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In this guide, we’ve curated 53 startup accelerators every founder should know about—from YC, Techstars, and Sequoia Arc to newer, more focused programs like HF0, South Park Commons, and regional funds in the Midwest and Southeast. For each program, you’ll see the check size, equity terms, and why it actually matters so you can quickly shortlist the accelerators that match your stage, geography, and fundraising strategy.

If you’re asking “Which startup accelerator is right for my early-stage startup in the U.S.?” or “How much equity do accelerators take?”—this article is designed to be the clear, skimmable answer.

Startup Accelerators for U.S. Founders in 2026

1. 500 Global Flagship Accelerator

  • Investment: $150k via a convertible security, typically net ~$112.5k after a $37.5k program fee.
  • Equity: Typically ~6% equity.
  • Why it matters: Silicon Valley-anchored global accelerator with strong growth-marketing and fundraising focus; good fit for SaaS, fintech, consumer and marketplaces.
  • URL:https://500.co/accelerators

2. a16z Speedrun

  • Investment: Up to $1M direct from a16z.
  • Equity: Roughly 7–10% ownership via SAFE/equity, though exact terms can vary.
  • Why it matters: 12-week SF/LA program for AI, games, and consumer products with deep access to the a16z platform and investor network.
  • URL:https://speedrun.a16z.com

3. AI Grant

  • Investment: $250k on an uncapped, no-discount MFN SAFE plus ~$600k in combined cloud credits (Azure + others).
  • Equity: SAFE converts at your next priced round; no valuation cap or discount.
  • Why it matters: Remote AI-first accelerator aimed squarely at product-building teams, with very founder-friendly terms.
  • URL:https://aigrant.com

4. AI2 Incubator (Allen Institute for AI)

  • Investment: $50k–$150k initial investment, with the right (and sometimes option) to invest up to ~$500k more.
  • Equity: Terms vary by deal; expect standard early-stage SAFE equity.
  • Why it matters: Seattle-based AI incubator with deep research roots—ideal if you’re building at the frontier of AI/ML.
  • URL:https://www.ai2incubator.com

5. Alchemist Accelerator (San Francisco, CA)

  • Investment: Typically $25K–$36K in seed funding plus large credit/perks packages.
  • Equity: ~5% common equity is the standard ask (sometimes negotiated a bit by stage).
  • Why it matters: Six-month, enterprise-only accelerator for B2B startups that sell to mid-market and large companies, with heavy help on sales motion and intros to a curated corporate buyer/VC network.
  • URL:https://www.alchemistaccelerator.com

6. AngelPad

  • Investment: Typically ~$120k–$130k in cash; combined with 5% common stock, total stake is about 7%.
  • Equity: ~7% total (5% common + ~2% via the investment).
  • Why it matters: Long-running seed accelerator (NYC & SF) known for small cohorts and very hands-on work on positioning, metrics, and fundraising.
  • URL:https://angelpad.com

7. Antler US

  • Investment: Around $200k for 9% in US residencies, with access to an additional ~$300k follow-on.
  • Equity: ~9% for the core check; follow-on on standard terms.
  • Why it matters: Residency-style program (NYC, Austin, SF) that helps you find a co-founder and idea, then backs you at pre-seed.
  • URL:https://www.antler.co/location/united-states

8. Berkeley SkyDeck

  • Investment: $200k for 7.5% equity, usually via a post-money SAFE.
  • Equity: 7.5% fixed for Cohort companies.
  • Why it matters: UC Berkeley–affiliated six-month accelerator with very strong academic/technical talent pipelines and big Demo Days.
  • URL:https://skydeck.berkeley.edu/program

9. Betaworks AI Camp

  • Investment: Up to $500k per company; recent AI Camp cohorts have standardized on $500k checks.
  • Equity: Standard early-stage equity/SAFE (exact percentage not publicly fixed).
  • Why it matters: 13-week, in-residence NYC program focused entirely on AI products, with strong product and storytelling help.
  • URL:https://www.betaworks.com/camp

10. BK-XL (Brooklyn, NY)

  • Investment: $125K initial investment, with an option for up to $375K in follow-on via an uncapped SAFE.
  • Equity: 7% equity on a post-money SAFE for the initial $125K; additional $375K is optional follow-on (uncapped SAFE with MFN).
  • Why it matters: 10-week, Brooklyn-based program focused on underrepresented founders, with intense local support (office space, mentors, Nets/BSE Global network) and a realistic path to $500K total from BK-XL.
  • URL:https://bk-xl.com/about

11. Blue Ridge Labs – Catalyst Accelerator (Robin Hood Foundation, Brooklyn, NY)

  • Investment: $100K
  • Equity: Not stated online.
  • Why it matters: Four-month, impact-focused accelerator for tech solutions that improve economic mobility for low-income New Yorkers, with deep user-research access and Robin Hood’s philanthropy and policy network behind it.
  • URL:https://robinhood.org/our-work/blue-ridge-labs/catalyst/

12. Boost VC

  • Investment: Up to $500k per company, usually at pre-seed valuations of ~$3–7M.
  • Equity: Commonly around 15% ownership.
  • Why it matters: Deep-tech focused (crypto, AI, space, robotics, biotech) with housing/office in San Mateo—good if you want a very hands-on sci-fi-tech community.
  • URL:https://www.boost.vc

13. Cedars-Sinai Accelerator (Los Angeles, CA)

  • Investment: $100K in funding per company for the three-month program.
  • Equity: Not publicly detailed.
  • Why it matters: Deep-integration health-tech accelerator embedded in a top U.S. hospital system, giving startups direct access to clinicians, pilots, and hospital data/IT infrastructure.
  • URL:https://csaccelerator.com/

14. Conviction Embed

  • Investment: $150k investment on an uncapped, no-discount MFN SAFE, plus substantial AI-related credits.
  • Equity: SAFE converts at your next priced round; effective ownership will depend on that valuation.
  • Why it matters: Eight-week, remote-first AI program run by Sarah Guo with tiny cohorts and very intensive partner support.
  • URL:https://www.conviction.com/embed

15. Entrepreneur First (US – San Francisco)

  • Investment: Up to $250k – $125k via a SAFE for 8% + optional $125k uncapped MFN SAFE if you relocate to SF and incorporate in Delaware.
  • Equity: 8% fixed plus additional dilution if you take the optional second SAFE.
  • Why it matters: Highly curated talent investor for “pre-team, pre-idea” founders who want structured co-founder matching and company formation in SF.
  • URL:https://www.joinef.com/locations/us

16. Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator (ERA – NYC)

  • Investment: $150k initial investment on a post-money SAFE in return for 6% of each company.
  • Equity: 6% fixed, with potential follow-on funding.
  • Why it matters: NYC-based four-month program, very plugged into East Coast investors and enterprise customers.
  • URL:https://www.eranyc.com

17. Founderville Startup Residence Program (Greenville, SC)

  • Investment: $100K guaranteed equity investment from Founderville.vc for each company accepted.
  • Equity: Equity percentage is not disclosed publicly; the site only specifies a $100K “equity investment,” so assume a negotiated stake in line with typical pre-seed deals and confirm directly.
  • Why it matters: Requires B2B SaaS/tech startups with at least $30K ARR and two co-founders to relocate to Greenville for a year in exchange for capital, deep local support, and a curated network of service providers.
  • URL:https://founderville.vc/startup-residence-program/

18. Founder, Inc. Fellowship (Founders, Inc. – San Francisco, CA)

  • Investment: Public deal summaries describe up to $100K–$150K per company.
  • Equity: Typically 5–10% equity, depending on how much you raise through the fellowship.
  • Why it matters: Rolling, founder-centric program for very early teams building ambitious software/AI products, with access to co-founders, shared SF space, and an in-house engineering + growth community.
  • URL:https://f.inc/fellowship

19. Forum Ventures

  • Investment: $100k for 7.5% equity on a standard post-money SAFE.
  • Equity: 7.5% fixed.
  • Why it matters: B2B SaaS-only accelerator with strong pre-seed focus and lots of hands-on sales/GTM help; cohorts run in US hubs and remotely.
  • URL:https://www.forumvc.com/accelerator

20. gener8tor

  • Investment: $100k investment in return for 7.5% equity via SAFE across many of its US programs.
  • Equity: 7.5% fixed.
  • Why it matters: Network of vertical and regional accelerators across the US, helpful if you want a program closer to your customers or home base.
  • URL:https://www.gener8tor.com/investment-accelerators

21. gener8tor MSP Equity Accelerator (Minnesota – currently between cohorts)

  • Investment: $100K per company.
  • Equity: 7.5% equity via a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity).
  • Why it matters: Hybrid equity accelerator that has historically focused on underrepresented founders in the Minneapolis–St. Paul region, pairing a six-company cohort with gener8tor’s national mentor and investor network; applications are closed right now, but the model tends to recur.
  • URL:https://www.gener8tor.com/investment-accelerators/msp-equity-accelerator

22. Google for Startups / Google Cloud AI Programs

  • Investment: Equity-free cloud and cash support—e.g., up to $350k in cloud credits for the AI Startup Program, and $50k–$100k equity-free cash in some Founders Funds.
  • Equity: None for the accelerator/credit programs.
  • Why it matters: Great add-on for AI or cloud-heavy companies—massive cloud credits plus Google mentorship without giving up equity.
  • URL:https://cloud.google.com/startup and https://startup.google.com

23. Greylock Edge

  • Investment: Flexible SAFE financing plus $500k+ in credits.
  • Equity: SAFE terms are negotiated case-by-case rather than a single fixed percentage.
  • Why it matters: Ultra-concentrated 3-month company-building program for a handful of AI and software founders, directly backed by Greylock.
  • URL:https://greylock.com/edge

24. HAX (SOSV – Newark, NJ & San Francisco, CA)

  • Investment: $250K initial investment via a post-money SAFE with a pre-agreed ownership target; external write-ups often describe this as $250K for ~9%.
  • Equity: Target stake is set in the SAFE (roughly high single digits), and SOSV can follow on with additional capital up to ~$1M in some cases.
  • Why it matters: Hardware/deep-tech accelerator built for physical + digital products (robotics, climate hardware, industrial, IoT) with manufacturing support and strong China and U.S. supply-chain connections.
  • URL:https://hax.co

25. HF0 Residency

  • Investment: $1M uncapped SAFE for 5% equity (single, simple structure).
  • Equity: 5% fixed plus standard dilution in future rounds.
  • Why it matters: In-person SF residency for repeat or very strong technical founders, with extremely concentrated partner attention and a big initial check.
  • URL:https://www.hf0.com

26. IndieBio (SOSV – San Francisco & New York)

  • Investment: Current public terms are $525K total – about $250K cash plus $275K in program/lab support and services.
  • Equity: SOSV typically targets ~10%+ ownership for its first check (exact percentage negotiated per company).
  • Why it matters: Flagship life-sciences and deep-biotech accelerator with wet-lab space, in-house scientists, and a strong track record of alumni raising large seed/Series A rounds.
  • URL:https://indiebio.co

27. LAUNCH Accelerator

  • Investment: $125k for 7% equity via SAFE.
  • Equity: 7% fixed.
  • Why it matters: Jason Calacanis’ 14-week SF program targeting early-revenue B2B/B2C startups; strong on tactical fundraising and syndicate access.
  • URL:https://launchaccelerator.co

28. Lemnos Labs (San Francisco, CA)

  • Investment: Common ranges reported are $100K–$250K (often $100K for ~10%), with some companies receiving $250K–$500K+ or even up to $1M in special cases.
  • Equity: Historically ~10% for early checks, higher ownership for larger capital commitments.
  • Why it matters: Hardware-first seed fund + accelerator that gives deep engineering help, prototyping space, and manufacturing guidance for robotics, aerospace, industrial, and other “hard tech” startups.
  • URL:https://lemnos.vc

29. Maritime Blue – Innovation “Blue Accelerator” (Seattle, WA)

  • Investment: $100K equity investment per startup via a SAFE.
  • Equity: SAFE with no fixed advertised %; equity is determined when it converts at your next priced round.
  • Why it matters: Four-month maritime and “blue economy” program giving ocean/climate startups capital plus access to port operators, shipping companies, and an ocean-industry-specific investor network.
  • URL:https://maritimeblue.org/blue-accelerator/

30. MINT – The Mint (by Better Tomorrow Ventures)

  • Investment: $500k investment for 10% ownership via SAFE.
  • Equity: 10% fixed.
  • Why it matters: Fintech-only, 10-week in-person program (NYC/SF) run by BTV partners—great if you’re a US fintech founder who wants very focused investors.
  • URL:https://www.btv.vc/the-mint

31. Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures Lab (New York, NY – global cohorts)

  • Investment: $250K equity investment for each startup in the New York program (same cash amount in London, in GBP).
  • Equity: Structured as an equity/SAFE investment (percentage depends on your valuation at entry rather than a fixed 6–8%).
  • Why it matters: Five-month in-house accelerator for tech and tech-enabled startups led by underrepresented or impact-oriented founders, with serious brand signal and access to Morgan Stanley’s institutional client network.
  • URL:https://www.morganstanley.com/about-us/inclusive-sustainable-ventures

32. MuckerLab (Los Angeles, CA & Austin/Toronto satellites)

  • Investment: Roughly $100K–$175K initial check.
  • Equity: Typically 10–15% equity, tuned to stage and capital needs.
  • Why it matters: Long-duration, “no demo day” accelerator for pre-seed/seed tech companies with very hands-on company-building and a strong SoCal & seed-VC network.
  • URL:https://mucker.com/accelerator

33. Neo Accelerator

  • Investment: $600k via an uncapped SAFE with a $10M floor valuation, plus shared upside in the cohort.
  • Equity: SAFE converts at your next priced round.
  • Why it matters: All-expenses-paid bootcamp in Oregon plus SF office, with hands-on mentorship from top founders/operators—especially strong for consumer and dev-tool plays.
  • URL:https://neo.com/accelerator

34. NMotion Accelerator powered by gener8tor (Nebraska & Great Plains, hybrid)

  • Investment: $100K investment per startup.
  • Equity: 7.5% equity via a post-money SAFE.
  • Why it matters: 12-week, industry-agnostic program with a tight six-company cohort and lifetime access to the gener8tor/NMotion network—especially useful for founders building in or near the Midwest/Great Plains.
  • URL:https://www.nmotion.co/nmotion-accelerator

35. OpenAI Converge

  • Investment: Roughly $1M per startup plus access to OpenAI models and a 5 to 6-week program.
  • Equity: Equity investment (SAFE/round terms negotiated individually).
  • Why it matters: Highly selective AI-native program with early access to frontier models and strong signaling for follow-on funding.
  • URL:https://openai.com/startup-fund

36. Pegasus Accelerate (Pegasus Angel Accelerator – remote-first, U.S. HQ in CA)

  • Investment: $100K investment with a valuation cap up to $3.5M (SAFE or note-style).
  • Equity: No fixed %; the cap implies roughly ~2.8%+ ownership at the $3.5M cap, more if the next round is at a lower valuation.
  • Why it matters: Highly personalized, rolling-start accelerator for post-revenue B2B/SaaS and DTC founders, with remote-first programming and a strong focus on GTM and fundraising.
  • URL:https://www.pegasusangelaccelerator.com/

37. PearX (Pear VC)

  • Investment: $250k–$2M for pre-seed through its PearX accelerator.
  • Equity: Minority stake, often around ~10%, structured via SAFE and tailored to stage.
  • Why it matters: SF-based, small batch program with heavy help on hiring, GTM, and fundraising—often co-leading or leading pre-seed rounds.
  • URL:https://pear.vc/pearx

38. Pioneer

  • Investment: Optional $20k investment at a ~$2M valuation, plus historically ~1% equity to join the program itself (some cohorts structured as 1% + extra for the check).
  • Equity: Roughly 1–2% total depending on whether you take the investment.
  • Why it matters: Remote-first three-month accelerator with a strong online founder community and an SF summit—low dilution for very early teams.
  • URL:https://pioneer.app

39. Plug and Play Tech Center

  • Investment: Optional VC checks typically in the $25k–$500k range, usually for ~1–5% equity; the accelerator program itself is equity-free.
  • Equity: 0% to join the program; equity only if you accept Plug and Play’s investment.
  • Why it matters: Massive corporate-innovation platform headquartered in Sunnyvale, with themed batches (fintech, insurtech, mobility, etc.) that can plug you into large enterprise customers.
  • URL:https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com

40. REACH Accelerator (Second Century Ventures / NAR)

  • Investment: Cash amount isn’t publicly standardized; historically, companies have received marketing support plus capital from Second Century Ventures alongside the program.
  • Equity: Exact terms not publicly disclosed.
  • Why it matters: Real-estate and adjacent-fin/insurtech scale-up program with direct access to the National Association of REALTORS® network, big brokerages, and enterprise customers in U.S. residential and commercial real estate.
  • URL:https://www.nar-reach.com

41. RevTech Labs Accelerator (Charlotte, NC)

  • Investment: Up to $120K per startup on acceptance, with the potential for additional follow-on capital from RevTech Labs Capital (up to ~$220K total in some cases).
  • Equity: Typically around 2–6% equity, via a standard accelerator-style equity/SAFE structure (confirm exact terms with the current cohort).
  • Why it matters: 12-week hybrid fintech/insurtech program focused on post-MVP, often post-revenue companies, with a highly curated advisor board, 400+ VC relationships, and visibility at events like Venture135.
  • URL:https://www.revtechlabs.co/accelerator-program-founder

42. SE Ventures Accelerator Program (Schneider Electric – SF Bay Area, virtual + in-person demo day)

  • Investment: $100K SAFE, uncapped, paid in two $50K tranches over the 12-week program.
  • Equity: Post-money SAFE with 30% discount and super pro-rata rights; there’s no fixed % because it converts at your next priced round.
  • Why it matters: Climate/industrial tech-focused accelerator that plugs you directly into Schneider Electric’s global customer base and technical teams, with a tiny cohort (3–5 startups) and heavy pilot/BD orientation.
  • URL:https://www.seventures.com/accelerator.jsp

43. Sequoia Arc (Americas)

  • Investment: ~$1M initial funding per company.
  • Equity: Sequoia doesn’t publicly standardize, but external sources describe this as roughly ~10% ownership at seed-like terms.
  • Why it matters: Seven- to eight-week program from Sequoia focused on outlier founders in North and Latin America—high signal, but extremely selective.
  • URL:https://sequoiacap.com/arc

44. SixThirty (Fintech / Insurtech / Cyber – St. Louis, MO & U.S. hubs)

  • Investment: Up to $100K investment per startup.
  • Equity: Equity stake is negotiated, not fixed.
  • Why it matters: B2B fintech / insurtech / cyber accelerator that pairs capital with structured business-development access to banks, insurers, and large institutions, especially valuable if you need enterprise pilots in regulated industries.
  • URL:https://sixthirty.co/apply

45. Slauson & Co – Friends & Family Accelerator (Los Angeles, CA / US-wide, consumer)

  • Investment: $300K total funding per company.
  • Equity: 6% on a post-money SAFE (plus typical discounts/perks); the equity stake is fixed at 6%.
  • Why it matters: Six-month program for early consumer/consumer-adjacent companies (DTC, marketplaces, prosumer, B2B2C) with intensive tactical support, strong emphasis on historically underfunded founders, and deep access to the Slauson investor/operator network.
  • URL:https://www.slauson.co/friends-and-family

46. Softeq Venture Studio (Houston, TX)

  • Investment: $125K in cash plus product development services, powered by a $40M Softeq Venture Fund.
  • Equity: Public info from ecosystem write-ups indicates Softeq typically takes ~2–3% equity for that $125K package (cash + in-kind), though their own page doesn’t spell out the exact percentage.
  • Why it matters: Four-month, engineering-heavy venture studio that is often the first institutional money, bundling capital with hands-on hardware/IoT/software build to de-risk technical execution.
  • URL:https://www.softeq.com/venture-studio

47. Soma Capital Fellowship

  • Investment: Typically $100k via an uncapped SAFE with 0% equity (non-dilutive), with some communications indicating the potential for up to $1M in follow-on.
  • Equity: No equity taken for the core fellowship; follow-on funding is on normal equity terms.
  • Why it matters: Non-dilutive capital plus access to Soma’s YC-heavy portfolio network.
  • URL:https://somacap.com/fellowship

48. South Park Commons – Founder Fellowship

  • Investment: $400k upfront for 7% on a SAFE, plus $600k guaranteed in your next external round.
  • Equity: 7% from the initial SAFE; follow-on on standard terms.
  • Why it matters: Community-driven SF program that blends exploration time with serious capital—good if you’re still iterating on what to build.
  • URL:https://www.southparkcommons.com/founder-fellowship

49. Sputnik ATX (Austin, TX)

  • Investment: $100K initial investment, with the option for up to $400K in follow-on funding.
  • Equity: Investment is via a SAFE note with a 30% discount, so the equity % is determined at your next priced round rather than fixed upfront.
  • Why it matters: Three-month, in-person Austin program with a heavy emphasis on sales execution and revenue growth, aimed at “maker-founders” with an MVP and early customers.
  • URL:https://www.sputnikatx.com/accelerator

50. Tampa Bay Wave Accelerator Programs – CyberTech|X, FinTech|X, HealthTech|X, Tech|X, LatinTech, BlueTech (Tampa, FL)

  • Investment: No direct cash investment (benefits are programming, investor access, and community).
  • Equity: 0% – fully equity-free; they explicitly position all accelerator programs as “zero-equity.”
  • Why it matters: Sector-specific, mentor-heavy programs with strong Florida and national investor networks, ongoing CORE membership support, and a track record of 600+ startups raised over $1.6B.
  • URL:https://www.tampabaywave.org/startup-programs/

51. Techstars

  • Investment: $220k total – $20k CEA that converts into 5% common stock + $200k uncapped MFN SAFE.
  • Equity: Minimum 5% common stock plus whatever the $200k SAFE converts into at your next priced round.
  • Why it matters: Global network with many US city and vertical programs (NYC, LA, Boulder, fintech, health, etc.) and structured 3-month curriculum.
  • URL:https://www.techstars.com

52. Viterbi Startup Garage (USC – Los Angeles, CA)

  • Investment: Historically $20K per team in their accelerator cohorts.
  • Equity: 4% equity in participating companies.
  • Why it matters: University-affiliated accelerator focused on deep-tech and software companies with a strong technical founder from USC, combining capital with dense mentor and investor connections in LA.
  • URL:https://viterbistartupgarage.com

53. Y Combinator (YC)

  • Investment: $500k total – $125k on a post-money SAFE for 7% + $375k on an uncapped MFN SAFE.
  • Equity: Fixed 7% + additional dilution when the MFN SAFE converts.
  • Why it matters: Still the reference program for US founders; huge alumni network, strong investor signaling, and very fast follow-on fundraising.
  • URL:https://www.ycombinator.com

As terms, batch themes, and locations evolve, always confirm details with each accelerator’s website or investment team before you sign a SAFE. But if you’re building a high-growth startup in the U.S. and wondering where to plug in—these 53 accelerators are a great place for founders to start.