MassChallenge Israel Accelerator — Entrepreneurship

MassChallenge Israel is the Israel hub of the global MassChallenge network and has been headquartered in Jerusalem since 2016. Its core accelerator takes 30 to 50 companies a year, and more than 400 startups have been through it so far.

Participation costs nothing and MassChallenge takes no equity. Programming is hybrid, based out of Jerusalem, and combines workshops, mentoring, corporate introductions and investor access, ending with a business trip to Boston and New York.

The hub reports that its alumni have raised USD 1.7 billion, that 43 percent of its startups have a female founder, that 57 percent sit outside central Israel and that 12 have exited. Applications run through the central MassChallenge portal; the Israel page currently publishes no dates for the next round.

Benefits & funding

No fee to apply or take part, and no equity taken.
Over 100 hours of content sessions, workshops and events.
Introductions to mentors, corporate partners and investors across the MassChallenge network.
Shared office space at a central Jerusalem location.
Small-group peer mentorship with alumni and global experts.
A curated international business trip to Boston and New York at the end of the program; the 2024 winners travelled with all expenses paid.
Across MassChallenge accelerator competitions, Israel included, finalists may be offered the chance to compete for equity-free cash awards.

Eligibility

Early-stage startups from any industry; the 2024 Jerusalem cohort covered health and life sciences, high tech, agtech, cleantech, biotech, hardware and logistics.
MassChallenge early-stage programs, Israel among them, are aimed at startups that have raised under USD 1 million in equity funding and earn under USD 2 million in annual revenue.
Applications are accepted from startups based anywhere in the world.
No nationality, residency, degree, age or gender requirement is stated.
The program is a competition: applying does not guarantee a place in the Jerusalem cohort.

Can you apply?

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Application process

1
Create an account on the MassChallenge application portal and open an application for the Israel accelerator.
2
Submit before the round closes; there is no application fee.
3
Round one: each application is reviewed online by at least three judges.
4
Round two: shortlisted teams pitch virtually to a panel of judges.
5
Every applicant receives judge feedback, and selected teams join the Jerusalem cohort.
6
Because no dates are published, founders can join the sign-up form on the Israel page, attend a virtual information session or email the Jerusalem team to hear when the next round opens.

Program timeline

March to July 2024
the 2024 Jerusalem cohort ran, with 30 startups selected from more than 150 applicants.
winning teams took the business trip to Boston and New York.
Autumn 2024
a further Israel cohort ran, and the program page still carries its timeline graphic.
2025
Next round
no opening date, deadline or cohort dates are published; the page routes founders to its sign-up form and to the Jerusalem team.