Of course, some people – because of background or personal circumstances – will have had far less opportunity to achieve great things than others. That’s why we look for evidence that you have exceptional abilities and behaviours, relative to your peers.

We want to know, can you succeed in big ways, if you were given the right resources and opportunities? 

We’re all about backing individuals with impressive potential.

To show us that’s you, you’ll need to submit an application form for the programme you’re interested in. Then, if we believe you may have the potential to build a high-growth, globally important startup, we’ll invite you to interview with our team.

Our selection criteria

What makes a great founder?

We’ve learned to recognise world class founder potential before anyone else.

We’ve found that there are certain characteristics that make you more likely to succeed with EF’s platform.

We have refined this knowledge into a set of selection criteria, which we strongly recommend your read before applying. This should help you gain a better understanding of what we’re looking for, and decide what to focus on in your application.

What does EF look for?
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Step 2: Preparation