Entrepreneur First isn’t an accelerator. We don’t invest in pre-existing companies or teams.

We select individuals we recognise to have huge founder potential, and bring them together to build globally ambitious startups.

Every one of our founders is hand-chosen for their skills, behaviours and potential. If you’re one of them, we’ll give you the ideal environment to trial co-founding partnerships, and test ideas at a rapid pace. We’ll cover your living costs while you do it. We’ll give you access to a global network of founders, advisors and investors.

If we believe the company you build has the potential to succeed at scale, we’ll invest.

It’s intense, it’s challenging, it’ll be the fastest you ever learn in your life. But our most successful founders create US$1M a week in value – so if you succeed, it’s worth it.

The programme is divided into two main stages: ‘Form’, our flagship programme for finding a co-founder and developing an idea from scratch, and ‘Launch’, to accelerate and grow your company to global success. We offer multiple different pathways through these programmes, depending on your stage, location and specialism:

Core running in London, and Paris in Autumn 2023
Our flagship programme for the world’s most exceptional people to build the next big technology companies. Sector agnostic, with opportunities to build in industries including healthcare, commerce, b2b, b2c, finance and biotechnology.

Graduate runs in Bangalore, Berlin, London, New York and Paris
For recent students and graduates. Contains an additional pre-programme to immerse yourself in the startup world. Sector agnostic.

web3 runs in London
For founders who want to build in web3.

Climateruns in London
For founders who want to build a company tackling climate change.

Step One

Application and Interviews

We’re looking for a select group of people with the potential to build something huge. You’ll first fill in an application form, for us to assess whether that could be you. If the answer is yes, you’ll be invited to meet with our team to explore further.

The Application Process
Step Two

Preparation

‘Day 1’ of the programme isn’t really the beginning. Most of our cohort begin forming their first teams and developing ideas before the programme even starts. If you secure a place, you’ll attend pre-programme events and be sent reading materials, to ensure you don’t waste any time when we ‘officially’ kick off.

Preparing
Step Three

Meeting Your Co-Founder

As soon as you join the programme full time, you’ll be testing out ideas and working relationships with multiple potential co-founders.

Once you find the optimal partnership, you’ll start building your company. After three months, the two of you will present to our Investment Committee.

Forming Your Team
Step Four

Getting funding

About 40-50% of our cohorts make it to this stage. If you and your co-founder are successful at Investment Committee, you’ll spend three months developing your company and honing your value proposition before being introduced to our network of investors.

Getting funded
Group of people standing and listening
Step Five

Community

The value of EF lasts far beyond the end of the programme. Co-founders who met at EF have gone on to raise tens of millions from the world’s top venture funds and angel investors; exited at huge valuations to leading companies; and built unicorns.

But one of the biggest benefits whether you leave with a company or not, is our community. We often see EFers hire, advise, buy from, sell to and support each other.

The mindsets, habits and relationships you develop here last a lifetime.

Community
Up Next

Step 1: Application