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Accelerator

Accelerator

Global

Global

OPEN

OPEN

GRANT · HOW TO WIN THIS

Entrepreneurs First Spring '26 Program

Entrepreneurs First Spring '26 Program

Equity-free grant (amount not specified) + up to $250K investment at company formation + up to $5M follow-on; plus $600K+ in credits and 9 months of office space.

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Runs biannually; the Spring '26 deadline was May 3, 2026. Check joinef.com for the next cohort opening.

AMOUNT

Equity-free grant (amount not specified) + up to $250K investment at company formation + up to $5M follow-on; plus $600K+ in credits and 9 months of office space.

AMOUNT

Equity-free grant (amount not specified) + up to $250K investment at company formation + up to $5M follow-on; plus $600K+ in credits and 9 months of office space.

DEADLINE

Runs biannually; the Spring '26 deadline was May 3, 2026. Check joinef.com for the next cohort opening.

DEADLINE

Runs biannually; the Spring '26 deadline was May 3, 2026. Check joinef.com for the next cohort opening.

FUNDING TYPE

Accelerator

CAN YOU GET THIS?

This is for exceptional individuals, not existing teams — you apply solo, before you have a cofounder or company.

This is for exceptional individuals, not existing teams — you apply solo, before you have a cofounder or company.

EF looks for people who have consistently outperformed their peer group, have a track record of building products, organizations, or startups, and have genuine ambition to build a U.S.-facing company. You don't need an idea — they care most about your potential.

EF looks for people who have consistently outperformed their peer group, have a track record of building products, organizations, or startups, and have genuine ambition to build a U.S.-facing company. You don't need an idea — they care most about your potential.

YOUR REAL ODDS

EF runs two cohorts per year globally and is highly selective, backing a small number of individuals from a large international pool.

The program is competitive — EF explicitly screens cofounders for skills and behavior before matching them. Portfolio companies have raised at $1–7M post-Demo Day, which signals the bar is high, but the upside for those who get in is substantial.

WHAT IT TAKES

  1. Submit individual application via joinef.com — 1–2 hours

  2. Screening and interview process with EF team — 1–3 weeks

  3. Attend residential retreat and cohort onboarding — Weekend commitment

  4. 9-month program across London/Bangalore/San Francisco, ending at SF Demo Day — ~9 months

WORTH KNOWING

EF offers an equity-free grant during the ideation phase, then invests up to $250K once you form a company — so the financial support kicks in at two separate stages, which is worth factoring into how you think about the risk of joining pre-idea.

Apply on the funder’s site →

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Filament STAC Accelerator

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Urban Mobility Incubator

€30,000 per year, plus coaching and network access

Early-stage urban mobility startups globally can apply for €30,000/year plus coaching through this EIT Urban Mobility incubator.

This is 1 of 1,600+ open opportunities.

This is 1 of 1,600+ open opportunities.

$50B+ in available capital across grants, VC funds, CDFIs, and accelerators. Filter by your industry, stage, and region, and see everything you qualify for.

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