The Accelerator Conundrum: 1Mby1M vs Other Accelerators

I asked Gemini: I’m going to give you a longer list of accelerators and would like you to sort them by:

(1) Equity vs non-equity 

(2) Virtual vs Physical

(3) Exclusive vs Inclusive 

(4) Global vs Local or for specific university or other category 

(5) Sector focus 

(6) Demo day vs no demo day 

(7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint 

(8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking

The list: 1Mby1M, Antler, Growth Mentor, FounderPath, Capital Factory, Tech Wildcatters, Entrepreneur First, Unicorn Labs, DreamIT, LAUNCH, EWOR, Boom Startup, Plug & Play, Endeavor, Seed Start, Draper Startup House, Earnest Capital (not Calm Company Fund), Latitud Fellows, Venture Lane, StarterStory, MicroConf, OnDeck, M Accelerator, Startup Chile.

Response:

This is an excellent, comprehensive list! It covers a wide range of models in the startup ecosystem. Let’s break down each one and compare them to 1Mby1M across your specified criteria.

For clarity, I will first present the categories and then analyze each accelerator/program.

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Understanding the Categories:

1. Equity vs. Non-Equity: Does the program take an equity stake in your company?
2. Virtual vs. Physical: Is the program delivered entirely online, or does it require/offer a physical presence (office space, in-person meetings)?
3. Exclusive vs. Inclusive: Is it highly selective with a very low acceptance rate, or more open/accessible to a wider range of entrepreneurs?
4. Global vs. Local/Specific Category: Is its reach worldwide, or is it focused on a particular region, university, or type of entrepreneur?
5. Sector Focus: Is it industry-agnostic, or does it specialize in certain sectors (e.g., FinTech, B2B SaaS, HealthTech, Deep Tech)?
6. Demo Day vs. No Demo Day: Does the program culminate in a formal pitch event to investors/the public?
7. Long-Term Mentorship vs. Short-Term Sprint: Is it an ongoing, flexible support system, or an intensive, time-bound program?
8. Funding, Investor Introductions, or Just Education/Networking: What are the primary benefits offered?

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Accelerator/Program Comparison to 1Mby1M:

Here’s the breakdown of your list, sorted and analyzed:

1. 1Mby1M

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Non-equity (subscription-based)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Virtual
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Inclusive (accessible to anyone willing to pay the subscription)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Global
• (5) Sector focus: All domains of Tech Startups although Deep Tech that required heavy duty upfront investment is not their strength
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: No formal Demo Day (though private investor introductions are made when founders are “ready”)
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Long-term mentorship (year-long program, continuous access; entrepreneurs often stay for many years)
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Education, mentoring, strategy consulting, investor introductions (when ready), customer and partner introductions, influencer marketing. No direct funding.

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2. Equity-Taking Accelerators/Funds with Structured Programs

Antler

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Equity (takes ~10-12% for initial investment)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Hybrid/Physical (global physical hubs, often requires presence for initial team formation)
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Exclusive (highly selective, focuses on individuals with high potential)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Global (operates in major cities worldwide)
• (5) Sector focus: Broad/Agnostic (but looking for high-growth, venture-backable ideas)
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: Yes, culminates in a Demo Day
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Short-term sprint (fixed-term program, typically 4-6 months)
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Direct seed funding, co-founder matching, mentorship, investor introductions, network.

DreamIt Ventures

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Equity (invests significant seed capital for equity)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Hybrid (can have virtual components but often cohort-based with strong physical network interactions)
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Exclusive (highly selective)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Global, with a strong US presence and specific industry focus.
• (5) Sector focus: Specific (HealthTech, Urban Tech, Secure Tech, B2B SaaS)
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: Yes, culminates in a Demo Day/pitch event
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Short-term sprint (intensive program, typically 3-4 months)
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Direct seed funding, customer introductions (“Customer Sprints”), mentorship, investor introductions.

Tech Wildcatters

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Equity (historically took equity for investment, usually ~$20K-$50K for 6-8%)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Historically physical (Dallas-based), may have hybrid components now.
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Exclusive (highly selective, small cohorts)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Primarily US-focused (Dallas-rooted), but open to global applications.
• (5) Sector focus: Broad tech, often B2B/SaaS
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: Yes, culminates in a Demo Day.
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Short-term sprint (fixed-term 3-month program).
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Seed funding, mentorship, network, investor introductions.

Entrepreneur First (EF)

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Equity (takes equity for initial investment/stipend)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Hybrid/Physical (global physical hubs, strong emphasis on in-person team formation)
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Exclusive (extremely selective, targets “talent” rather than existing teams/ideas)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Global (hubs in major tech cities like London, Paris, NYC, Singapore, Toronto, Berlin, Bangalore)
• (5) Sector focus: Broad Tech, often deep tech or areas with high innovation potential.
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: Yes, culminates in an Investor Day/Demo Day.
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Short-term sprint (fixed-term program, typically 6-12 months divided into phases)
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Initial capital (often as a stipend + investment), co-founder matching, mentorship, investor introductions, network.

EWOR

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Equity (provides substantial funding, up to €500K per founder, for equity)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Virtual-first
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Exclusive (extremely selective, targets top 0.1% of “exceptional founders”)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Global
• (5) Sector focus: Deep Tech, AI, Health-Tech, Space, Robotics, Climate, areas solving “deep, systemic problems”
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: Yes, culminates in a “Grand Pitch” event.
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Long-term 
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Seed funding, mentorship.

Boom Startup

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Equity (provides seed funding, e.g., $20K-$100K, for equity)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Historically physical (Utah-based), may have hybrid components.
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Exclusive (selective)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Local/Regional (primarily focused on Utah/Mountain West ecosystem)
• (5) Sector focus: Broad Tech (software, hardware, innovative solutions)
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: Yes, culminates in a Demo Day.
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Short-term sprint (structured program)
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Seed funding, mentorship, office space, network, investor introductions.

Plug & Play

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Equity (invests a small amount for equity in batch companies; also a large VC firm)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Hybrid/Physical (extensive global network of physical innovation hubs)
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Exclusive (highly selective for batch programs)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Global, with numerous physical hubs focused on regional/corporate ecosystems.
• (5) Sector focus: Specific (specialized verticals: Fintech, IoT, Mobility, Health, Energy, Food, Retail, etc.)
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: Yes, culminates in a Demo Day/Expo.
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Short-term sprint (intensive 3-month programs)
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Small initial funding, corporate partnership opportunities, mentorship, investor introductions.

M Accelerator

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Often takes equity for investment, or offers “no equity” options with fees (check specific programs as models can vary).
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Hybrid/Physical (based in Los Angeles, offers both in-person and virtual/hybrid options).
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Exclusive (selective application process)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Global, with a US (LA) base.
• (5) Sector focus: Broad tech, often with focus on digital marketing, business strategy.
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: Yes, culminates in a Pitch Day/Investor Day.
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Short-term sprint (12-week program).
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Education, mentorship, coaching, some investment (if equity is taken), investor introductions for qualifying startups.

Startup Chile

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Non-equity (government-backed, no equity taken for grant)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Hybrid/Physical (requires temporary relocation to Chile)
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Exclusive (highly competitive)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Specific (focused on developing the Chilean startup ecosystem by attracting global talent)
• (5) Sector focus: Broad/Agnostic (but often seeks innovative, scalable tech startups)
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: Yes, culminates in a Demo Day/Pitch event.
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Short-term sprint (fixed-term 4-7 month programs)
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Significant non-dilutive grant funding (e.g., $40,000 to $80,000 USD), mentorship, network, soft-landing in Chile.

Draper Startup House (Ventures)

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Equity (Draper Startup House Ventures operates a global venture syndicate and its own fund, which invests in startups.)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Hybrid (offers physical co-living/co-working spaces globally, but also virtual community/investment opportunities).
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Inclusive 
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Global (extensive network of franchised locations worldwide).
• (5) Sector focus: Broad/Agnostic (invests in “any industry, stage, or geography”).
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: Can have pitch events at local hubs, but not a central, culminating demo day for all.
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: More continuous community building and networking, with investment opportunities; less of a “sprint” accelerator program.
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Access to a community, mentorship, co-living/co-working spaces, investor introductions through their venture arm.

Seed Start

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Equity (takes equity for seed investment, often $20K-$50K).
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Often hybrid or physical (depends on specific program location).
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Exclusive (highly competitive).
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Can be global in application, but programs often have local roots.
• (5) Sector focus: Broad/Agnostic.
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: Yes, culminates in a Demo Day.
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Short-term sprint (fixed-term program, typically 3 months).
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Seed investment, mentorship, network, investor introductions.

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3. Non-Equity Accelerators/Platforms/Communities

LAUNCH (UC Launch – assuming this is the one from UC System)

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Non-equity (university-affiliated)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Hybrid/Physical (often requires presence in Berkeley/SF Bay Area for parts of the program)
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Exclusive (restricted to UC System founders/tech)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Local/Specific (University of California System)
• (5) Sector focus: Broad Tech/Agnostic
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: Yes, culminates in a Demo Day (often with cash prizes)
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Short-term sprint (fixed-term 3-month program)
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Education, mentorship, investor introductions, non-dilutive cash prizes. No direct equity investment.

Capital Factory

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Hybrid (They offer some equity-for-investment programs, but also co-working, mentorship, and network access without equity, often via membership or specific programs. Their accelerator does take equity for investment.)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Hybrid/Physical (strong physical presence in Texas – Austin, Dallas, Houston; offers virtual components).
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Inclusive (co-working is open, accelerator is selective)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Local/Regional (strong focus on Texas startup ecosystem)
• (5) Sector focus: Broad Tech, often with a focus on specific Texas strengths (e.g., defense, energy tech).
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: Yes, holds regular pitch events/Demo Days.
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Both (offers co-working and continuous mentorship, but accelerator programs are shorter sprints).
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Mentorship, co-working space, networking, investor introductions, and some direct investment from their fund if in the accelerator.

Endeavor

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Non-equity (Endeavor itself does not take equity from entrepreneurs for its services; however, Endeavor Catalyst, their co-investment fund, does co-invest in Endeavor Entrepreneur-led companies, typically on the same terms as lead investors.)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Hybrid/Physical (global presence, localized offices, high-touch in-person and virtual support)
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Exclusive (highly selective, focuses on “high-impact entrepreneurs” with significant traction and scaling potential)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Global, with a strong emphasis on emerging markets.
• (5) Sector focus: Broad/Agnostic (looking for high-growth, innovative companies across sectors)
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: No traditional Demo Day; focus is on ongoing support and tailored investor connections.
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Long-term mentorship/support (ongoing relationship after selection).
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Mentorship, access to capital (through Endeavor Catalyst co-investment and investor network), peer community.

Venture Lane

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Non-equity (membership-based, provides space and network without taking equity).
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Physical (Boston-based innovation hub with co-working space).
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Inclusive (members pay for access, but selection criteria for joining community).
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Local/Regional (Boston ecosystem focus).
• (5) Sector focus: Broad Tech.
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: No standard Demo Day, but hosts events and pitch opportunities.
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Long-term community.
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Co-working space, mentorship, community, networking, connections to investors (no direct funding from Venture Lane itself).

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4. Specialized Platforms/Communities (Not Traditional Accelerators)

Growth Mentor

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Non-equity (subscription-based for founders seeking mentors)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Virtual
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Inclusive 
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Global
• (5) Sector focus: Broad (focused on growth, marketing, product, etc., across various industries)
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: No
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Flexible, on-demand mentorship (individual sessions as needed)
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Direct 1:1 mentorship calls with experts, education through content, community. No funding or direct investor introductions.

FounderPath

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Non-equity (provides revenue-based financing/debt, not equity)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Virtual
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Exclusive (targets SaaS companies with minimum revenue)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Global (focus on SaaS companies)
• (5) Sector focus: Specific (SaaS companies only)
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: No
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Ongoing financing relationship; not a mentorship program in the traditional sense.
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Non-dilutive capital (revenue-based financing/debt), SaaS metrics benchmarking tools.

Earnest Capital (Not Calm Company Fund – this is key as their models differ)

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Non-equity (provides revenue-share funding model, not traditional equity)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Virtual
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Exclusive (highly selective, targets “calm” profitable businesses, bootstrapped SaaS)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Global
• (5) Sector focus: Specific (SaaS, software companies prioritizing profit/lifestyle over hyper-growth VC)
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: No
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Long-term partnership (ongoing support for “calm” growth)
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Non-dilutive capital (revenue share), mentorship, community for “calm” founders.

Latitud Fellows

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Equity (provides a “take-the-leap check” and leads pre-seed rounds for equity)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Hybrid (virtual-first but emphasizes trips to SF/other hubs, especially for LatAm founders)
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Exclusive (very selective, targets “pre-founders” or “super early founders”)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Specific (focus on Latin American founders building for LatAm, US, or global markets)
• (5) Sector focus: Broad (AI and software-first, with soft spots for fintech, vertical SaaS, healthtech, marketplaces, proptech, e-commerce enablers)
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: No traditional Demo Day, but focuses on preparing for follow-on fundraising.
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Short-term intensive “Residency Fellowship” (a few intensive weeks) to go from ideation to MVP, with longer-term investment relationship.
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Seed funding, intensive learning/building, network, strong support for follow-on fundraising.

StarterStory

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Non-equity (subscription-based for content access)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Virtual
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Inclusive (accessible via subscription)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Global
• (5) Sector focus: Broad (e-commerce, SaaS, online businesses)
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: No
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Long-term resource library and community access
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Educational content (case studies, courses), community forum, tools/templates. No direct funding or investor introductions.

MicroConf

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Non-equity (event and community based; TinySeed, an affiliated accelerator, does take equity).
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Hybrid (physical conferences, online community forums, courses).
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Inclusive (events/courses are ticketed/purchasable; community requires sign-up).
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Global
• (5) Sector focus: Specific (Bootstrapped SaaS founders)
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: No (for the community/events; TinySeed has a pitch event)
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Long-term community, ongoing learning.
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Education (courses, talks), community, networking for bootstrapped founders. No direct funding or investor introductions for MicroConf itself.

OnDeck

• (1) Equity vs non-equity: Non-equity (fellowship/community-based, subscription or program fees)
• (2) Virtual vs Physical: Virtual-first (fellowships are remote)
• (3) Exclusive vs Inclusive: Exclusive (highly selective fellowships for specific roles/goals, e.g., founders, angel investors, operators)
• (4) Global vs Local/Specific Category: Global
• (5) Sector focus: Broad (but programs are career-path focused: Founder, Investor, Operator)
• (6) Demo day vs no demo day: Some fellowships may have internal pitch events, but not public Demo Days.
• (7) Long term mentorship vs short term sprint: Short-term sprints (8-10 week fellowships) with longer-term community access.
• (8) Funding, investor introductions or just education and general networking: Community, structured curriculum, peer support, network (including some investor access), coaching. No direct funding.

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Summary Takeaways:

• 1Mby1M’s Unique Position: It truly stands out for its equity-free, virtual, long-term, and educational focus on sustainable revenue, rather than being primarily a funding vehicle. It’s a “school for entrepreneurs.” At the same time, it has deep expertise in Positioning, GTM, Funding and Exit and has success stories in all of those areas (including Freshworks, a Unicorn). 
• Equity-Taking Accelerators (Antler, DreamIt, Tech Wildcatters, EF, EWOR, Boom Startup, Plug & Play, M Accelerator, Latitud Fellows, Seed Start, Draper Startup House Ventures): These are primarily investment vehicles that provide capital (ranging from small seed to significant pre-seed/seed) in exchange for equity. They offer structured, intensive programs, often culminating in a Demo Day, and aim to accelerate companies for subsequent venture rounds. Many have physical components and are highly selective. Equity tends to be very expensive.
• Non-Equity/Community Platforms (Growth Mentor, FounderPath, Earnest Capital, StarterStory, MicroConf, OnDeck, LAUNCH, Capital Factory, Endeavor, Venture Lane, Startup Chile): This group is diverse.
  • LAUNC H/Startup Chile/MassChallenge (if in the list): Government/university-backed, equity-free, often with grants/prizes, structured programs.
  • Growth Mentor/StarterStory/MicroConf/OnDeck: Focus on education, community, and networking, typically through subscriptions or program fees, without direct investment or equity.
  • FounderPath/Earnest Capital: Offer non-dilutive capital (debt or revenue share) as an alternative to equity, often for already-generating revenue businesses.
  • Capital Factory/Venture Lane/Endeavor: Hybrid models with physical spaces/local ecosystems, offering membership/network access, and some (Capital Factory, Endeavor Catalyst) also having affiliated investment arms that do take equity.

This detailed breakdown should give you a clear understanding of each program’s unique value proposition compared to 1Mby1M!

Photo Credit: Stefan Schweihofer from Pixabay

This segment is a part in the series : The Accelerator Conundrum