Ten programmes. Different kinds of support.
Research snapshot: October 15, 2026. This comparison covers the published terms below, not every eligibility rule or current application deadline. Amounts retain their original currency. An unknown cash amount is not zero; conditional follow-on capital is not an initial award. This is editorial research, not legal or investment advice.
How to use this comparison
First choose whether you need investment or non-cash support. Then compare total dilution, fees, location obligations and eligibility. A fixed percentage plus a SAFE is not a fixed total equity cost. Currency amounts are not converted or ranked. The ten programmes were selected for contrasting offer structures and previously ambiguous directory fields, not as the ten best programmes.
AI Grant: $250K SAFE investment, not a grant
$250K uncapped MFN SAFE investment; credits are separate. Not equity-free. Investment: $250K; credits separate. Equity: Uncapped MFN SAFE dilution. The official page marks Batch 4 applications closed. It distinguishes this accelerator from its earlier research grants and separate open-source grant programme. Confirm any new application window and the full investment agreement directly before applying. Checked October 15, 2026. Review scope: Published accelerator investment instrument, cash-versus-credits distinction and displayed Batch 4 closure; not the separate open-source grants.
Thiel Fellowship: $250K two-year grant
$250K two-year grant for selected young builders; not an investment round. Investment: $250K grant. Equity: No equity investment described. The previous $200,000 figure on this page was outdated. A grant is not an equity investment. Confirm current eligibility, selection and payment conditions directly with the foundation; this listing does not promise admission or a payment schedule. Checked October 15, 2026. Review scope: Published grant amount, two-year duration and college participation condition; no independent check of selection or payment schedule.
SPC Fellowship: upfront and follow-on funding
Fall 2026: $400K upfront for 7%; $600K in the next external round. Investment: $400K upfront + $600K next round. Equity: 7% upfront; next round separate. The published application deadline was August 2, 2026, with bootcamp scheduled from late September to late November. That deadline has passed. Confirm future cohort terms directly. The separate Member Residency does not carry the same funding offer. Checked October 15, 2026. Review scope: Fall 2026 investment structure and published cohort deadline, not future cohorts or interpretation of executed agreements.
Y Combinator: $500K, 7% plus MFN SAFE equity
$500K: $125K for 7% plus a $375K uncapped MFN SAFE. Investment: $500K total. Equity: 7% plus MFN SAFE dilution. Acceptance and executed agreements are required. Compare the full instruments and current application requirements, rather than treating the headline amount as guaranteed funding. Checked October 15, 2026. Review scope: Standard investment structure only; not eligibility, legal advice or current application deadlines.
Techstars: investment and regional terms
Standard: $220K; 5% common plus MFN SAFE dilution. APAC differs. Investment: $220K standard; $120K APAC. Equity: 5% common plus SAFE dilution. Asia-Pacific programmes offer $120,000 total, with a $100,000 SAFE alongside the $20,000 agreement. Confirm the specific programme, incorporation requirements and executed terms. The directory does not treat one regional ticket as universal. Checked October 15, 2026. Review scope: Published investment instruments and APAC exception; not each programme's eligibility or deadlines.
Conviction Embed: $250K and credits
$250K investment; uncapped MFN SAFE or recent-round pricing. Investment: $250K; credits separate. Equity: SAFE or recent-round terms. The official page describes required in-person programming. It mixes a seventh-cohort invitation with older cohort language and dates without a year, so this listing does not assert an open deadline. Confirm the applicable cohort and attendance directly. Checked October 15, 2026. Review scope: Published investment structure and cash-versus-credit distinction; cohort dates remain unconfirmed.
NVIDIA Inception: startup support
Free startup support and technical benefits; not a cash grant. Investment: No cash award promised. Equity: 0% membership equity. The official FAQ requires incorporation, a working website, at least one developer and a company less than ten years old. Additional exclusions apply. Check eligibility and benefit availability before applying. Checked October 15, 2026. Review scope: Membership cost, equity and core eligibility; individual benefits and investor introductions are not guaranteed.
43North: $1M investment for 5% equity
$1M investment for 5% equity. Not an equity-free grant. Investment: $1M for selected companies. Equity: 5%. Selection is competitive, not guaranteed funding for applicants. Review the official agreement, payment milestones and Buffalo participation requirements before making a decision. Checked October 15, 2026. Review scope: Published investment and equity terms; not a review of application eligibility or all award-agreement provisions.
Hub71 Access: cash for equity and in-kind support
Access: AED 250K cash via SAFE plus AED 250K in-kind support. Investment: AED 250K cash + AED 250K services. Equity: SAFE; final dilution varies. The programme serves pre-seed to Series A startups and expects at least one founder to relocate to Abu Dhabi. Check the current cohort, participation requirements and agreement. AED amounts are not treated as US-dollar amounts in our filters. Checked October 15, 2026. Review scope: Access programme cash-versus-services distinction, equity instrument and founder relocation requirement; not every Hub71 programme.
Endless Frontier Labs: equity-free mentorship
NYU Stern mentorship. No equity or fees; no guaranteed investment. Investment: Not guaranteed. Equity: 0% program equity. The program includes three virtual and two in-person meeting days in New York. Admission does not require an NYU affiliation. Check the official application window and attendance requirements before applying; participation is not a promise of a $500,000 investment. Checked October 15, 2026. Review scope: Program structure, equity, fees, meeting format and separation of fundraising from participation. Not a current deadline or investment guarantee.
Station F: campus programs and application routes
Paris startup campus. Choose a program; terms differ by operator. Investment: Program-specific. Equity: Program-specific. Choose the relevant program before comparing fees, equity, eligibility or deadlines. A campus-wide $0 investment figure is not a useful funding promise, and an individual free program does not make every campus program free. Use the official program directory and in-house program page to check your intended application. Checked October 15, 2026. Review scope: Campus-versus-program distinction and application routes only; individual partner terms must be checked separately.
Startup Wise Guys: Flagship investment terms
Flagship: up to €100K convertible investment; €35K program cost. Investment: Up to €100K (Flagship). Equity: Convertible; check agreement. The Flagship requirements include a working MVP, at least two co-founders or team members, and initial customer traction. Check the applicable cohort and full investment agreement. Follow-on funding is an opportunity, not a guaranteed part of the initial ticket, and the euro amount is not converted into a dollar filter value here. Checked October 15, 2026. Review scope: Published Flagship offer and entry criteria only, not every Startup Wise Guys program or a legal interpretation of the agreement.
Surge by Peak XV: seed funding and support
Peak XV seed capital: $500K–$5M; individual deal terms vary. Investment: $500K–$5M. Equity: Negotiated. The stated range is not an offer to every applicant. Confirm the amount, instrument, ownership dilution and other conditions directly with Peak XV. This listing does not assert a standard equity percentage or an open application deadline. Checked October 15, 2026. Review scope: Published seed-investment range and support proposition only; not individual deal terms or eligibility.
Correction log — October 15, 2026
YC and Techstars now distinguish the fixed equity component from additional SAFE dilution. Techstars includes the APAC exception. Conviction separates cash from credits and leaves cohort dates unconfirmed. NVIDIA Inception and Endless Frontier Labs are identified as support, not cash awards. Station F is treated as a campus with programme-specific terms. Hub71 separates AED cash from services. Startup Wise Guys shows euro-denominated Flagship terms and the programme cost. Surge shows its published range. 43North is described as equity investment, not an equity-free grant.
Connect funding research to company research
Funding is one question in building a company. Check product documentation and founder context separately; a profile or story does not imply that the company participated in any programme listed here.
Reference text updated 15 October 2026. This is not a verification date for all linked content.