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Top 15 Grants for Early-Stage Startups in 2025
2025-04-30 23:09 Top 15

Top 15 Grants for Early-Stage Startups in 2025

Top 15 Grants for Early-Stage Startups in 2025

Early-stage startups have significant opportunities to secure funding through various grant programs. Here’s a detailed look at the Top 15 Grants for Early-Stage Startups in 2025, including amount, eligibility, focus areas, and links to their official websites for further details.
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1. America's Seed Fund (NSF)

  • Amount: Up to $2 million
  • Type: Funding for innovative technologies
  • Eligibility: U.S.-based startups and small businesses
  • Focus: Development of innovative technologies
  • Source: National Science Foundation (NSF)
  • Learn more about America's Seed Fund

2. Amazon Business Small Business Grant Program

  • Amount: Grand prize of $25,000, four finalists at $20,000, and ten semi-finalists at $15,000 each
  • Type: Cash grants
  • Eligibility: U.S.-based small businesses
  • Details: Includes free imaging services, advertising credits, and support for startup costs
  • Application Deadline: January 31, 2025
  • Find out more about Amazon Business Grant
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3. 500 Global Flagship Accelerator Program

  • Amount: $150,000 investment + four-month accelerator program
  • Type: Investment and accelerator
  • Eligibility: Startups and small businesses
  • Location: San Francisco
  • Application: Rolling, year-round basis
  • Learn more about 500 Global Accelerator

4. Santander X Cultivate Small Business Grant

  • Amount: Up to $13,000
  • Type: Capital grants and a 12-week program
  • Eligibility: Women, BIPOC, or immigrant-owned food businesses in emerging neighborhoods
  • Details: Includes mentorship and MBA-level learning
  • Focus: Food businesses
  • Explore Santander X Cultivate Grant

5. Pitch Perfect Grant

6. Tech Incubator Enhancement Program

  • Type: Capital grants
  • Eligibility: Tech Incubators in Illinois
  • Details: Supports facilities and equipment at incubators for startups
  • Application Deadline: March 17, 2025
  • Learn about Tech Incubator Program

7. Small Business Capital and Infrastructure Grant Program

  • Type: Financial assistance
  • Eligibility: Businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals in Illinois
  • Details: For capital improvement projects
  • Application Deadline: April 7, 2025
  • Discover Small Business Capital Grant
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8. EIC Accelerator

  • Amount: Grants up to €2.5 million and equity investments (€0.5 to €10 million)
  • Type: Grants and equity
  • Eligibility: Startups and SMEs from EU Member States
  • Focus: Innovative products/services
  • Learn about EIC Accelerator

9. Giving Joy Grants

  • Amount: Micro-grants up to $500
  • Type: Grants
  • Eligibility: Women over 18
  • Details: Can be used for business or nonprofit launch/expansion
  • Application Windows: Based on geographical region
  • Find out about Giving Joy Grants

10. Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub

11. Jobber Grants

  • Amount: $10,000
  • Type: Grants
  • Eligibility: Home-service businesses
  • Details: Funds can be used for any business purpose
  • Current Status: Applications are currently closed but will reopen in 2025
  • Find out about Jobber Grants

12. EmpowHER Grants

  • Amount: Reimbursement of up to $25,000
  • Type: Reimbursement
  • Eligibility: Female small-business owners established within the last three years
  • Focus: Businesses addressing societal issues
  • Application Deadline: February 15, 2025
  • Learn about EmpowHER Grants

13. EIC Pathfinder

  • Amount: Grants up to €4 million
  • Type: Grants
  • Eligibility: Research teams from EU Member States
  • Focus: Research projects with breakthrough potential
  • Discover EIC Pathfinder

14. Pollination Project

  • Type: Grants to global non-profits
  • Details: Funding for immediate projects under $50,000
  • Eligibility: Global non-profits with an annual budget less than $50,000
  • Explore Pollination Project

15. Visa Everywhere Initiative

Note: Grant information can change. Please verify all details on the official websites linked before applying.
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FAQ

Q: What is America's Seed Fund and what does it offer?
A: America's Seed Fund, provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF), offers up to $2 million in funding for U.S.-based startups that are developing innovative technologies. Learn more about America's Seed Fund.
Q: How much can small businesses receive from the Amazon Business Small Business Grant Program?
A: The Amazon Business Small Business Grant Program offers a grand prize of $25,000, with additional awards for finalists and semi-finalists ranging from $15,000 to $20,000. Discover more about this grant program.
Q: Are there any grants specifically for women-owned businesses?
A: Yes, the Pitch Perfect Grant provides $5,000 for female-owned businesses, requiring a brief application and video submission. Find more details about the Pitch Perfect Grant.
Q: What support does the Santander X Cultivate Small Business Grant provide?
A: The Santander X Cultivate Small Business Grant offers up to $13,000 in funding along with a 12-week program focused on mentorship for women, BIPOC, or immigrant-owned food businesses in underserved neighborhoods. Learn more about Santander X Cultivate.
Q: What is the Tech Incubator Enhancement Program and who is eligible?
A: The Tech Incubator Enhancement Program provides capital grants to tech incubators in Illinois to support facilities and equipment. Eligibility is restricted to incubators based in Illinois. Check more information on this program.
Q: What types of grants are available for startups focused on sustainability and environmental issues?
A: Projects to Reduce Greenhouse Gases offers a $50,000 prize through a competitive grant aimed at innovative projects reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Explore this grant opportunity.
Q: Are there grants available for tech startups in Europe?
A: Yes, the EIC Accelerator provides grants up to €2.5 million and equity investments for innovative startups and SMEs from EU Member States. Find out more about the EIC Accelerator.
Q: What grants support female entrepreneurs in the U.S.?
A: The EmpowHER Grants reimburse female small business owners, offering up to $25,000 for businesses addressing societal challenges. Learn about EmpowHER Grants.
Q: How can I benefit from Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub?
A: Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub gives access to industry-leading AI services, expert guidance, and technology support valued at up to $150,000 in Azure credits for eligible startups. Discover Microsoft for Startups.
Q: How competitive are these grants for startups?
A: Grant programs tend to be very competitive, so it's crucial to prepare strong applications showcasing your business’s unique value proposition. For more insights, check relevant sources for the specific grants. See detailed grant sources for more information.

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.