What a pre-idea programme is
A typical accelerator expects a startup. The programmes below are earlier than that. Entrepreneur First says you might have an early idea, be testing a cofounder, or have nothing; what they are most interested in is you. Z Fellows says you do not need a company. The AI Founder Sprint and IncuVersity also welcome ideas, not just products.
That does not make them "free mentoring". Some invest, some offer an optional cheque, and some are genuinely equity-free. Our equity-free accelerators article is the checklist for the last group, and the accelerators guide covers how accelerator deals work in general.
Entrepreneur First: back the person first
Entrepreneur First runs in London, Bangalore and San Francisco, with no application deadline stated on the page. Individuals join at the start of the founding journey. The published offer includes an equity-free grant while you are still ideating (the page does not state the amount), then Up to $250K investment once you form a company; $600K+ in credits (incl. $350K Azure): up to $250,000 investment once you form a company, plus $600,000 or more in credits, including $350,000 of Azure credit, and office space for nine months.
EF also describes follow-on funding of up to $5 million through later rounds, help with US market entry, and a San Francisco Demo Day. It is a talent investor, not a weekend workshop. Read the current terms before you treat those figures as an offer.
Z Fellows: a short, optional cheque
Z Fellows is a one-week programme with founders of billion-dollar companies. Applications are rolling, with no deadline, and several cohorts a year. You can apply solo or with cofounders, from anywhere, and you do not need a company; they say they can help you set one up. There is no age restriction, and you do not have to quit a job or a degree.
Equity is optional: you can take part without an investment, or take a $10,000 investment at a $1 billion valuation cap, which converts at the next priced round. Cohorts are mostly virtual, with the last day in person in San Francisco or New York; many fellows spend the whole week there.
Two no-equity programmes still open
- AI Founder Sprint 2027: a free 10-week virtual programme that takes no equity, closing 1 December 2026 at 11:59pm GMT+8, and running 27 January to 2 April 2027. It is open to early-stage founders anywhere, aged 18 or over. An MVP is ideal, but ideas are welcome, and you do not have to be building an AI product.
- IncuVersity: AI-Enabled Entrepreneurship Program (2027 cohort, regular round): a two-year programme for a global cohort of 100 builders. You need a problem or idea you care about, not a finished product. The regular round closes 15 December 2026; a later round closes 31 January 2027; the programme starts 15 March 2027. Participation funding and an optional scholarship are covered in the application, without a published headline grant amount we can quote.
What to ask before you join
- Is the money a grant, an optional investment, or a cheque that arrives only once a company exists?
- If there is equity, what is the cap and when does it convert? Z Fellows publishes both.
- Do you have to relocate, even for a week? EF has three sites; Z Fellows has an in-person last day.
- Is the programme actually equity-free? Founder Sprint is explicit; IncuVersity is a longer commitment, so read the application terms.
For later-stage UK and European accelerators, see AI startup accelerators in the UK and Europe. Open programmes are on our accelerators list.
