Cohort-based accelerators and incubators — Y Combinator, Techstars, Antler and the rest. Most provide cash for equity plus mentorship and a demo day.
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| Tool | Potential Value | Description | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
Y Combinator
Accelerator
|
$500,000 |
The most well-known startup accelerator — $500K for 7% (standard deal) plus 12 weeks of intensive support and Demo Day. |
|
Techstars
Mentorship
|
$220,000 |
$220,000 investment: $20,000 convertible equity for 5% common stock plus $200,000 uncapped MFN SAFE. |
|
Berkeley SkyDeck
University Accelerator
|
$200,000 |
UC Berkeley's global startup accelerator — $200K investment plus a six-month program with Berkeley faculty and mentors. |
|
500 Global
Accelerator
|
$150,000 |
Seed-stage accelerator and global investment fund — has invested in 5,000+ companies across 80+ countries. |
|
Antler
Pre-Seed Accelerator
|
Varies |
Pre-seed / day-zero investor for first-time founders — find a co-founder and build a company from scratch in one of 30+ global locations. |
|
|
New credits added monthly — get them first
Join 1,500+ founders. One email/month, no spam.
|
|||
Entrepreneur First
Pre-Seed Accelerator
|
Varies |
Talent investor that funds individuals before they have a company. Pairs founders, gives a stipend, and invests at pre-seed. |
|
The most well-known startup accelerator — $500K for 7% (standard deal) plus 12 weeks of intensive support and Demo Day.
$220,000 investment: $20,000 convertible equity for 5% common stock plus $200,000 uncapped MFN SAFE.
UC Berkeley's global startup accelerator — $200K investment plus a six-month program with Berkeley faculty and mentors.
Seed-stage accelerator and global investment fund — has invested in 5,000+ companies across 80+ countries.
Pre-seed / day-zero investor for first-time founders — find a co-founder and build a company from scratch in one of 30+ global locations.
Join 1,500+ founders getting monthly credit alerts. No spam.
Talent investor that funds individuals before they have a company. Pairs founders, gives a stipend, and invests at pre-seed.
Showing all 6 programs. Last updated July 2026.
Credit for Startups lists 6 accelerators programs, including Y Combinator, Techstars, Berkeley SkyDeck, 500 Global, worth up to $500,000. Browse the list to compare value, eligibility, and how to apply.
Not always. Some programs are open to bootstrapped founders; others require a VC or accelerator referral. Each listing shows its referral requirement and application difficulty — or use the Get Matched tool to filter to programs that fit your startup.
Pick a program, review its eligibility and step-by-step "how to apply" on its page, then apply directly through the provider. It's free to apply, and we're an independent directory — not affiliated with the programs listed.
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Join 1,500+ startup founders getting monthly credit alerts worth $3M+
