Startup fellowships (2026)

Fellowships back individuals — often before a company or co-founder exists — with a network, mentorship and sometimes a cheque. We list 13 programs below, with each one's cheque size, equity and application questions.

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  Microsoft AI Founders Hub

  $250K SAFE plus $350K in Azure and OpenAI credits. Weekend summit format plus ongoing Slack community. Great d...

  answer time varies

  Rolling

  $250K

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  AI2 Incubator

  Allen Institute's incubator. Small checks but unmatched access to 200+ AI researchers and academic IP. Must re...

  answer time varies

  Rolling

  $150K

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  Thiel Fellowship

  Peter Thiel's famous fellowship. $100K to drop out of college and build. No equity taken. Must be under 23. Al...

  answer time varies

  Rolling

  $100K · 0%

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  Dorm Room Fund

  Student-run pre-seed fund backed by First Round Capital. Only for current university students. Quick decisions...

  answer time varies

  Rolling

  $50K

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  NEO

  One of the most exclusive programs for young technologists and AI founders. $20K grant with no equity. 3-week...

  answer time varies

  Rolling

  $20K · 0%

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• Co

  Conviction Embed

  Sarah Guo's fund (Conviction) embeds founders-in-residence who explore AI ideas with the firm's support, then...

  answer time varies

  Rolling

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  Founder Institute

  World's largest pre-seed accelerator. 100+ countries. Structured program that pushes you to hit milestones. Sm...

  answer time varies

  Rolling

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  Gold House Fellowship

  Fellowship for Asian American and Pacific Islander founders. Investment plus access to Gold House's community...

  answer time varies

  Rolling

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  HF0 Residency

  Residency for technical founders exploring ideas. Investment upon formation. Good for engineers who want to go...

  answer time varies

  Rolling

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  On Deck Founders (ODF)

  Founder fellowship connecting you to top VCs and other founders. Great for co-founder matching and getting war...

  answer time varies

  Rolling

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  South Park Commons

  Not a traditional accelerator — it's a community for people between things. Explore ideas with smart peers, ge...

  answer time varies

  Rolling

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  StartX Stanford

  Stanford's nonprofit accelerator. No equity, no fees. Must have Stanford affiliation (student, faculty, alum)....

  answer time varies

  Rolling

  0%

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  Z Fellows

  Fellowship for young ambitious founders. Investment plus community and mentorship. Good for early founders who...

  answer time varies

  Rolling

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