Startup grants and accelerators in North America

a16z Speedrun is an accelerator-style investment program that provides up to $1M in funding to startups, with a focus on the games industry. Founders get access to an operator team offering support across talent, recruiting, go-to-market, marketing, HR, legal, and visa assistance, plus a community of 600+ founders for introductions and feedback. Since 2023, the program has deployed more than $180M across over 200 startups.

Missouri's flagship state-sponsored venture capital initiative - direct investments (equity or convertible debt) into promising early-stage, high-growth Missouri startups, leveraging state and federal funding to accelerate private investment.

One of the most founder-friendly state grants available - non-dilutive, rolling applications, up to $150,000 in matching funds to support early-stage product development for Nebraska-based companies.

Wayflyer is a financing partner for fast-growing businesses in e-commerce, retail, software and services. It offers funding from €5.000 to €20 Mio. € that is repaid as fixed instalments or as a percentage of revenue, with no equity given up and no personal guarantees. The page says there are no restrictions on how the funds can be used.

State grants up to $75,000 (covering up to 75% of costs) for Illinois small businesses running R&D projects in partnership with an Illinois university or research institution.

Elemental Impact is a nonprofit investor that provides catalytic capital plus wrap-around support—project expertise, local partnerships, and investor mobilization—to entrepreneurs building first-of-a-kind and early commercial climate technologies across energy, industry, food and agriculture, nature, water, and transportation. It also recently launched a Data Center Innovation Initiative with Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft to accelerate sustainable infrastructure technologies.

Non-dilutive, reimbursable matching grant for Kentucky companies that have already won a federal SBIR or STTR award - up to $100,000 for a Phase I project, up to $150,000 for Phase II, helping bridge the gap to commercialization.

South Park Commons runs a 6-month Residency program for technical founders and technologists to explore ideas, test them with peers, and find collaborators at no cost and no equity taken. For members who reach conviction on a venture-scale idea, SPC also provides funding from $1M to $10M to help launch the company.

Co-invests up to $150,000 alongside industry partners in research projects with University of Central Florida or University of South Florida faculty, for companies in the 23-county Corridor region.

Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator (ERA) describes itself as NYC's leading tech accelerator, with 400+ startups and $2.5B+ raised by its companies. The page says it offers access to a network of 500+ mentors, including serial entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and investors. It lists a $150K/6% Post-Money SAFE investment alongside its W'27 and S'27 cohorts.

World One is a three-month residency for a small cohort of solo builders who want to build in public and rapidly ship frontier products powered by World ID. Up to five builders are accepted for the first cohort, with office space and financial support included. Residents get full creative freedom, with no deliverables and no assigned roadmap.

Silicon Valley's flagship accelerator for enterprise, B2B and deep-tech startups - a six-month seed-stage program with an optional $25,000 stipend in exchange for a negotiable single-digit equity stake (commonly ~5%).

Concierge-style 12-week equity accelerator (separate from the free gBETA track) - $100,000 investment via SAFE for 7.5% equity, only 5-6 companies per cohort, with curated introductions to mentors, corporates and investors. Runs cohorts in multiple US cities/states.

Austin-based accelerator and VC firm, the most active investor in Texas for over a decade - unusually founder-friendly terms at just 1% equity for up to $100,000 in investment, plus mentorship, coworking and the largest investor network in Texas.

State-backed venture capital program (part of Nevada's SSBCI allocation) targeting Nevada-based startups and high-growth tech companies raising seed, Series A or Series B rounds.

Part of Iowa's Innovation Continuum - up to $175,000 to help Iowa companies (fewer than 500 employees) bring market-ready, innovative technologies or products to commercialization in advanced manufacturing, biosciences or information technology. Requires matching funds.

Non-dilutive grants for South Carolina tech startups: a Startup Grant (up to $25,000) for early-stage companies reaching commercialization, and an Acceleration Grant (up to $50,000) for more established early-stage companies. Part of the broader SC Launch program, which can combine grants, loans and investment up to $775,000.

HF0 Residency is a program for repeat founders, structured as a batch-based residency culminating in a Demo Day. It accepts applications for upcoming batches with specified start and demo day dates.

Non-dilutive grants for Maine startups along the full innovation continuum - typically $10,000-$30,000 for first-time applicants, with cumulative funding reaching up to $100,000 per company as the business progresses. No application deadlines - apply any time.

The federal non-dilutive funding program behind most of the state SBIR/STTR matching grants in this catalog - Phase I awards $50,000-$275,000 for proof of concept, Phase II awards $750,000-$1,800,000 for technology development. Open to for-profit US companies with fewer than 500 employees, in all 50 states and territories.

PearX is an accelerator for pre-seed founders that takes teams from idea to real traction in 12 weeks. Pear invests between $500K and $2M, tailored to each company's needs, and provides $4.5M in credits and deals, founder-to-founder mentorship, fundraising support, recruiting help, GTM support, and free office space at Pear Studio for up to 6 months.

The Fashion Trust U.S. Award offers a financial grant and mentorship to designers. Sixteen finalists are selected, and the winners share the grant money among five winners. Winners also receive a one-year mentoring programme covering budgeting, social media growth, strategy, digital marketing, merchandising, wholesale and scaling the business.

Working capital for high-growth consumer brands and retailers, used to fund inventory, marketing spend and purchase orders. The capital is repaid out of revenue rather than exchanged for equity, and applying does not affect the founder's credit score.

Monthly grants for women entrepreneurs, named after Amber Wigdahl. One application is considered for every grant WomensNet gives that year.

Free, equity-free 7-week accelerator program from gener8tor - no investment, no fees, no equity taken. Runs cohorts in 50+ US cities across a range of industry verticals, selecting up to 5 companies per cohort.

State-affiliated seed fund investing in Virginia-headquartered technology, life science, and cleantech startups, with initial checks up to $125,000 via a common Gust application.

Non-dilutive grants ($100,000-$500,000) for Massachusetts-based startups that have won a federal SBIR/STTR Phase II award, funding commercialization activities like market validation and IP strategy.

Small non-dilutive awards ($7,000-$15,000) for Michigan startups working with a SmartZone business accelerator, funding specialist services not otherwise available to help the company reach commercialization.

Golden Seeds is an angel investment network that invests in exceptional women-led startups. It is committed to supporting and funding U.S.-based women-led startups across all industry sectors. Founders can learn about the investment criteria and process, and apply for funding.

TCA Venture Group, formerly Tech Coast Angels, is an angel investment organisation in Southern California with about 400 members and five angel funds. It supports startups through seed, bridge and early A-round funding, and provides connections, mentorship and operational support. Entrepreneurs can apply for funding through its website.

Small non-dilutive microgrant ($5,000) for New Hampshire startups with a strong SBIR/STTR concept, covering direct proposal-development support - requires completing FOSTER pre-proposal training first.

Keiretsu Forum is a global investment community of accredited private equity angel investors, venture capitalists and corporate/institutional investors. It has 53 chapters on 4 continents, and its members invest in high-quality, diverse investment opportunities. Startups can apply through the site to present to its investors.

Leading early-stage venture fund based in Utah with a second office in Colorado, investing in pre-seed and seed rounds for enterprise software, fintech, healthtech, marketplace, and consumer SaaS startups across Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.

State-run non-dilutive grants (Proof of Concept, Early-Stage Capital & Retention, Collaborative Infrastructure, Export) for Colorado startups in seven advanced industries: manufacturing, aerospace, bioscience, electronics, energy, infrastructure engineering, and technology.

State-backed seed investor operating four regional offices across Pennsylvania, funding early-stage tech and manufacturing companies with $100,000-$500,000 plus business support services.

Founders, Inc. describes itself as the first check for founders solving hard problems in emerging domains such as AI, AR/VR, hardware and robotics. Selected founders are invited to its campus at Fort Mason in San Francisco, where they get their first check and access to a community of top founders.

State grants for Minnesota startups: Innovation Grants reimbursing R&D and business expenses, plus SBIR/STTR Matching Grants (up to $35,000 for Phase 1, $50,000 for Phase 2 federal awardees).

Competitive pitch program offering grants up to $10,000 to early-stage Connecticut companies getting their product to market, plus related CTNext grants (Growth Company Grants up to $25,000, Technology Talent Bridge up to $25,000).

For Hawaii-based companies that win a federal Phase I SBIR award - HTDC matches up to 50% of the award amount, non-dilutive. A smaller $3,000 Phase 0 grant is also available to help first-time applicants prepare a competitive SBIR proposal.

Non-dilutive state grant of up to $125,000 for Alaska small businesses with an active or recently completed federal SBIR or STTR award, funding business development, market testing, and patent filing.

The ED/IES SBIR program funds education technology in two phases. Phase I supports rapid prototype development and evaluation of new education technology prototypes, and Phase II supports full-scale development and evaluation of new education technology products. The program is run for small, for-profit businesses, and it emphasizes commercialization so products can reach schools.

Non-dilutive matching grant (up to $50,000) for Vermont-based companies that have already received a federal SBIR or STTR Phase I or II award.

Chicago's premier healthcare incubator, running equity-free, cohort-based accelerator programs (e.g. the Health Equity Innovation Accelerator) with hospitals, health systems and industry partners - mentorship, curriculum and a network of 200+ healthtech startups.

Supplementary non-dilutive state funding (up to $100,000) for research-focused startups that have already won a federal SBIR or STTR grant, aimed at keeping the company rooted in Louisiana.

Alabama's longest-running business plan and pitch competition (since 2006) - up to $100,000 in non-dilutive funding for winning startups across technology, life sciences and consumer goods tracks, plus a 12-week mentorship program. Has invested over $6.6 million in 124 Alabama startups to date.

Non-dilutive grant of up to $5,000 for South Dakota startups to prepare a competitive federal SBIR/STTR Phase I proposal.

Non-dilutive Concept Awards ($200,000) and Prototype Awards ($500,000) for early-stage California clean energy startups, administered by New Energy Nexus for the California Energy Commission.

14-week accelerator (New York/Philadelphia) for HealthTech, UrbanTech and SecureTech startups with early revenue or pilot traction - $50,000-$100,000 investment for 6% equity, with equity not exercised until Series A.

State-run grants and SBIR/STTR matching funds (SEED Fund) for Washington technology startups, plus periodic Small Business Innovation Fund awards for R&D-driven small businesses.

Pre-seed / proof-of-concept non-dilutive funding for Oklahoma startups - $50,000-$100,000 per company with a 1:1 matching co-investment requirement from founders or other investors.

Discretionary state grant of up to $250,000 to sponsor business and technology accelerator programs mentoring Arkansas start-up companies, plus a related SBIR Matching Grant (up to $50,000 Phase I / $100,000 Phase II).

State matching fund for Tennessee companies that have received federal SBIR/STTR awards, plus a separate TTAC Proof of Concept Program with a rolling application for early-stage innovators.

Grants up to $75,000 for Rhode Island businesses (500 employees or fewer) to fund R&D conducted with a local Knowledge Provider (college, university, hospital or research institution) or in-house for manufacturers. Over 150 projects funded to date.

Non-dilutive grant of up to $5,000 for Oregon-based companies to secure professional proposal-development services for a federal SBIR/STTR Phase I, Phase II, or Fast-Track application.

Canada's largest source of non-repayable R&D funding for small and medium businesses — up to $10,000,000 per project, covering up to 80% of R&D labour costs. No equity taken, nothing repaid.

New York state energy agency deploying $1.2 billion over 15 years in R&D grants, commercialization support, and an Entrepreneur-in-Residence program for clean energy startups.

Non-dilutive matching funds for Kansas-based small businesses: Phase 0 covers proposal development (up to $3,000), Phase 1 matches a federal SBIR/STTR Phase I award (up to $25,000). Requires 51% of operations to stay in Kansas.

State-run programs for Arizona startups: a free six-week Venture Start accelerator plus the Arizona Innovation Challenge, an annual non-dilutive competition awarding up to $250,000 to early-stage companies.

Non-dilutive funding for Maryland technology-based startups in two phases - Technology Assessment (up to $130,000 over 9 months) and Technology Validation - up to $430,000 total. Applications reviewed quarterly.

Non-dilutive matching grants for West Virginia companies with a federal SBIR/STTR Phase I or II award, plus up to $10,000 in technical assistance funding for accelerator participants, with top graduates eligible to pitch for up to $100,000 in additional pre-seed funding.

Indiana's non-profit venture development partner matches $0.50 for every federal SBIR/STTR dollar awarded, up to $50,000 per award and a $150,000 lifetime cap per company - non-dilutive.

The Gold House Ventures Accelerator is a 14-week immersive program for diverse-led tech startups across the United States. Benefits include weekly masterclasses, 1:1 advising from experienced founders and operators, curated investor introductions, and a public Demo Day. Founders also get strategic networking with Gold House's network of Asian Pacific creatives, executives, and venture capitalists, and the page says they are eligible for seed funding.

Non-dilutive matching grants (up to $30,000 per phase, per year) for Montana companies working on a federal SBIR or STTR project, covering both Phase I feasibility research and Phase II commercialization.

Venture fund and non-profit dedicated exclusively to digital health startups, connecting founders with healthcare-focused investors and industry expertise.

A cohort accelerator for LGBTQ+ founders ready to scale, built around an 18-month business plan, mentoring and introductions. Demo days in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Non-dilutive MICRO ($10,000) and SEED ($50,000) grants for North Carolina-based startups, twice a year. Requires at least one full-time founder residing in North Carolina.

Early-stage non-dilutive grant funding for tech and growth-oriented Mississippi startups - no repayment required. Applicants build out a business plan and pitch live to the Seed Fund Investment Board for a funding decision.

Non-dilutive reimbursement of up to $4,500 for Wisconsin-based technology companies preparing a federal SBIR/STTR Phase I application, plus a separate matching grant for companies that already won a Phase I or II award.

Columbus, Ohio venture studio and accelerator combining seed capital, a physical innovation hub, and help securing non-dilutive SBIR/STTR and state grants for Ohio-based (or relocating) startups.

Non-dilutive grant of $25,000-$50,000 for business development expenses to early-stage New Mexico companies commercializing new technology, plus a separate SBIR/STTR Matching Grant ($50,000-$100,000) for federal award recipients.

Non-dilutive grants (3:1 state-to-business match) for Delaware small businesses with 10 or fewer employees - up to $100,000 for science and technology companies, or up to $50,000 for other sectors. Rolling applications, decisions within 45 days.

State-run accelerator helping Texas research-driven startups secure non-dilutive federal SBIR/STTR funding, plus access to the state's FAST Partnership matching program.

Voucher-based reimbursement program for North Dakota entrepreneurs - up to $50,000 across two $25,000 phases, funding customer and market research with hands-on coaching from regional entrepreneur centers. Recurring biennial program; check the current application window before applying.

Non-dilutive grants for early-stage New Jersey startups - no application fees collected. Includes Clean Tech R&D Seed Grants (up to $75,000) for very early-stage clean tech companies and SBIR/STTR follow-on support ($50,000) for companies that completed Phase I and submitted a Phase II application.

Non-dilutive grants ($5,000-$50,000) for growth-oriented Wyoming startups, awarded through a competitive quarterly pitch process. Requires the company to stay primarily in Wyoming for at least three years and keep 50% of employees Wyoming residents.