@DeRonin_: All the best startup accelerators to apply in 2026 (below FULL spreadsheet): [ Top-Tier ] 1. Y Combinator (~$500k, 7% o…

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Summary

A comprehensive list of top startup accelerators to apply to in 2026, including terms and advice on application strategy.

All the best startup accelerators to apply in 2026 (below FULL spreadsheet): [ Top-Tier ] 1. Y Combinator (~$500k, 7% on $125k + uncapped SAFE) 2. a16z Speedrun (~$500k for 10% + $500k follow-on) 3. Techstars (~$220k, bumped from $120k in fall 2025) 4. Founders Inc (~$100-250k for 4-7%) 5. Sequoia Arc (~$1M, terms per company) 6. South Park Commons (~$1M total, $400k for 7% + $600k guaranteed) 7. HF0 (up to $1M uncapped for 5%, repeat founders only) 8. On Deck ODX (DISCONTINUED 2022, skip) 9. Pear VC PearX (~$250k-2M for ~10%) 10. 500 Global Flagship (~$150k for 6%) [ AI / ML Specific ] 11. AI Grant (~$250k for 7%, Nat Friedman + Daniel Gross) 12. AI Fund (~$1M+, Andrew Ng, studio model) 13. NVIDIA Inception (credits + perks, no equity) 14. Microsoft for Startups (up to $150k Azure credits, no equity) 15. Google for Startups AI Accelerator (credits, no equity) [ Vertical / Deep Tech ] 16. SOSV (~$525k across IndieBio, HAX, Orbit) 17. IndieBio (biotech, ~$525k = $250k for 6-8% + Genesis SAFE) 18. HAX (hardware, ~$525k via SOSV) 19. Greentown Labs (cleantech, workspace + grants) 20. Activate (deep science fellowship, 2-yr stipend) [ Crypto / Web3 ] 21. a16z crypto CSX (~$500k for 7%, SF in-person) 22. Alliance (~$500k, ALL18 starts Sept 7) 23. Outlier Ventures Base Camp (~$250k, per-chain verticals) 24. Coinbase Base Builder (varies, mostly non-dilutive) [ International / Regional ] 25. Seedcamp (~€350k-1M first check, rolling, Europe) 26. Entrepreneur First (~$250k = $125k for 8% + uncapped MFN) 27. Antler Disrupt US (~$400k = $250k for ~9% + uncapped) 28. Brinc (~$100k, Asia + Middle East) 29. Station F (Paris campus, hosted-program terms) 30. Founder Institute ($499-999 fee + 2.5% Equity Collective warrant) [ Pre-Seed / Idea Stage / Niche ] 31. Z Fellows (~$10k for 1%, pre-product) 32. ERA NYC (~$100k for 8%, generalist) 33. The Residency (community-first, no standard check) 34. Plug and Play (varies, often non-dilutive) 35. Build For Tomorrow (community + grants) Four things worth knowing: 1. small program acceptance rates are higher than YC, not because they're easier, because the funnel is smaller. apply to 5-7, not 1 2. brand premium on YC is real but not infinite. Arc + Speedrun + HF0 carry signal too 3. "$X for Y%" is the only number that matters. uncapped MFNs are not free money, they dilute you on the next round 4. avoid any list still quoting Techstars at $120k, ODX as active, HF0 at $100k, or Founder Institute as "$10k for 4%". all wrong Shared with you those where I am going to apply with my ideas and products Terms shift annually. Verify on each program's site before applying gl with successful raising
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Cached at: 05/16/26, 03:21 PM

All the best startup accelerators to apply in 2026 (below FULL spreadsheet):

[ Top-Tier ]

  1. Y Combinator (~$500k, 7% on $125k + uncapped SAFE)
  2. a16z Speedrun (~$500k for 10% + $500k follow-on)
  3. Techstars (~$220k, bumped from $120k in fall 2025)
  4. Founders Inc (~$100-250k for 4-7%)
  5. Sequoia Arc (~$1M, terms per company)
  6. South Park Commons (~$1M total, $400k for 7% + $600k guaranteed)
  7. HF0 (up to $1M uncapped for 5%, repeat founders only)
  8. On Deck ODX (DISCONTINUED 2022, skip)
  9. Pear VC PearX (~$250k-2M for ~10%)
  10. 500 Global Flagship (~$150k for 6%)

[ AI / ML Specific ] 11. AI Grant (~250k for 7%, Nat Friedman + Daniel Gross) 12. AI Fund (~1M+, Andrew Ng, studio model) 13. NVIDIA Inception (credits + perks, no equity) 14. Microsoft for Startups (up to $150k Azure credits, no equity) 15. Google for Startups AI Accelerator (credits, no equity)

[ Vertical / Deep Tech ] 16. SOSV (~525k across IndieBio, HAX, Orbit) 17. IndieBio (biotech, ~525k = 250k for 6-8% + Genesis SAFE) 18. HAX (hardware, ~525k via SOSV) 19. Greentown Labs (cleantech, workspace + grants) 20. Activate (deep science fellowship, 2-yr stipend)

[ Crypto / Web3 ] 21. a16z crypto CSX (500k for 7%, SF in-person) 22. Alliance (~500k, ALL18 starts Sept 7) 23. Outlier Ventures Base Camp ($250k, per-chain verticals) 24. Coinbase Base Builder (varies, mostly non-dilutive)

[ International / Regional ] 25. Seedcamp (€350k-1M first check, rolling, Europe) 26. Entrepreneur First ($250k = 125k for 8% + uncapped MFN) 27. Antler Disrupt US (~400k = 250k for ~9% + uncapped) 28. Brinc (~100k, Asia + Middle East) 29. Station F (Paris campus, hosted-program terms) 30. Founder Institute ($499-999 fee + 2.5% Equity Collective warrant)

[ Pre-Seed / Idea Stage / Niche ] 31. Z Fellows (~10k for 1%, pre-product) 32. ERA NYC (~100k for 8%, generalist) 33. The Residency (community-first, no standard check) 34. Plug and Play (varies, often non-dilutive) 35. Build For Tomorrow (community + grants)

Four things worth knowing:

  1. small program acceptance rates are higher than YC, not because they’re easier, because the funnel is smaller. apply to 5-7, not 1
  2. brand premium on YC is real but not infinite. Arc + Speedrun + HF0 carry signal too
  3. “$X for Y%” is the only number that matters. uncapped MFNs are not free money, they dilute you on the next round
  4. avoid any list still quoting Techstars at $120k, ODX as active, HF0 at 100k, or Founder Institute as "10k for 4%“. all wrong

Shared with you those where I am going to apply with my ideas and products

Terms shift annually. Verify on each program’s site before applying

gl with successful raising

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