Boston is quickly becoming one of the hottest places to build a startup. With a large population of tech and creative talent, and an even bigger source of customers, it’s no wonder why some of the world’s most promising startups are coming from the city that was recently ranked the top ‘startup community’ in the U.S., according to the new “Innovation That Matters” Report, released by the 1776 and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
One of the biggest reasons for Boston’s success as a startup community, however, is its vast number incubators, accelerators, and other founder programs, many of which are listed out below for your convenience.
1. Bolt Build
- Description: Bolt Build gives founders maximum exposure to the hands-on company building, product development, and go-to-market expertise, giving them the long-term help they need to construct the foundation of their business.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Hardware and software
- Requirements: Apply for more details
2. Boston Founder Institute (Pre-seed accelerator)
- Description: The Founder Institute is the world’s premier idea-stage accelerator and startup launch program that provides the structure, training, mentor support, and global network needed to start an enduring company.Sectors
- Markets / Who they’re looking for: Any
- Requirements: Applicants should ideally be at the early- or idea-stage
- Description: Cleantech Open is the world’s largest cleantech accelerator, providing entrepreneurs and corporate innovators the resources they need to launch and grow successful cleantech businesses.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Energy, Cleantech, Agriculture
- Requirements: Companies must have at least 2 members and must be early-stage
4. Cogo Labs
- Description: Cogo Labs is an incubator that creates new businesses from internal experiments, and then growing them to profitability through the efforts of their top-notch engineering, analytics, and design teams.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Any
- Requirements: Apply for more details
5. FinTech Sandbox
- Description: FinTech Sandbox enables financial technology entrepreneurs to build robust products by providing access to critical data, development tools, and a curated network of customers, entirely for free.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Financial services
- Requirements: Must be incorporated, have a full-time team, and an alpha product
6. Greentown Labs
- Description: Greentown Labs provides members with a curated suite of resources and tools through their robust Partner Network, fostering a culture of community and collaboration that helps all of their startups grow.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Cleantech and energy
- Requirements: Apply for more details
7. Harvard innovation labs
- Description: Harvard innovation labs is an innovation ecosystem for Harvard students, alumni, and life science majors.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Any
- Requirements: Must be a Harvard student, alumni, and life science major
8. IDEA Lab
- Description: IDEA is a student-led venture accelerator that fosters the development of entrepreneurs in the Northeastern community through the educational experience of developing a business from concept to launch.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Any
- Requirements: Apply for more details
9. LearnLaunch
- Description: The LearnLaunch campus is rich with over 30 entrepreneurs, consultants, investors, and education professionals, and provides members with access to trailblazers in education technology.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Edtech
- Requirements: Apply for more details
10. MassChallenge Accelerator
- Description: MassChallenge is a community of innovators working together to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges that strengthens the global innovation ecosystem by accelerating high-potential startups.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Any
- Requirements: Applicants should have raised less than $500K in equity-based funding and generated less than $1M in revenue in the last 12 months
11. Mentor Smart (MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge)
- Description: The MIT Mentor Smart Program assists science and technology entrepreneurs in moving their ideas forward by assigning them mentors to help with both long and short term goals.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Any
- Requirements: Apply for more details
12. Northeastern University Startup Incubator
- Description: Northeastern incubates student, alumni, and faculty ventures by providing the necessary tools and resources to support the rapid development of business concepts into self-sustaining or investment-ready ventures.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Any
- Requirements: Must be a student, alumnus, or faculty member of Northeastern University
- Description: NSIV is a non-profit technology business incubator helping biotech and cleantech startups increase their probability of success that is dedicated to innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Biotech and cleantech
- Requirements: Apply for more details
14. Raizlabs XLR8 Incubation
- Description: Raizlabs’ XLR8 incubator provides office space and startup assistance to early stage companies. Raizlabs’ portfolio contains a wide range of industries, from startups to Fortune 500 companies.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Mobile app design, development, and strategy
- Requirements: Apply for more details
15. Smarter in the City Accelerator
- Description: Smarter in the City Accelerator is a 5-month rigorous program that provides companies with stipends, workspace, a mentorship program, and other resources to help you get your idea off the ground.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Any
- Requirements: Apply for more details
16. Start at Shea
- Description: Start @ Shea is the student executive team of the Edmund H. Shea Jr. Center for Entrepreneurship at Boston College that inspires and engages students to make their ideas happen.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Any
- Requirements: Apply for more details
17. StepLadder
- Description: StepLadder helps startups accelerate by providing capital sourcing, advisory, strategy, finance, business development, product management and engineering, digital design and marketing and much more.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Any
- Requirements: Apply for more details
18. Techstars Boston
- Description: Known for producing some of the best-funded classes across all of Techstars programs, Boston boasts an intensely active startup ecosystem that enables hundreds of companies & successful exits each year.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Any
- Requirements: Apply for more details
19. UMASS Boston Venture Development Center
- Description: With thoughtful and meaningful business mentorship, connections and resources including offices, laboratories, and equipment, backed by years of experience and expertise, VDC helps you to get to the next level.
- Sectors / Markets / Who they’re looking for: Any
- Requirements: Apply for more details
