Founder Fellowship

Benefits & funding

• Every team receives an individualized work plan, cohort sessions, business administration support, capital and collaborator connections, and access to mentors and advisers.
• Chloe Capital offered $300,000 in direct investments divided among at least three teams that completed its 2026 cohort.
• Company Ventures offered $250,000 in direct investment across one or more teams meeting its investment criteria, alongside shared workspace in Midtown Manhattan.
• Newlab offered $75,000 in direct investment across one or more teams, two hot desks with lab access at Brooklyn Navy Yard, and access to prototyping facilities.
• Visible Hands provided $10,000 in non-dilutive capital to each of its 15 teams.
• Capital terms, workspace, sector focus, and program length differed by operator; investment was not guaranteed in the Chloe Capital, Company Ventures, or Newlab cohorts.

Eligibility

• A team may include up to two founders, and at least one founder must live in New York City; a city address for both founders was preferred for 2026.
• The product or service must be tech-based or tech-enabled, with a business model suited to venture backing.
• The startup must have a minimum viable product or prototype, or a substantive business model and plan.
• The company must not have joined a previous NYCEDC-supported Fellowship and could not participate in another accelerator from March through June 2026.
• The official criteria state no nationality, citizenship, degree, age, gender, or experience requirement. Individual operators may apply additional criteria, and NYCEDC encourages founders traditionally underrepresented in venture-backed technology to apply.

Application process

1. 1
   Review the common eligibility rules and the benefits, sector focus, dates, and extra criteria for each operator cohort.
2. 2
   Apply through the form linked from the official Founder Fellowship page during the application window.
3. 3
   Await selection; the 2026 cycle notified selected teams on February 17, 2026.
4. 4
   The 2026 application form is closed, so prospective 2027 applicants can use the current interest form to request an opening notification.

Program timeline

1. 2026 virtual information session

   Dec 2, 2025

2. 2026 application deadline

   Dec 31, 2025

3. Selection notification

   Feb 17, 2026

4. Chloe Capital and Company Ventures cohorts started

   Mar 2, 2026

5. Newlab and Visible Hands cohorts started

   Mar 16, 2026

6. Chloe Capital cohort ended

   Jun 9, 2026

7. Visible Hands cohort ended

   Jun 10, 2026

8. Company Ventures cohort ended

   Jun 13, 2026

9. Newlab cohort ends

   Sep 24, 2026