Entrepreneur First
Grant is equity-free; investment ownership is company-specific and unpublished · Global hubs: London, San Francisco and Bangalore · Open now
Entrepreneur First supports exceptional individuals before they have a cofounder or idea. Current pathways include an equity-free ideation grant, up to $250,000 once a company forms, and selective follow-on up to $5 million; participation is full-time and hub-based.
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Program intake
Applications are currently open according to the program's authoritative source.
What the source says“Apply by: 30 August 2026 [Final deadline]”
Key facts
| Check size | Equity-free ideation grant; up to $250k after company formation; up to $5M follow-on |
| Terms | Grant is equity-free; investment ownership is company-specific and unpublished |
| Stage | pre-idea / pre-team to pre-seed |
| Applications | Open now |
| Program dates | Current Bridge Residency deadline 2026-08-30; US funding/fellowship route rolling |
| Location | Global hubs: London, San Francisco and Bangalore |
| Remote friendly | No |
| Warm intro needed | No — open application |
| Sectors | generalist, deep-tech, ai |
| Status | open |
Always confirm on the official page before applying — dates and terms change.
Background
Entrepreneur First supports exceptional individuals before they have a cofounder or idea. Current pathways include an equity-free ideation grant, up to $250,000 once a company forms, and selective follow-on up to $5 million; participation is full-time and hub-based.
How the application really works
Choose the route matching location and stage. Bridge Residency applications close August 30; US funding and fellowships are rolling. London Fall 2026 is closed.
Tips
- Read the cited current official page before applying because program dates and terms are volatile.
- State fit with the documented stage, geography, and attendance model; do not rely on an aggregator's old terms.
- Ask for the complete investment, fee, and follow-on documents when the public page does not publish them.
Watch out for
- Equity-free ideation grant; up to $250k after formation and up to $5M selective follow-on. Exact SAFE/equity terms are not public and must be obtained before acceptance.
- London Fall 2026 closed August 4, while Bridge Residency remains open to August 30 and US funding/fellowship applications are rolling. Economics differ before and after company formation.
Track record
- EF reports a portfolio worth more than $16B.
- EF says 80% of participants find a cofounder within eight weeks and Demo companies typically raise $1M-$7M within weeks.
Multiple application routes and interviews; current acceptance rate is not published.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this program currently accepting applications?
- Choose the route matching location and stage. Bridge Residency applications close August 30; US funding and fellowships are rolling. London Fall 2026 is closed.
- What are the current economics?
- Equity-free ideation grant; up to $250k after formation and up to $5M selective follow-on. Exact SAFE/equity terms are not public and must be obtained before acceptance.
- How large and long is the program?
- Multiple hub-specific routes and residencies; universal cohort size and application volume are not published. Hub-specific full-time, in-person founder matching and company building, followed by a San Francisco fundraising phase for several routes.
- Can founders participate remotely?
- Full-time and in-person with relocation to the applicable hub; remote participation is not promised.
- What happens after the program?
- Selective investment up to $5M, Demo fundraising, office access for nine months and alumni network.
Related accelerators
Sources
- www.joinef.com — Current capital stack, format, outcomes, credits and hub model (checked 2026-08-10)
- apply.joinef.com — Current route-specific dates, locations and rolling/open state (checked 2026-08-10)