FoundersBoost offers a global pre-accelerator program tailored for early-stage technology founders. The mentor-driven initiative is structured to prepare participants for subsequent accelerator programs, investment rounds, and revenue generation. It focuses on providing actionable insights and access to a global network to help startups transition from idea validation to building a scalable and impactful business.
Program Overview
• Program Focus: The curriculum is centered on achieving product-market fit, developing a fundraising strategy, and ensuring investor readiness.
• Duration: An intensive 6-week program.
• Cost: The program requires no fees and takes no equity from participating startups.
• Format: Cohorts are offered in-person, virtually, or in a hybrid model, depending on the specific chapter.
• Time Commitment: Participants should expect to dedicate time to 3-hour weekly focus sessions, plus an additional 5 hours per week for deliverables.
• Cohort Structure: Each location's cohort is carefully selected for cohesiveness, typically comprising around 10 startup companies.
Ideal Candidate Profile
• Stage: The program is designed for pre-seed, early-stage tech startups that have demonstrated initial customer traction.
• Business Model: Ideal candidates have a tech-based, scalable business model applicable across any vertical.
• Team Composition: The program seeks small, dedicated teams with strong execution skills, a passion for their product, and an openness to feedback and growth.
• Diversity: Applications from diverse and underrepresented founder teams are strongly encouraged.
Curriculum and Key Events
• Core Components: The program includes one-on-one mentorship, sessions with expert speakers, and dedicated pitch coaching.
• Week 1 - Customer Development & Problem-Solution Fit: Focuses on defining ideal customer profiles and using feedback to refine product offerings.
• Week 2 - Pitch Deck and Delivery Mastery: Teaches founders how to create a memorable pitch and deliver it with confidence.
• Week 3 - Market Entry and Market Capture: Covers market sizing (TAM, SAM, SOM), identifying early adopters, and developing go-to-market strategies.
• Week 4 - Finding Product-Market-Fit: Explores tactics for building a product customers love, measuring PMF, and balancing iteration with scalability.
• Week 5 - Investment Landscape and Fundraising Strategy: Provides insights into the current investment climate and helps founders position their company for a successful raise.
• Week 6 - Venture Funding and Accelerators: Prepares founders for their next milestones by exploring local ecosystem resources, accelerator options, and equity dilution scenarios.
• Pitch Opportunities: The program includes a Global Kickoff Event, culminates in a local Demo Day, and offers a chance to present at the twice-yearly Global Investor Showcase.
Application Details for Spring 2026 Cohort
• Applications Open: January 1, 2026
• Applications Close: March 11, 2026 - (12 March 2026, 08:59 GMT+1)
• Program Starts: April 1, 2026
• Demo Day: June 1, 2026
Track Record and Community
• Proven Outcomes: Over eight years, the program has supported over 600 startups, with alumni raising more than $400 million in funding and gaining acceptance into premier accelerators such as Y Combinator, Techstars, and a16z.
• Impact-Focused: The program is committed to accessibility, with 80% of its participating startups founded by underrepresented entrepreneurs.
• Global Network: FoundersBoost operates over 20 programs globally and has a community of more than 2,000 founders.
• FoundersBoostX: An extended resource offering a library of over 35 on-demand workshops to help any early-stage founder advance their startup.
Fall 2025 Cohort Showcase
• WhyHi (Communication Technology): Increases live call engagement by displaying context and call duration before the call is answered.
• Yorbis (Fintech, Banking / Finance, Payment Processing): A cross-border payment platform for SMBs, designed to be six times faster than alternative solutions for international payment processing.
• Interlink Spatial (3D technology, AR / VR, Media): Utilizes spatial media to help wedding venues and planners enable couples to visualize their wedding day.
• Carnival of Masks (E-Commerce, Marketplaces, Social Networks): A social marketplace for costumes and costumed events, serving the cosplay community.
• WaffleVideo.ai (AI / ML, Enterprise, Media): Addresses the need for commercially safe video data by mobilizing creators to capture annotated footage for AI model fine-tuning.
• CyberWing (AI / ML, Analytics, Hardware, Sensors): An edge AI platform named NOVA that provides on-aircraft predictive maintenance to help airlines reduce costly Aircraft on Ground (AOG) incidents.
FoundersBoost provides a comprehensive, founder-friendly pre-accelerator experience designed to equip early-stage technology startups with the necessary tools, mentorship, and network to achieve significant milestones in their journey toward securing investment and scaling their operations.