The Accel Leadership Program is an annual six-month fellows program run by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program with support from Accel. It selects 16 active Stanford graduate and co-terminal students from across disciplines.
From winter through spring, fellows enroll in MS&E 277A and MS&E 277B, meet in person on Tuesday mornings, work with a startup CEO or senior executive on a live business challenge, and present a case study. The experience also includes Silicon Valley startup visits, one-to-one mentorship with an Accel partner, and a Pitch Day.
Benefits & funding
- Fellows take MS&E 277A and MS&E 277B for two units per quarter.
- The program provides direct CEO or senior-executive collaboration, startup site visits, guest-speaker access, one-to-one Accel partner mentorship, Pitch Day, and an alumni network of more than 200 people.
- The official pages list no program-specific fee or cash award; normal Stanford course-enrollment requirements still apply.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be active Stanford graduate or co-terminal students.
- Students from any discipline or major may apply; prior startup experience and an existing product idea are not required.
- Fellows must enroll in MS&E 277A in winter and MS&E 277B in spring and attend the weekly Tuesday morning sessions.
- Technically minded applicants and STEM majors who show entrepreneurship and leadership interest through a “launch” or similar course receive preference.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
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Education required
Bachelor Enrolled · Master Enrolled · PhD Enrolled
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Application process
- 1Submit the SlideRoom application by October 25, 2026.
- 2Provide academic information, a resume, a video submission, and essay responses about entrepreneurial experiences and leadership challenges; an unofficial transcript is optional.
- 3If selected, attend an in-person group interview on November 9 or 10, 2026.
Program timeline
Application deadline
October 25, 2026
In-person group interviews for selected applicants
November 9 or 10, 2026
MS&E 277A and the winter portion begin
January 4, 2027
Winter portion ends
March 12, 2027
MS&E 277B and the spring portion begin
March 29, 2027
Spring portion and program end
June 2, 2027