Global seed accelerator (formerly 500 Startups); standard deal $150K for 6%, 4-month program. 2,500+ investments, 100+ notable exits. Strong in emerging markets and international founders.
Best Accelerators (2026)
Accelerators trade capital, mentorship, and network for equity — and the terms vary enormously. This category covers 23 programs. Y Combinator remains the most influential: $500K for 7% equity, a 3-month sprint, and alumni including Stripe and Coinbase. Techstars operates city-based cohorts (terms vary by program — typically ~$120K for ~6%, confirm current terms), while 500 Global and SOSV run themed and regional batches. MassChallenge stands out as equity-free, and Antler and Seedcamp anchor the European pre-seed scene. Founders should compare four things: the actual cash invested, the equity percentage, the strength of the mentor and alumni network in your vertical, and demo-day investor attendance. A top-tier accelerator's network often outweighs its check — but only if the program's focus matches your stage. Application cycles are competitive and seasonal; most programs publish acceptance rates in the low single digits, so apply broadly and treat the process itself as useful fundraising practice.
Andreessen Horowitz's accelerator for tech, gaming and interactive media; up to $1M for 10% equity.
Website pendingDetails
San Francisco accelerator focused on enterprise and B2B startups; ~$30K SAFE at ~5% equity, 6-month program. 500+ investments, 40+ notable exits.
Website pendingDetails
NYC and SF accelerator focused on B2B and SaaS; $120K for ~7% equity.
Global pre-team / pre-idea accelerator with co-founder matching; invests $100K-$250K at ~10% equity over 6-month programs. 500+ investments, 30+ notable exits.
Austin accelerator and investor network focused on deep/frontier tech; $100K for up to 1% equity.
Global deep-tech accelerator (Toronto-origin, multi-city) for AI, quantum, climate and life sciences; no guaranteed investment, objective-based 5-month program. 300+ ventures, 25+ notable exits.
London-based deep-tech accelerator backing pre-team technical founders in AI and frontier tech; ~GBP120K at ~10% equity, 6-month program. 300+ investments, 25+ notable exits.
Website pendingDetails
New York accelerator investing $150K at 6% in sector-agnostic B2B and B2C software startups.
Virtual-first accelerator for serial entrepreneurs and deep-tech/solo founders; ideation track up to EUR300K (3% tuition if EWOR invests), traction track EUR500K with no tuition fee.
Website pendingDetails
Pre-idea founder program operating in 200+ cities; curriculum-based with ~2.5-3.5% warrant, designed for part-time founders.
London/NYC accelerator and venture studio focused on fintech, climate, health and deep tech; invests GBP30K-GBP250K at ~7% over 6-month programs. 200+ investments, 40+ notable exits.
Multi-vertical accelerator network (HQ Madison) investing ~$100K across many US cities.
Google's equity-free accelerator for cloud, AI/ML and tech-infrastructure startups; ~$100K value in cloud credits, 3-month program, 1,000+ alumni. Regional editions include Google for Startups Accelerator Africa.
Website pendingDetails
Equity-free global accelerator; no investment but prizes up to $100K. Strong in health, fintech and impact.
Silicon Valley accelerator known for mostly equity-free corporate-partnership programs across fintech, mobility and retail; ~$50K checks, 2,000+ investments, 80+ notable exits.
London pre-seed fund and accelerator; invests EUR300K-EUR900K in early-stage startups with mentorship and network support. Portfolio includes Wise, Revolut, Hopin, Sorare and Pleo (544+ startups, 59 exits).
Global accelerator-investor focused on hardware, biotech and climate tech (runs HAX and IndieBio); invests ~$150K at 4-7% equity. 1,000+ investments, 70+ notable exits.
Global accelerator network (HQ Amsterdam) running vertical programs in fintech, smart cities and IoT; ~EUR15K-EUR40K for ~8% equity, 3-month programs. 1,000+ investments, 60+ notable exits.
Paris mega-campus startup program; 1,000+ startups, 45+ notable exits. Programs largely equity-free, with heavy AI focus.
Mentorship-driven accelerator network across 50+ cities; deals around $120K for ~6% (standard terms vary by program, up to ~$220K for 5%). 2,500+ investments, 150+ notable exits. Strong in fintech, health and AI verticals.
Global accelerator focused on impact and sustainability startups.
Website pendingDetails
The most influential startup accelerator globally; standard deal $500K for 7% equity, 3-month program. 3,000+ investments and 200+ notable exits. Alumni include Stripe, Coinbase, Flutterwave and Paystack. Runs twice-yearly batches.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best accelerators?
Based on listings currently tracked on StartupBase, 500 Global leads the Accelerators category — Global seed accelerator (formerly 500 Startups); standard deal $150K for 6%, 4-month program. Rankings update as we verify more listings.
Can I try accelerators for free?
Free options are uncommon for accelerators; check each listing's pricing details for trials or entry-level plans.
How does StartupBase rank accelerators?
We rank by verified listing data — feature completeness, publicly stated pricing, and user ratings where available. Featured placements are marked and never affect editorial order.