Top 20 Grants for Early-Stage Startups in 2025
Early-stage startups have a wealth of opportunities available to secure funding through grants. As we look ahead to 2025, various organizations are offering grants aimed at empowering new businesses and driving innovation. Below is a detailed list of the Top 20 Grants for Early-Stage Startups in 2025. Each entry includes essential details about the grant amount, focus areas, eligibility criteria, and application process.
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1. Lenovo Evolve Small Initiative Grants
Award Amount: $25,000 cash grant, an AI technology package valued at $10,000, and access to mentorship programs.
Focus: Business development and AI implementation.
Eligibility: Businesses in North America (excluding Quebec) with annual revenue under $7.5 million and 75 or fewer employees.
Application: Check the Lenovo website for details.
Additional Details: Includes mentorship from Goodie Nation and Chantel Cohen.
2. The Freed Fellowship Grant
Award Amount: $500 monthly, with a chance for a $2,500 end-of-year grant.
Focus:Providing funding and personalized business feedback.
Eligibility: Any micro or small business owner in the U.S.
Additional Benefits: Two months of free mentoring through the Freed Studio virtual community.
Application: Through The Freed Fellowship website.
3. 500 Global Flagship Accelerator
Award Amount: $150,000 investment for a 6% equity stake.
Focus: Seed funding, mentorship, and access to a global network.
Eligibility: Early-stage startup founders.
Location: Palo Alto, California.
Program Length: Four-month accelerator program.
Application: Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
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4. Visa Everywhere Initiative
Award Amount: Varies (typically $10,000 to $100,000).
Focus: Technology startups that leverage Visa products.
Eligibility: Technology startups that integrate with Visa's network and solve payment/commerce challenges.
Additional Benefits: Recognition and exposure from Visa.
Application: Through Visa website.
5. Brace Award Venture Competition
Award Amount: Up to $600,000.
Focus: Early-stage oncology companies.
Eligibility: Startups working in the oncology field.
Deadline: March 15, 2025.
Application: Apply through the competition's official channel.
6. Traction Boost Accelerator Program
Award Amount: $2,000 to $5,000.
Focus: Product testing for startups.
Eligibility: Startups focusing on product testing.
Deadline: April 8, 2025.
Application: Through the program's official website.
7. Flat 6 Labs Seed Program
Award Amount: $115,000.
Focus: Startups in the Middle East.
Eligibility: Startups in Jordan, Palestine, Iraq, and Lebanon.
Deadline: February 15, 2025.
Application: Apply via the Flat 6 Labs website.
8. HoneyBook January Jumpstart Grant
Award Amount: Prize packages valued at over $10,000 each (includes a $5,000 professional development budget, $4,000 in HoneyBook Pro system setup, and a one-year HoneyBook Premium subscription).
Focus: Supporting U.S.-based businesses.
Eligibility: Business entities in the U.S.
Deadline: Check the HoneyBook website for specific deadlines.
Application: Apply on HoneyBook website.
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9. Pitch Perfect Grant
Award Amount: $5,000.
Focus: Helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses.
Eligibility: Individuals aged 18+ in the U.S. or Canada with an active business.
Deadline: January 30, 2025.
Application: Through the Pink Print, Ellie Talks Money, or Skip website.
10. EIC Accelerator
Award Amount: Grants up to €2.5 million and equity investments ranging from €0.5 to €10 million.
Focus: Startups and SMEs with innovative products/services.
Eligibility: Startups and SMEs in the EU with potential to disrupt markets.
Deadline: Continuous short applications, with full application deadlines on March 12, 2025, and October 1, 2025.
Application: Through the EIC website.
11. Hatch Pitch Grant
Award Amount: $10,000.
Focus: Supporting diverse entrepreneurs in tech.
Eligibility: Founders with a tech startup who identify as part of an underrepresented group.
Deadline: Ongoing with monthly submissions.
Application: Fill out the application form on the Hatch website.
12. Revolutionary Health Grant
Award Amount: Up to $50,000.
Focus: Startups focused on health technology innovations.
Eligibility: Companies developing new health or wellness tools and software.
Deadline: September 1, 2025.
Application: Apply via the Revolutionary Health website.
13. WeWork Creator Awards
Award Amount: Up to $360,000 for winners.
Focus: Creative entrepreneurs and innovative startups.
Eligibility: Global entrepreneurs running innovative projects.
Deadline: Check the WeWork website for specific deadlines.
Application: Submit through the WeWork Creator Awards page.
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14. CircleUp Growth Fund
Award Amount: $100,000 and up.
Focus: Consumer brands in food, beverage, and personal care.
Eligibility: Startups raising capital and seeking to scale.
Application: Submit interest via the CircleUp website for review.
15. Comcast RISE Investment Fund
Award Amount: Grant packages valued at $10,000.
Focus: Supporting small businesses owned by people of color.
Eligibility: Businesses must be at least three years old and based in the U.S.
Deadline: Ongoing; check the website for specific submission periods.
Application: Online application on the Comcast RISE website.
16. Amber Grant for Women
Award Amount: $10,000 monthly grant plus a year-end $25,000 grant.
Focus: Women entrepreneurs.
Eligibility: Women-owned businesses of all types, from startups to established entities.
Application: Simple online application process.
17. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Award Amount: Various, typically around $150,000 for Phase I.
Focus: Technology-driven startups working on innovative projects.
Eligibility: U.S.-based small businesses, typically in technology fields.
Deadline: Varies by federal agency; ongoing applications accepted.
Application: Apply via the relevant federal agency's website.
18. The Young Entrepreneurs Grant
Award Amount: $1,000.
Focus: Youth entrepreneurs aged 18-24.
Eligibility: Individual or group startups led by youth entrepreneurs.
Deadline: Check the official website for exact dates.
Application: Submit a business plan through the website.
19. The Green Business Grant
Award Amount: Up to $100,000.
Focus: Sustainable and environmentally-friendly business practices.
Eligibility: Startups focused on green solutions.
Deadline: Applications open January 1, 2025.
Application: Submit a proposal on the Green Business Grant website.
20. Techstars Accelerator Programs
Award Amount: Up to $120,000 in funding plus mentorship.
Focus: Diverse startup industries with a focus on innovation.
Eligibility: Early-stage companies accepted into the accelerator program.
Program Length: 3-month mentorship program.
Application: Apply through the Techstars website, with various cohorts throughout the year.
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FAQ
Q: What is the Lenovo Evolve Small Initiative Grants?
A: The Lenovo Evolve Small Initiative Grants offer $25,000 in cash, an AI technology package valued at $10,000, and mentorship programs. This grant is aimed at businesses in North America with annual revenue under $7.5 million. Learn more.
Q: How much does the Freed Fellowship Grant provide?
A: The Freed Fellowship Grant offers $500 monthly with potential for a $2,500 end-of-year grant, focusing on providing funding and personalized business feedback for micro or small business owners in the U.S. Discover more.
Q: What does the 500 Global Flagship Accelerator offer?
A: The 500 Global Flagship Accelerator provides a $150,000 investment in exchange for a 6% equity stake, along with mentorship and access to a global network for early-stage startup founders. Find out more.
Q: Who is eligible for the Visa Everywhere Initiative?
A: The Visa Everywhere Initiative typically offers awards ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 for technology startups that integrate with Visa's network and address payment/commerce challenges. Check here for details.
Q: What does the Brace Award Venture Competition target?
A: The Brace Award Venture Competition focuses on early-stage oncology companies and offers up to $600,000 in funding. Applications are due by March 15, 2025. Learn more.
Q: What are the details of the Traction Boost Accelerator Program?
A: The Traction Boost Accelerator Program offers $2,000 to $5,000 for startups focused on product testing, with applications due by April 8, 2025. Discover more.
Q: What does the Flat 6 Labs Seed Program provide?
A: The Flat 6 Labs Seed Program offers $115,000 to startups located in Jordan, Palestine, Iraq, and Lebanon. Applications are due by February 15, 2025. Find more information.
Q: What is included in the HoneyBook January Jumpstart Grant?
A: The HoneyBook January Jumpstart Grant includes prize packages valued at over $10,000, which consist of professional development funding, system setup, and premium subscriptions for U.S.-based businesses. Check for updates.
Q: Who can apply for the Pitch Perfect Grant?
A: The Pitch Perfect Grant offers $5,000 to individuals aged 18+ in the U.S. or Canada who have an active business. Applications are due by January 30, 2025. Explore details.
Q: What is the objective of the EIC Accelerator?
A: The EIC Accelerator supports startups and SMEs in the EU with innovative solutions, offering grants up to €2.5 million and equity investments ranging from €0.5 to €10 million. The next full application deadlines are March 12, 2025, and October 1, 2025. Learn more.
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.
