Start-Up Accelerator and Incubator Programs for Social Entrepreneurs

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Start-Up Accelerator and Incubator Programs for Social Entrepreneurs

With the success of Y Combinator there has been a steady rise in the number of accelerator programs available for start-up entrepreneurs. Social entrepreneurs can now seek assistance from accelerator programs specifically designed to help build cause-based businesses that generate profit and seek to operate beyond a single bottom line.

Here are a few we came across. Feel free to add others in the comments section. Also, you can find a list of 50+ fellowship programs for social innovators here.

Start-Up Accelerator and Incubator Programs for Social Entrepreneurs

1. Echoing Green. To accelerate social change, Echoing Green invests in and supports outstanding emerging social entrepreneurs to launch new organizations that deliver bold, high-impact solutions. 
Apply by January here. 

2. Hub Ventures. Hub Ventures is a 12-week evening program providing funding and resources to a community of 16 entrepreneurs building for-profit solutions for a better world. 
San Francisco Bay Area, CA.
Apply by February here. 

3. CHANGE Accelerator. The CHANGE Accelerator provides needed business support to social entrepreneurs who are developing innovative solutions to unmet social needs. 
Rhode Island.
Apply by February (Newport) or April (Providence) here.

4. Startl Accelerator. Startl Accelerator is a three-month immersion into Product design, market strategy and business development for early stage learning enterprises. 
New York City, NY.
Apply by March here.

5. GoodCompany Ventures. Accelerates the growth of early-stage ventures that generate profit and have a positive social impact.
Philadelphia, PA.
Apply by April here.

6. Social Entrepreneurs of New Orleans (SENO). The purpose of the Accelerator program is to significantly accelerate an early-stage social venture’s impact and financial sustainability. 
New Orleans, LA.
Apply by April here.

7. Dasra Social-Impact. Dasra Social-Impact is an executive education program, which provides successful non profits and social businesses with transformational skills necessary to build sustainable and scalable organizations to accelerate their impact. 
Mumbai, India.
Apply by July here.

8. Praxis Accelerator Program. The Praxis Accelerator is focused on four distinct areas: mentorship & customized expertise, action-oriented education & planning, peer networking, and access to capital sources. (note: faith-based)
New York, California, Washington D.C.
Apply by July here.

9. Agora Accelerator. Agora’s Accelerator is an intensive, 6-month program designed to give outstanding small businesses poised for expansion access to the social, human, and financial capital needed to accelerate their growth. 
Nicaragua.
Apply by October here.

10. Unreasonable Institute. Accelerates the world most unreasonable entrepreneurs and their ventures. Unreasonable Institute unites 25 entrepreneurs from every corner of the globe to live under the same roof for six weeks. 
Boulder, CO.
Apply by November here.

11. Greenstart Accelerator. Greenstart focuses on cleantech companies that are expanding the use of clean energy or reducing the use of dirty energy and can validate their business model quickly .The goal is to help more than 500 cleantech startups launch more successfully over the next decade.
San Francisco, CA.
Apply by November here.

12. Santa Clara University Global Social Benefit Incubator. The GSBI empowers socially-minded entrepreneurs to build sustainable, scalable organizations that solve problems for people living in poverty around the world. It is a combination of online, experiential, and skill-building offerings in an eight-month program.
Apply by December here.

13. Investment Accelerator Fund (IAF). The Investment Accelerator Fund (IAF) helps accelerate the growth of new technology companies being established in Ontario and positions them for further investment by angels and venture capitalists.
Ontario, Canada.
Apply here.

14. NYC Acre. The New York City Accelerator for a Clean and Renewable Economy (NYC ACRE) helps clean technology and renewable energy companies in New York City grow, advancing the City as a role model for environmental sustainability and smart growth.
New York City, New York.
Apply here.

15. Canadian Cleantech Accelerator. The Canadian Consulate will select high potential companies from Canada to grow at the San Jose Environmental Business Cluster.
San Jose, CA.
Learn more here.

16. Social Innovation Camp. Social Innovation Camp brings together ideas, people and digital tools to build web-based solutions to social problems – all in just 48 hours.
Multiple locations.
Learn more here.

Other lists of Accelerator Programs:

List of Global Start-up Incubators [Robert Shedd]
15 U.S. Startup Accelerators and Incubators (Ranked) [Tech Cocktail]