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Startup Incubators in Europe (2027): 20 Programmes for Early-Stage Founders and How to Apply

Startup Incubators in Europe for Early-Stage Founders: What They Give and How to Apply

An incubator is worth joining only if you know what it costs you and what you get back: equity or no equity, cash or no cash, a desk or a laptop, a fixed intake or rolling applications. This guide covers 20 incubators and incubator-style programmes in Europe that are running now, from university incubators in Munich and Delft to EU programmes such as the ESA Business Incubation Centres and EIT Jumpstarter, and founder programmes such as Station F, Entrepreneurs First and Antler. We checked every programme on its own website in October 2026, took the terms from those pages only, and moved the incubators that closed or changed into a separate section.

Quick answer: if you want to keep all your equity, start with UnternehmerTUM Incubator (Munich, free), SpinLab (Leipzig, free, up to €50,000 in funding), ProVeg Incubator (online, alternative protein), SeedRocket (Spain) or an ESA Business Incubation Centre (€50,000 equity-free for space-related startups). If you have no co-founder or idea yet, look at Entrepreneurs First, Antler or the EWOR Fellowship. If you want cash for equity, NDRC (€100,000 SAFE), Bethnal Green Ventures (£60,000 for 7%) and StartupYard publish clear terms. The next fixed deadlines include Startup Wise Guys (2 November), EWOR (30 November) and YES!Delft (1 March 2027).

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Europe's Startup Incubators Compared

Programme	Where	Stage	What it gives (official page)	Equity	How to apply / next intake
Station F Founders Program	Paris, France	Early-stage tech	Desk on campus for 3 to 18 months, mentoring, fast track to VCs, chance of Station F funding	Not stated; desks from €259 a month	Rolling applications
Entrepreneurs First	London; residency for Europeans	Individuals, before idea or co-founder	Equity-free grant, then up to $250K investment, office space, San Francisco programme	Yes, on the investment	Rolling applications
Antler	Amsterdam/Berlin, London, Nordics	Idea to pre-seed	Residency, co-founder matching, €650K+ credits, office space, investment decision up to €500K	Investor (terms on application)	Nordics: rolling intake
YES!Delft Accelerator	Delft, Netherlands	Prototype or MVP with traction	3 months plus at least 5 years of support; access to funding, talent and facilities	No; €3,500 fee and €25K success fee	Deadline 1 March 2027; starts 7 April 2027
UnternehmerTUM Incubator	Munich, Germany	Validated idea, deep tech	10 to 12 weeks, co-founder matching, MakerSpace, credits	No; free	Starts in March and September
SpinLab	Leipzig, Germany	Early-stage	Up to €50,000 free funding, 24/7 coworking, coaching	No; no fees	Via its Startup Acceleration Program page
ProVeg Incubator	Berlin, fully online	Alternative-protein startups	10-week programme, mentoring, investor network	No; no fee	Rolling; next cohorts in 2027
ESA Business Incubation Centres	Centres across Europe	Space-related startups	Up to 2 years of incubation, technical support, €50K equity-free funding	No	Cut-off dates set by each centre
EIT Jumpstarter	EU and associated countries (listed)	Idea or very early start-up	Training, mentoring, prizes of €2,500 to €10,000, travel budget	None stated	2026 call closed; watch for the next edition
Climate KIC ClimAccelerator	Run by local partners	Early-stage climate startups	Coaching, impact assessment; funding depends on the partner	SAFE for later investor-readiness support	Rolling applications
Bethnal Green Ventures	London, UK	Prototype, tech for good	£60,000 investment, 6 weeks of learning plus 6 weeks of coaching	7%	Next round opens in November
Founders Factory	London and global	Pre-seed to Series A	Aviva Fintech Accelerator: £50K capital, 4 months of support	Not published	Fintech accelerator open
Startupbootcamp	Global network of industry accelerators	Early-stage	3-month accelerator, funding and partner discounts	Not published	Open calls listed on its site
Sting Core	Stockholm, Sweden	Early-stage tech	6 to 18 months, office at A House, possible SEK 600,000 via Propel Capital	Up to 2% warrant per 6-month block	Next programme early 2027
Startuplab	Oslo and Bergen, Norway	Pre-seed, scalable tech	3-month accelerator with NOK 2 to 4 million upfront investment; incubator with office space	Not published	Accelerator rounds; incubator applications on its site
NDRC	Dublin, Ireland	Early-stage tech	€100K uncapped SAFE, 12 months of space at Dogpatch Labs, mentors	Yes (SAFE); pre-accelerator is non-equity	Rolling; currently closed
SeedRocket	Barcelona and Madrid, Spain	MVP and traction	Training, mentoring, investor network; prizes for winners	No (non-profit)	Campus de Emprendedores calls
Startup Wise Guys	Tallinn, Estonia (several locations)	B2B, early-stage	Flagship accelerator with a €100K initial ticket; 3-month online Founders Club	Investor (terms on application)	Flagship deadline 2 November 2026
StartupYard Remote Lab	Prague, Czech Republic; remote	Prototype or MVP, deep tech	€45K in-kind programme plus €25K cash as a convertible note	Targets about 5%	Apply online
EWOR Fellowship	Remote, Europe-focused	Pre-idea to first traction	Up to €500K, 1:1 partner mentoring, San Francisco residency	Investor (terms on application)	Apply by 30 November

Sources: each programme's own website, checked 27 October 2026. Terms change between rounds, so read the current call before you apply.

The 20 Startup Incubators in Europe for 2027

The list mixes three kinds of programmes: classic incubators that give you a desk, coaching and a community (often without taking equity), investor-led programmes that give you cash for equity, and pan-European programmes run by EU bodies. Each entry says which kind it is. For programmes built for scientists and engineers, such as ESA BIC, Deep Science Ventures, Conception X and imec.istart, see our guide to deep tech incubators in Europe.

1. Station F Founders Program (Paris, France)

Station F calls itself the world's biggest startup campus and lists 30+ programmes run by Station F and its partners. Its own Founders Program is described as the most selective programme on campus for early-stage tech startups: 3 to 18 months, mentorship from experienced founders, a fast track to VCs and a chance to receive funding from Station F. It is not free: desks start from €259 a month, with a minimum presence on campus. The Fighters Program is a free, two-round programme in French for founders from atypical or less privileged backgrounds; round 2 gives a dedicated desk. Founders Program applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. See the startup events in Paris.

2. Entrepreneurs First (London, United Kingdom)

Entrepreneurs First (EF) backs individuals before they have a company, an idea or a co-founder, and helps them find a co-founder through a matching process. Its FAQ lists an equity-free talent investment (grant) to cover living costs, up to $250,000 of equity investment for teams that pass its investment committee and move to San Francisco for its LAUNCH programme, office space during a 12-week FORM programme in your hub city, and more than $600,000 in partner credits. Founders based in Europe can apply to the London programmes or to EF's residency programmes for Europeans. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and the programme is full-time and in person.

3. Antler (Amsterdam, Berlin, London and the Nordics)

Antler runs residencies for founders from idea to pre-seed. Its Continental Europe page (Amsterdam and Berlin) lists co-founder matching where needed, mentoring and coaching, €650k+ in AI, software and cloud credits, office space, an investment decision of up to €500K within the residency and follow-on investment through Series C. Antler's cohort calendar says its Nordic locations (Copenhagen, Helsinki, Stockholm and Oslo) now work with founders year-round on a rolling intake instead of fixed residencies. Antler joins as an early investor, so ask for the current investment terms of your location before you join.

4. YES!Delft (Delft, Netherlands)

YES!Delft turns technology into companies, mostly hardware and deep tech. Its Accelerator is for startups with a committed team, a validated problem-solution fit, a working prototype or MVP and some traction. It lasts three months and is followed by at least five years of support with access to funding, talent, market and facilities. YES!Delft does not take equity: the participation fee is €3,500 excluding VAT per team, plus a €25,000 success fee triggered at €1 million in additional annual revenue. The next round has an application deadline of 1 March 2027 and runs from 7 April to 25 June 2027. Earlier founders can start with its Validation Program.

5. UnternehmerTUM Incubator (Munich, Germany)

The UnternehmerTUM Incubator at the Technical University of Munich supports deep tech startups from a validated idea to market and investment readiness, with a focus on co-founder matching and turning research into startups. It is open to students, researchers, professionals and startup teams, lasts 10 to 12 weeks in a hybrid format and starts twice a year, in March and September. Participation is free and UnternehmerTUM takes no equity. Teams get coaches and mentors, access to the MakerSpace high-tech workshop, software and cloud credits, and introductions to UnternehmerTUM's funding and venture capital arms. See also the startup events in Munich and our guide to German startup grants such as EXIST.

6. SpinLab, the HHL Accelerator (Leipzig, Germany)

SpinLab is an innovation hub partnered with HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management. It says it has helped over 280 innovators since 2015. Its programme is 100% free: no equity, no shares and no fees. Accepted startups get up to €50,000 in free funding, 24/7 access to its coworking space in Leipzig's former cotton mill, coaches and university professors, and access to the group's hubs in Hannover and Dresden and its VC fund. It does not limit itself to one industry.

7. ProVeg Incubator (Berlin, fully online)

The ProVeg Incubator is based in Berlin and works with plant-based, fermentation and cultivated-food startups. Its Fast-track To Impact Programme runs twice a year for 10 weeks (March to May and September to November) in a fully digital format, with tailored content, one-to-one mentoring and virtual investor mixers. It requires no equity or fee and does not limit selection by country. Applications are open all year; the application page invites founders to apply for its next cohort in 2027.

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8. ESA Business Incubation Centres (across Europe)

The ESA Business Incubation Centres (ESA BICs) are the European Space Agency's network of incubators for space-related startups, and ESA says more than 2,000 startups have joined it. They take founders who use satellite navigation, Earth observation or satellite communication, use space technology in a non-space market, or build products for the space sector. The offer: up to two years of incubation at the ESA BIC of your choice, technical support from ESA and regional experts, business coaching, legal and IP advice, and €50,000 of equity-free funding for product and IP development. Each centre has its own website, documents and cut-off dates, so you apply to the centre nearest you. Our sister site lists more space tech grants.

9. EIT Jumpstarter (EU-wide pre-incubation)

EIT Jumpstarter is a pre-incubation programme powered by EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities for people with an idea or a very early start-up in health, food and agritech, raw materials, energy or urban mobility. It combines 15 hours of online bootcamp and 40 hours of in-person training with coaching, and finalists compete for prizes of €2,500, €5,000 or €10,000 plus a travel budget. At least one team member needs citizenship of one of the listed countries, mainly EU member states in Southern, Central and Eastern Europe plus Horizon Europe associated countries such as Ukraine and Türkiye. The 2026 call closed on 17 May 2026; follow its channels for the next edition. Our guide to EU equity-free startup grants covers what comes after it.

10. Climate KIC ClimAccelerator (run by local partners)

Climate KIC, initiated by the EIT, runs the ClimAccelerator through local delivery partners: incubators, accelerators, venture builders and universities that each run a regional programme for at least seven climate startups per batch. Founders get coaching, mentoring, peer learning and a science-based assessment of their solution's climate impact. Funding depends on the delivery partner; Climate KIC offers in-kind support to the highest-impact startups in exchange for future equity and prioritises investor-readiness support for companies that sign a SAFE. Applications are rolling through the list of current programmes on its site.

11. Bethnal Green Ventures (London, United Kingdom)

Bethnal Green Ventures (BGV) invests in tech for good: founders using technology to tackle social and environmental problems. Twice a year it selects 10 to 15 prototype-stage companies for its Tech For Good Programme, investing £60,000 for 7% equity, followed by six weeks of hybrid learning and six more weeks of coaching and mentoring. It follows on into its most promising companies up to Series A. Applications for the autumn programme are closed; its apply page says the next round opens in November.

12. Founders Factory (London and global)

Founders Factory is a venture studio and accelerator that runs sector programmes with corporate partners. Its London programme open now is the Aviva and Founders Factory Fintech Accelerator: £50,000 of cash investment, four months of operational support from a dedicated team, and access to Aviva for pilots and partnerships, for pre-seed to Series A startups. Its other open programmes (mining tech, nature tech and neurological care in Perth, and a global climate accelerator) are less relevant for most European founders. See the startup events in London.

13. Startupbootcamp (global network of industry accelerators)

Startupbootcamp is still running. It describes itself as a global network of industry-focused accelerators; its FAQ says the accelerator lasts three months, gives selected startups funding and partner discounts, and accepts startups from anywhere in the world. Its site lists open calls such as SBC Expand and tracks in energy and climate, health and life sciences, and deep tech and robotics. It does not publish its standard investment amount or equity terms, so ask before you commit.

14. Sting (Stockholm, Sweden)

Sting merged its incubator and accelerator into Sting Core: 6, 12 or 18 months in 6-month blocks, two cohorts a year of 12 to 16 startups, with office space at A House. Startups can receive a possible SEK 600,000 investment through Propel Capital, and Sting takes a success fee of up to 2% as a warrant per 6-month block. It is strongest in health, climate, society and deep tech, and its next programme starts in early 2027. Earlier founders can use Pre-Sting options such as Test Drive and open coaching. See the startup events in Stockholm and our guide to Nordic innovation funding.

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15. Startuplab (Oslo and Bergen, Norway)

Startuplab is an incubator, accelerator and early-stage investor for Norwegian tech startups. Its incubator gives you office space and a community of 110+ startups in Oslo or Bergen. Its 3-month accelerator, for pre-seed startups with global ambitions that have launched or will launch within six months, comes with an upfront investment of NOK 2 to 4 million from Startuplab. The last accelerator deadline was 27 September; check its site for the next round.

16. NDRC (Dublin, Ireland)

NDRC runs national programmes for Irish and international startups. Its accelerator invests €100,000 as an uncapped SAFE, with mentoring from 40+ entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurs in Residence, €500k in perks and 12 months of free office space at Dogpatch Labs in the Dublin Docklands. It works on a rolling model with no fixed cohorts; applications were closed when we checked. Its Pre-Accelerator is a non-equity programme for earlier founders. See the startup events in Dublin and our guide to Enterprise Ireland funding.

17. SeedRocket (Barcelona and Madrid, Spain)

SeedRocket was Spain's first accelerator for early-stage tech startups, founded in 2008. It is a non-profit association and its programmes are equity-free; its mentors and business angels invest privately if they like a startup. To join you need an innovative early-stage tech project, a working first version of the product, traction and a plan to raise from business angels. Its main entry point is the Campus de Emprendedores, where the three winning startups receive prizes worth more than €50,000; the current call (36th edition, Madrid, 16 to 20 November) is closed. Spanish founders should also read our guide to NEOTEC and CDTI grants.

18. Startup Wise Guys (Tallinn, Estonia)

Startup Wise Guys started in Estonia in 2012 and runs B2B accelerator programmes and funds, with a €100K initial ticket in its flagship programmes. Its Flagship Accelerator has an application deadline of 2 November 2026, and The Founders Club is a 3-month online programme for founders who need a co-founder, an MVP and first customers. It also has vertical programmes, for example in proptech.

19. StartupYard (Prague, Czech Republic, remote)

StartupYard is a pre-seed and seed accelerator for Central and Eastern European deep tech startups, now run as the remote StartupYard Remote Lab. You need a working prototype or MVP, a commercial launch within six months and at least one co-founder. The programme is valued at €45,000 (in kind) and startups can add €25,000 in cash, both as a convertible note valid for 24 months; StartupYard typically targets around 5% equity. Top performers can get up to €100,000 more from a follow-on fund run with DEPO Ventures.

20. EWOR Fellowship (remote, Europe-focused)

The EWOR Fellowship backs individual founders with up to €500k and 1:1 mentoring from partners who built companies such as SumUp and ProGlove. There are two tracks: the Ideation Fellowship for founders without traction or still at the idea stage, and the Traction Fellowship for founders with first revenue. It is virtual-first, with in-person gatherings, up to two months of co-working a year and a two-month San Francisco residency. The current round closes on 30 November.

Incubators From Older Lists That Closed or Changed

The 2025 version of this article mixed incubators, accelerators and venture funds, linked to third-party blogs instead of the programmes and quoted figures such as investment counts and IPO exits without a source. We removed those figures and checked every name again:

APX (Berlin) now presents itself as an earliest-stage VC backed by Axel Springer and Porsche; you pitch by email rather than join a programme.
Seedcamp (London) is a seed investor, not an incubator programme, so it moved to our list of early-stage VC firms.
Wayra now describes itself as Telefónica's corporate venture capital in Spain, Germany, the UK and Brazil, investing in startups that can work with Telefónica.
Accelerace (Copenhagen) now presents itself as a pre-seed investor for Nordic and Baltic startups that also co-manages partner programmes.
HighTechXL (Eindhoven) is a 12-month deep tech venture builder: you join as a co-founder of a venture built on technology from CERN, ESA, TNO or Philips. See our guide to deep tech cities in Europe.
Rockstart (Amsterdam) invests from pre-seed to Series B in energy, agrifood and emerging technology from Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Bogotá, but publishes no cohort dates.
Birdhouse (Antwerp): birdhouse.be is now an unrelated site, so we dropped it.
METRO Xcel (Berlin): its website no longer loads, so we dropped it.
SkyDeck Europe (Milan): we could not find a current official page for the programme, so we dropped it.

Which Incubator Should You Choose?

You want to keep 100% of your company: UnternehmerTUM Incubator, SpinLab, ProVeg Incubator, SeedRocket, the ESA BICs or NDRC's Pre-Accelerator. YES!Delft takes no equity but charges a fee and a success fee.
You have no co-founder or idea yet: Entrepreneurs First, Antler, the EWOR Ideation Fellowship or Startup Wise Guys' Founders Club.
You need cash now and accept equity: NDRC (€100,000 SAFE), Bethnal Green Ventures (£60,000 for 7%), Startuplab (NOK 2 to 4 million), StartupYard or Sting Core.
You build deep tech or hardware: YES!Delft, UnternehmerTUM, StartupYard and Sting; for space, an ESA BIC.
You build climate, food or impact startups: the ClimAccelerator, ProVeg Incubator, Bethnal Green Ventures and EIT Jumpstarter.
You cannot move: ProVeg Incubator, StartupYard Remote Lab and EWOR are remote or virtual-first; ESA BICs are in many countries.
You want a big campus and community: Station F in Paris, if you can pay for a desk.

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How Founders Get the Most Out of an Incubator

Incubators select founders who have already done some homework, so validate first: our 30-day validation sprint shows how, or you can validate your startup idea with our content-driven service. Read the terms like an investor would: an uncapped SAFE, a warrant and a success fee all cost you something later, which our guide to term sheet negotiation explains, and prepare a pitch deck that tells a story. If you are deciding where to base the company, compare the best countries for startups in Europe and our wider guide to startup accelerators. After the programme, most founders raise from angels and pre-seed funds: see our lists of angel investors in Europe and pre-seed VCs in Europe, and the best startup events in Europe where they meet founders, including in Berlin and Amsterdam.

Grants can stretch an incubator's support without dilution. Start with our overview of European funds for startups, the EU grant calendar for 2027 and how to find open EU funding calls. Our sister site grant-grants.com explains how accelerator programmes combine funding components, the EIC Accelerator, the Dutch WBSO and RVO programmes and business grants for women; see also our research on EU funding for female entrepreneurs.

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FAQ About Startup Incubators in Europe

What is the difference between an incubator and an accelerator?

An incubator usually supports very early founders over a longer period with a desk, coaching and a community, often without taking equity. An accelerator is a shorter, fixed programme that usually invests cash for equity. Many European programmes, such as Sting Core and Startuplab, now combine both.

Which startup incubators in Europe take no equity?

UnternehmerTUM Incubator (free), SpinLab (free, up to €50,000 in funding), ProVeg Incubator, SeedRocket and the ESA Business Incubation Centres all say they take no equity. YES!Delft takes no equity but charges a €3,500 fee and a €25,000 success fee once you add €1 million in annual revenue.

Which incubators give startups money?

Among the programmes we checked: Entrepreneurs First (grant, then up to $250,000), Antler (up to €500K), NDRC (€100,000 SAFE), Bethnal Green Ventures (£60,000), Founders Factory's fintech accelerator (£50,000), Startuplab (NOK 2 to 4 million), SpinLab (up to €50,000 free) and the ESA BICs (€50,000 equity-free).

Can I join an incubator without a co-founder?

Yes. Entrepreneurs First and Antler are built for individuals and include co-founder matching, the EWOR Fellowship backs individual founders, and UnternehmerTUM's incubator also matches co-founders. StartupYard, by contrast, requires at least one co-founder.

Are there remote startup incubators in Europe?

Yes. ProVeg Incubator runs fully online, StartupYard runs as a Remote Lab, EWOR is virtual-first and Startup Wise Guys' Founders Club is a 3-month online programme.

What is the next intake for YES!Delft?

The next YES!Delft Accelerator has an application deadline of 1 March 2027 and runs from 7 April to 25 June 2027. Registration is open all year.

Does Station F cost money?

Its Founders Program charges for desks, starting from €259 a month, and requires a minimum presence on campus. The Fighters Program for founders from atypical or less privileged backgrounds is free.

Is Startupbootcamp still running?

Yes. In October 2026 its site listed open calls, and its FAQ describes a three-month accelerator that provides funding and partner discounts to selected startups from anywhere in the world.

What happened to APX, Wayra and Seedcamp?

APX now presents itself as an earliest-stage VC that takes pitches by email, Wayra is Telefónica's corporate venture capital arm, and Seedcamp is a seed investor. None of them runs an open incubator programme, so we moved them to the closed or changed section.

How can a woman founder get support before joining an incubator?

Fe/male Switch runs a startup facilitator and incubator for women, and you can list your startup in the F/MS Startup Game for a free backlink. For non-dilutive money, see our overview of startup funding in Europe.

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.

Violetta Bonenkamp

2026-10-27 01:55 Top 20