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Startup accelerators worldwide: the 2026 guide for founders

Editorial

By TrustList Editorial

Y Combinator, Techstars, 500 Global, Antler, Entrepreneurs First, Hub71, STATION F and more: what accelerators invest, what they take, and which have changed, in 2026.

About Startup accelerators worldwide: the 2026 guide for founders

Startup accelerators worldwide: the 2026 guide for founders

An accelerator can give a young company money, a network and a deadline. It can also take a real share of the company, charge fees, or ask founders to move country for three months. The word covers very different deals, from Y Combinator's $500,000 investment to programmes that take no equity and invest nothing.

This guide compares the best-known accelerators and incubators in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and the global networks that run in many countries. It covers what each one publishes about its deal, how long it runs, where you have to be, and which well-known names have renamed, restructured or paused. It ends with a checklist for comparing offers and a note on how to use TrustList's rankings.

Every figure comes from the programme's own website, listed under Sources. Deals, deadlines and cohort dates change often, so where a detail is likely to move we say it was correct at the time of writing (September 2026). Check the programme's page before you apply.

TrustList does not give financial, investment or legal advice. An accelerator's documents are investment contracts: have a lawyer who knows startup financing read them before you sign.

What an accelerator is, and what it is not

Programmes use the labels loosely, and some have changed what they do while keeping the name people know. Four broad models are worth separating:

  • Accelerators run a fixed-length programme, usually with a cohort, and most invest a standard amount for a stake. Y Combinator calls itself a three-month programme; Techstars describes three months of mentorship-driven support.
  • Incubators offer space, services and support over a longer period, often without investing. Dubai's in5 offers subsidised business setup for up to three years, and Berkeley SkyDeck's Pad-13 incubator runs for four months with no guaranteed investment.
  • Talent investors back individuals before they have a company. Entrepreneurs First says it assesses applicants "before they have a business, cofounder or an idea", and Antler describes itself as an inception-stage VC.
  • Funds that grew out of accelerators now invest without a cohort. Seedcamp says it was an accelerator in 2007 and now calls itself a private investment fund. Wayra launched as an accelerator and became Telefónica's corporate venture capital arm in 2018.

The difference matters because the offer, the obligations and the right questions to ask all change with the model.

The deal: what accelerators invest and what they take

Many of the accelerators in this guide invest through a SAFE (simple agreement for future equity) or a similar convertible instrument, sometimes combined with a fixed percentage. The headline number rarely tells the whole story, so read the structure.

Programme Published investment What it takes or charges
Y Combinator $500,000 $125,000 converts into a fixed 7%; $375,000 on an uncapped MFN SAFE; no fees
Techstars $220,000 ($100,000 in Asia-Pacific) A minimum of 5%, plus whatever the uncapped MFN Safe converts into; no fee to join
500 Global Flagship Accelerator $150,000 A 6% stake, subject to terms and diligence
Entrepreneurs First Up to $250,000 $125,000 on a post-money SAFE for 8%, then an optional further $125,000
Antler UK £210,000 at inception £125,000 for 8.5% plus an £85,000 convertible note, and a £40,000 programme fee
HAX and SOSV NY / SOSV SF Up to $550,000 pre-seed on a SAFE SOSV says it needs above 10% ownership for its average cheque
Berkeley SkyDeck Cohort $210,000 7.25%, plus a $7,500 programme fee
Hub71 Access AED 250,000 cash, plus AED 250,000 of in-kind support Equity through an uncapped, no-discount MFN SAFE; no application fee

Two points are easy to miss.

Uncapped SAFEs convert later. Y Combinator's $375,000 and Techstars' $200,000 are uncapped MFN SAFEs, so the share they convert into is set when you raise your next priced round, not when you join. The fixed percentage is only part of the final stake.

Fixed-percentage deals imply a valuation. You can work it out: divide the amount by the percentage. By our arithmetic, $125,000 for 7% implies a post-money valuation of about $1.79 million, and $150,000 for 6% implies $2.5 million. If you could raise at a higher valuation elsewhere, the network and support need to be worth the difference.

Equity-free programmes

Some well-known programmes take no equity at all:

  • Google for Startups Accelerator says its programmes are equity-free, and runs regional versions for Brazil, Canada, India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Southeast Asia, Africa, South Africa, the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, and other regions. They are ten weeks or three months long and aimed at startups with traction, ideally between seed and Series A. The South Africa programme adds up to R1 million in non-dilutive cash funding for each startup. Each regional programme opens its own application window; the pages we read in September 2026 showed applications closed.
  • Plug and Play says its accelerator programmes take no equity and charge no programme fees. They are designed mainly for its corporate partners: after a global call, the partners and Plug and Play select about 10 startups per programme. Its venture arm may invest separately.
  • MassChallenge, a non-profit, takes no equity. Its UK programme offers non-dilutive prize money, including a further £20,000 for the best UK startups.
  • StartX, for founders with a Stanford affiliation, takes no equity and charges no fees.

Equity-free does not mean cost-free. You still give time, and some of these programmes suit companies that want corporate customers more than cash.

Programmes that charge fees

Fees are not automatically a warning sign, but you should know what you are paying for:

  • Founder Institute charges a one-time entrance fee that varies by region, and publishes no standard investment for the programme itself. To graduate, founders join its Equity Collective of 2.5% per company, enforced through a warrant that is activated only if the company raises a threshold amount of outside capital. Its programmes run for four months and are virtual unless stated otherwise.
  • Alchemist Accelerator says it offsets its required "tuition" fee with additional investment capital, and that most of its companies grant 5.00% of equity.
  • Antler UK lists a £40,000 programme fee alongside its £210,000 at inception, while its US page says there is no fee to join the Antler Residency.
  • Berkeley SkyDeck charges its cohort startups a $7,500 programme fee. Its Pad-13 incubator charges $500, or startups can give 1% equity to UC Berkeley instead.
  • STATION F's Founders Program in Paris charges for desks, starting from €259 per desk per month.

United States

Many of the best-known accelerators are based in the United States. Our US startup funding guide covers federal programmes and angel networks alongside them.

Y Combinator runs four batches a year, in person in San Francisco. It says 40% of the companies it funds in each batch are just an idea, and that it will consider startups in any field. At the time of writing (September 2026), it is accepting applications for its Winter 2027 batch, with an on-time deadline of 2 November at 8pm Pacific time.

Techstars, headquartered in New York, moved in 2024 to two terms a year, so most of its accelerators start and end together. Its Fall 2026 class started on 8 September 2026. For the Spring 2027 term, programmes such as Boston and London have a final deadline of 18 November 2026 and start on 8 March 2027. Techstars Anywhere is remote-first, with no relocation needed. Techstars says it is doubling down on health, finance, space and defence, and critical infrastructure. It has also closed some accelerator programmes while opening others, so check that a city programme still runs before you plan around it.

500 Global founded its flagship accelerator in 2010 and runs a four-month, in-person programme in Silicon Valley. Its application portal said it was accepting applications for Batch 37, but its flagship page still showed an older batch banner when we checked, so confirm dates directly.

Hard tech and deep tech. HAX, SOSV's hard tech programme, offers a six-month residency based at a 35,000 sq ft facility in Newark, New Jersey. SOSV's other programmes were called IndieBio until the start of 2026, when SOSV renamed them SOSV NY and SOSV SF. The teams and facilities stayed the same, and the remit widened from biology to deep tech more broadly.

University programmes. Berkeley SkyDeck selects roughly twenty cohort startups every six months; its Batch 23 runs from 2 November 2026 to 15 April 2027, and it says Batch 24 applications open in January. StartX runs three cohorts a year, and at the time of writing its application deadline is 11:59pm on 11 October 2026.

Other programmes. MassChallenge runs hybrid programmes with physical locations in Boston and Dallas, for pre-seed to Series A startups in areas including healthcare, security, food systems, climate and financial systems. Alchemist runs a six-month, seed-stage programme for enterprise and deep tech founders in San Francisco, and its Chicago programme gives teams that advance from its bootcamp a $50,000 SAFE. Plug and Play's global headquarters is in Sunnyvale, California, where it hosts many of its programmes.

Europe: London, Paris and beyond

Our UK startup funding guide covers tax reliefs and public funding for UK founders. For accelerators, the main options are:

  • Techstars London takes early-stage founders from anywhere, in any sector, on the standard Techstars terms. At the time of writing, its final deadline is 18 November 2026, for a start on 8 March 2027.
  • Entrepreneurs First gives every London participant a £6,000 Talent Investment. Its programme has 12 weeks in the local hub, then teams funded by its investment committee relocate to San Francisco for the final 12 weeks. Check the conditions attached to the second $125,000 before you count on it.
  • Antler UK runs an eight-week residency in London, and founders usually spend four to six days a week in person. After investing, Antler says it works with teams for another 10 to 12 weeks while they build and raise.
  • Founders Factory, headquartered in London, runs a venture studio and sector accelerators with corporate partners. Its accelerator invests capital alongside a four-month cohort programme, with amounts set per programme: the Aviva fintech accelerator offers £50,000 in cash. It funds startups at idea, pre-seed and seed.
  • Zinc backs UK science-for-impact ventures in health and the environment, with an initial investment of up to £250,000 and support through the first two years. It assesses pitch decks on a rolling basis.
  • Seedcamp no longer runs cohorts. Its first cheque is usually between $350,000 and $1.25 million, and it aims to complete its process within two weeks of meeting founders.

Paris. STATION F's Founders Program, which STATION F calls its most selective programme, is for early-stage tech startups. It lasts 3 to 18 months, is hybrid with a minimum on-site presence, and reviews applications on a rolling basis. It offers fast-tracked access to VCs and a chance of funding from STATION F, but no standard investment is published.

Amsterdam and Georgia. Startupbootcamp describes a global network of industry-focused accelerators, and its accelerator runs for three months. Its Amsterdam tracks have offered €25,000 in cash to cover programme expenses. Its programme in Georgia offers non-dilutive grants of GEL 50,000 to GEL 150,000, depending on the stage. The most recent deadline we found had passed, so check for new calls.

Corporate venture. Wayra now invests €150,000 to €5 million in seed and growth-stage startups that could do business with Telefónica, mainly in Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom and Brazil. In February 2026, Telefónica said Wayra had invested in more than 1,200 startups.

The Middle East and North Africa

Several of the region's best-known programmes are backed by governments or state investors. Our guides to the UAE and Saudi Arabia cover the public funds and schemes in more detail.

Hub71, Abu Dhabi. Its Access programme lasts 12 months, including a three-month guided track, and is open to startups at pre-seed, seed or Series A. Accepted startups must relocate and set up at Hub71's space in Abu Dhabi, and founders must be on the ground for the first three months. High-performing startups can receive a top-up of up to AED 250,000 for additional equity. At the time of writing, Hub71 is accepting applications for Cohort 21, with a deadline in February 2027 and a start in September 2027. Its Initiate programme, for ideation and pre-seed startups, provides no direct funding and takes no equity.

in5, Dubai. in5 is TECOM Group's startup incubator, launched in 2013, with centres for tech, media, design and science. It does not publish an investment. Instead, incubated startups get subsidised pricing: a licence at AED 1,000 a year for up to three years, and co-working desks from AED 15,000 in the first year. You must be located in the UAE or willing to relocate, and you can apply at any time.

Flat6Labs. Launched in Cairo in 2011, Flat6Labs became part of the new F6 Group in August 2025, with seed investing moving to F6 Ventures. Its Riyadh Seed Program, which offered SAR 500,000 in cash seed funding, held its sixth demo day in January 2026, marking the end of its six cycles. Its current programmes mostly offer grants or free support rather than seed investment. Tadweer, in Egypt, lists a grant of up to €50,000, funded through a partner programme rather than by Flat6Labs.

Regional programmes of global networks. 500 Global runs a 12-week accelerator in Riyadh from 27 September to 9 December 2026. Antler lists a residency starting on 11 October 2026 in Dubai and Riyadh. Google for Startups runs a hybrid programme for the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey from October to December 2026. Brinc runs programmes with partners in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, but does not publish standard investment terms for them.

Jordan. Oasis500, founded in 2010 as Jordan's first startup accelerator, says it has invested in 194 startups. It has finished investing its second fund and is preparing to launch a third, so it is not taking applications at the time of writing. It offers a sign-up to be notified when they reopen.

Global networks: Asia-Pacific, Africa and Latin America

Several programmes run in many countries at once, and the terms can differ by location.

  • Antler, headquartered in Singapore, lists residency start dates from September 2026 in London to February 2027 in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, including Singapore, Nairobi, Seoul and Tokyo. Its US, Canadian and Nordic locations take founders year-round. In the US, Antler says its initial commitment is typically $500,000 to $1 million, plus $650,000 in partner credits. It says it has more than 2,000 portfolio companies.
  • Techstars runs accelerators outside the US, including Tokyo and Amsterdam. Its Asia-Pacific programmes offer a $100,000 uncapped MFN Safe instead of the standard $220,000.
  • Alchemist runs a three-month in-person programme in Tokyo for enterprise tech startups, with the next start date to be announced for 2027, and has a programme in Doha.
  • Google for Startups runs regional programmes for Latin America, Africa, India and Asia-Pacific, as listed above.
  • 500 Global runs a Eurasia accelerator based in Tbilisi, Georgia, with a programme from 21 September to 11 December 2026.

India and Pakistan

India and Pakistan have their own networks of incubators, many backed by government or universities. Entrepreneurs First runs a Bengaluru hub, where participants receive an INR 360,000 Talent Investment. T-Hub in Hyderabad, IIMA Ventures in Ahmedabad and NSRCEL at IIM Bangalore are among the best known. India's Startup India Seed Fund Scheme closed to new startup applications on 31 May 2026. Our India guide covers these in detail.

In Pakistan, the government-funded National Incubation Centers, Plan9 and university programmes are the main route. Several have changed operators, and the original NIC Lahore at LUMS concluded in December 2023. Our Pakistan guide explains who runs each centre today.

Renamed, restructured and paused programmes

Old articles and lists still name programmes that have changed. As of September 2026, the official sites show:

  • IndieBio is now SOSV NY and SOSV SF (renamed at the start of 2026).
  • Seedcamp began as an accelerator in 2007 and now invests as a fund, without cohorts.
  • Wayra has been Telefónica's corporate venture capital arm since 2018.
  • Flat6Labs is part of F6 Group (August 2025), and its Riyadh Seed Program has completed its six cycles.
  • Oasis500 has paused applications until its third fund launches.
  • Techstars has closed some accelerators and opened others, and its programmes branded "powered by J.P. Morgan" were due to end once the Advancing Cities fund was fully deployed at the end of 2024.
  • Axilor Ventures in Bengaluru now calls itself an active seed fund, and says its model has evolved.
  • IIMA-CIIE was renamed IIMA Ventures in 2024.

If a programme's pages show old dates, email it before you spend time on an application.

How to compare accelerator offers

Before you apply, and certainly before you sign, work through these questions:

  1. What exactly do you get, and on what instrument? Separate cash from credits and in-kind support. Hub71's offer, for example, is half cash and half in-kind.
  2. What do you give up? Add the fixed stake to what any SAFE or convertible note will convert into at your next round. Ask for a worked example at a realistic valuation.
  3. What does it cost? Look for programme fees, tuition offsets, desk charges and whether you pay your own travel and housing.
  4. Where must you be, and for how long? Y Combinator runs in person in San Francisco, Entrepreneurs First expects you to move to a hub city, Hub71 requires relocation to Abu Dhabi, and Techstars Anywhere is remote-first. Check visas and whether you have to incorporate in a particular country.
  5. Does it fit your stage and sector? Techstars calls itself a pre-seed and early-stage investor, Google's accelerators prefer seed to Series A, and HAX and SOSV focus on hard tech and deep tech.
  6. Is the programme current? Look for a named upcoming cohort, a dated deadline or recent demo day. Stale pages and old copyright dates are a reason to ask questions.
  7. What do alumni say? Speak to two or three founders from recent cohorts, not only the ones the programme puts forward.

Funding is only half of the plan. Many funded startups need to hire quickly, and some build their first engineering team with an offshore partner. TrustList ranks offshore staff augmentation firms by country, with facts taken from each firm's own website.

How to use TrustList's accelerator rankings

TrustList has separate rankings of startup accelerators, startup incubators and pre-seed investors, plus a ranking of startup funding programmes run or backed by governments. Accelerators listed as venture capital firms have their own accelerator ranking among VC firms.

Be clear about what these rankings show. A programme is included because its own website says it runs an accelerator or incubator, invests at that stage or is based in that place. The rankings are built from what programmes publish about themselves, not from their investment returns or their alumni's results, and they cannot tell you whether a programme will accept your company. Sponsored placements are labelled. Our trust and methodology page explains how TrustList keeps rankings independent.

Every investor and programme profile on TrustList also has a form to request an introduction. The TrustList team reads each request and passes on only those that fit the funder's stage and focus, with your pitch and contact details. It costs nothing, and a funder is not obliged to reply.

TrustList does not give financial, investment or legal advice. Have a lawyer review any accelerator agreement before you sign it.

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