6. Entrepreneurs First (London, Europe, US, Bangalore)
Entrepreneurs First (EF) is a talent investor: it backs individuals, helps them find a co-founder and then invests. During the programme EF pays an equity-free Talent Investment grant to cover living costs, and teams that pass its Investment Committee get up to $250,000 of equity investment, plus more than $600,000 in credits. The format is a 12-week FORM programme in your local hub followed by a 12-week LAUNCH programme in San Francisco; EF says that within eight weeks 80% of participants find a co-founder. Next intake: applications are reviewed on a rolling basis for London, Europe, the US and Bangalore. Best for: technical people who want to start a company but have no co-founder yet.
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7. HAX by SOSV (Newark, New Jersey)
HAX is the hardware and hard tech programme of SOSV, a multi-stage venture fund. Its first investment is $250,000, split into $150,000 in cash and $100,000 in in-kind support, on a post-money SAFE that sets a target ownership instead of a valuation cap; follow-on funding can reach $5M over the company's life. Teams work from a 35,000 sq ft facility in Newark, New Jersey, with engineering and manufacturing support from teams in Shenzhen, Pune and Tokyo. Next intake: rolling; HAX admits two to three teams a month. Best for: robotics, energy, industrial and other hardware startups.
8. Founder Institute (200+ cities and online)
The Founder Institute is a pre-seed programme for founders at the idea stage: its FI Agentic Program has 10 weekly sessions plus a Funding Day, mentor feedback and a startup playbook, and it runs in more than 200 cities and online. It does not invest cash. You pay an entrance fee set by the cohort (the online Amsterdam cohort shown to us costs $1,149, with team surcharges), and about two-thirds of the way through, founders pledge 2.5% of future equity to the Equity Collective, which activates only at a qualified financing. Next intake: by chapter; the Amsterdam online cohort runs from 11 November 2026 to 11 February 2027, with its deadline set for 11 November 2026. Best for: first-time founders with a day job who need structure.
9. Creative Destruction Lab (no fee, no equity)
Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a non-profit, objectives-based mentorship programme for pre-seed and seed deep tech startups, founded at the University of Toronto's Rotman School. It charges no fee and takes no equity; every eight weeks, founders meet a group of experienced founders, investors and scientists who set objectives with them, and some of those mentors invest. CDL runs specialised streams (AI, climate, health, quantum, space and more) at sites in North America, Europe and beyond. Next intake: applications are open for the 2026/27 programme year. Best for: science-based startups that want investor-grade mentoring without giving up equity.
10. MassChallenge (equity-free)
MassChallenge runs Traction programmes for pre-seed to Series A startups in regulated markets such as health, security and fintech. Its open programme is the SMU Cox FinTech Accelerator: 16 weeks, hybrid, with three in-person immersions in Dallas, free for selected startups and without equity (founders pay their own costs). Next intake: FinTech applications were set to close on 19 November 2026; the Security and Resiliency programme closed on 9 July 2026, and Healthcare and Life Sciences 2027 applications are to be announced. Best for: founders who need pilots with corporates more than cash.
11. STATION F Founders Program (Paris)
The STATION F Founders Program is the flagship in-house programme of the Paris startup campus: 3 to 18 months, hybrid with a minimum on-site presence, with mentorship, fast-tracked VC introductions and a chance of funding from STATION F. It is not free: desks start at €259 per month. STATION F also runs Fighters, a free programme in French for founders from less privileged backgrounds. Next intake: applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Best for: founders who want to build in Paris and plug into French investors.
12. Startup Wise Guys (Tallinn and online)
Startup Wise Guys, founded in Estonia in 2012, runs B2B accelerators. Its Flagship Accelerator gives selected teams a convertible investment of up to €100,000, with a programme cost of €35,000, and a possible €250,000 follow-on. The programme is hybrid: 80% online and 20% in person in Tallinn and another European hub. You need a working MVP, at least two co-founders or team members and first revenue. Next intake: the deadline for the current call was 2 November 2026 and has passed; the next call is not announced. Best for: B2B SaaS teams from Central and Eastern Europe and beyond.
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13. SparkLabs (Seoul, Taipei and other hubs)
SparkLabs is a network of accelerators and venture funds that has invested since 2013, with its roots in Asia. Terms differ by programme: SparkLabs Korea runs a 15-week batch and invests from ₩100M for roughly 6% equity in startups incorporated within the last three years (solo founders are not eligible); SparkLabs Taiwan runs a three-month programme twice a year and invests at least $100,000 for up to 7% in every startup it selects. Next intake: Taiwan accepts applications on a rolling basis. Best for: founders targeting Korean, Taiwanese or wider Asian markets.
14. gener8tor (United States)
gener8tor runs accelerators in many US cities. Its investment accelerators invest $100,000 in a 12-week investment-for-equity programme, and it also runs free accelerators of four or seven weeks for earlier founders. Next intake: set by each programme. Best for: US startups outside the coastal hubs.
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15. Google for Startups Accelerator (regional, equity-free)
The Google for Startups Accelerator is equity-free and gives no cash: cohorts of 10 to 15 startups get mentoring, technical project support from Google experts, early access to AI products and cloud credits. It targets startups with traction, ideally between Seed and Series A, so it suits the later end of early stage. Next intake: regional cohorts open once a year; the 2026 Europe and Israel cohort closed applications on 12 June 2026 and the India cohort on 19 April 2026. Best for: technical startups with first revenue that want Google's AI and cloud expertise.
16. StartX (Stanford founders)
StartX is a founder-led community for Stanford founders that takes no equity and charges no fees. Accepted founders get mentoring, partner perks and investor access through cohorts. Best for: Stanford students, alumni and faculty; everyone else should look at the programmes above.
Accelerators From the 2025 List That Closed or Changed
The 2025 versions of this article (top 15, top 20 and top 25 lists, now merged here) used terms copied from directories. This is what the official sites say now:
- Alchemist Accelerator: its FAQ says Alchemist no longer considers itself an accelerator; it is now an early-stage venture firm at alchemist.vc.
- Seedcamp: a European seed fund; its site shows no cohort programme and no longer publishes the old €100,000 for 7.5% terms.
- Sequoia Arc: now the Arc Intensive, a four-day programme for about 10 companies that Sequoia has already backed at pre-seed or seed, not an open accelerator.
- Boost VC: presents itself as a pre-seed VC that leads $500k rounds, not as an accelerator.
- AngelPad: its homepage still describes a three-month programme in New York and San Francisco with $120,000 per company, but we found no intake dates or working application page.
- Startupbootcamp: still active (its Future XPO is on 4 December 2026 in Amsterdam), but its accelerator pages still show 2025 dates and no investment terms.
- Plug and Play: runs corporate innovation programmes, but its site publishes no deal terms or intake dates we could check.
- a16z crypto Startup School / CSX, Outlier Ventures Base Camp and XFounders: crypto and Web3 programmes, outside the scope of this general list; CSX's page has moved to a16z Frontier and shows no dates or terms.
- Removed claims: the old terms for YC ($125,000 for 7%), Techstars ($120,000 for 6%), 500 Global, Startupbootcamp (€15,000 for 8%), Entrepreneurs First ($100,000 for 10%) and Sequoia Arc ($500k to $1M), plus unsourced figures such as "perks worth over $4 million" and a Dreamit answer that cited a third-party blog.
Which Accelerator Should You Choose?
- You want the biggest first cheque and can move to San Francisco: Y Combinator or a16z speedrun.
- You want a city or sector network, or cannot relocate: Techstars (including Anywhere), gener8tor in the US, STATION F in Paris or SparkLabs in Asia.
- You have no co-founder or no idea yet: Antler or Entrepreneurs First; for structure at low cost, the Founder Institute.
- You want to keep all your equity: Creative Destruction Lab, MassChallenge, StartX or Google for Startups; for cash without equity, see our grants for early-stage startups.
- You build hardware or deep tech: HAX and CDL, and our guides to deep tech accelerators and deep tech accelerators in Europe.
- You build with AI: compare our accelerators for AI startups, AI accelerators in North America and AI accelerators in Europe.
- You are a woman founder: see the accelerators for female entrepreneurs and the accelerators for female entrepreneurs in Europe.
- You build in education: see the edtech accelerators in Europe and in Asia.
How Founders Use Accelerators, and What to Do Before and After
Almost every accelerator here asks about traction, so show that customers want your product before you apply: run our 30-day validation sprint or validate your startup idea with our content-driven service. If you are earlier than that, Fe/male Switch, the startup game and online incubator that publishes this blog, lets you build and test an idea with AI co-founders before you apply anywhere. If you want a longer, slower start, compare accelerators with the startup incubators in Europe and in Asia, and pick a base with our guides to the best countries and best cities for early-stage startups. Pitch competitions are a cheaper way to test your pitch: see the startup competitions in Europe, North America and Asia. Avoid the common pre-seed fundraising mistakes, and when the programme ends, line up investors from our lists of early-stage VC firms, angel investors in North America and angel investors in Europe. For how accelerators work in general, read our guide to startup accelerators.
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FAQ About Accelerators for Early-Stage Startups
What is the best accelerator for early-stage startups in 2027?
It depends on what you need. For the largest cheque and investor network: Y Combinator ($500,000) or a16z speedrun (up to $1M). For a city or sector network: Techstars ($220,000). For finding a co-founder: Antler or Entrepreneurs First. For mentoring without giving up equity: Creative Destruction Lab or MassChallenge.
How much does Y Combinator invest now?
$500,000 in every company: $125,000 on a post-money SAFE for 7% and $375,000 on an uncapped MFN SAFE that converts on the terms of your next round. The old figure of $125,000 for 7% alone is out of date.
How much does Techstars invest?
$220,000: $20,000 through a convertible equity agreement for 5% common stock and $200,000 through an uncapped MFN SAFE. There is no fee to join. For the NYC, London and Anywhere accelerators, the final deadline was set for 18 November 2026 and the programmes start on 8 March 2027.
Which accelerators take pre-seed startups with no traction?
Antler and Entrepreneurs First back individuals before they have a team or an idea, the Founder Institute takes idea-stage founders, and Creative Destruction Lab takes pre-seed deep tech teams. YC and speedrun also accept very early companies, but competition is intense.
Which accelerators take no equity?
Creative Destruction Lab (no fee, no equity), MassChallenge (free for selected startups, no equity), StartX (for Stanford founders) and the Google for Startups Accelerator (equity-free, but for Seed to Series A startups). Entrepreneurs First pays an equity-free grant during the programme, then may invest for equity.
Which accelerators charge a fee?
Some do: the 500 Fellowship page lists a $35,000 Phase 1 programme fee, Startup Wise Guys states a €35,000 programme cost against an investment of up to €100,000, Antler's UK terms include a £40,000 programme fee, the Founder Institute charges an entrance fee, and STATION F desks start at €259 a month. Techstars, YC and speedrun charge no fee.
Is Alchemist Accelerator still running?
No. Alchemist's FAQ says it no longer considers itself an accelerator; it is now an early-stage venture firm.
Is Seedcamp an accelerator?
Not any more in the cohort sense. Seedcamp is a European seed fund that invests in early-stage companies, and its site no longer publishes an accelerator programme or the old €100,000 for 7.5% terms.
Can I apply to Y Combinator after the deadline?
Yes. YC's application page says the on-time deadline for the Winter 2027 batch was November 2 at 8pm PT, but late applications are still considered, without a promised reply date. You can also apply for later batches through Early Decision.
Antler or Entrepreneurs First: which is better if I have no co-founder?
Both back individuals. Entrepreneurs First pays an equity-free grant during a 12-week programme in your hub, then invests up to $250,000 and moves teams to San Francisco for 12 more weeks. Antler runs residencies in about 30 locations and invests at the end of the residency; in the UK it offers £210,000 at inception, with a £40,000 programme fee.
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.
