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Impact startups are those that seek to generate positive social, environmental or community outcomes while also being financially sustainable.
For many of these ventures, accelerators and incubators provide essential support—mentorship, networks, funding, infrastructure, that help scale solutions and increase impact.
This guide highlights the best impact‐oriented accelerators and incubators around the world, how they differ, and how to choose the right one for your startup.
An impact accelerator or incubator is distinguished by:
Key features to evaluate when choosing one include location, stage of support (idea, seed, scaling), financial terms, alumni track record, sector specialisation and network strength.
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The AI Climate Accelerator is launching its 2025 cohort, offering a unique opportunity for early-stage founders working at the intersection of artificial intelligence and climate solutions. The 12-week program runs from March to June 2025, with applications due February 3rd.
What sets this accelerator apart is its commitment to supporting underserved founders while requiring no equity in return. The program provides non-dilutive grants and maintains a strong international focus to align with global climate initiatives. Founders at any stage - from initial concept to Series A - are welcome to apply.
The program timeline includes:
For those looking to support the initiative, there are multiple ways to get involved:
The Echoing Green Fellowship is a fellowship program for social entrepreneurs who are working to solve problems in the areas of poverty, health, and education. Fellows receive a living stipend, health insurance, and access to Echoing Green’s global network of investors, mentors, and leaders.
Echoing Green has been at the vanguard of finding solutions to global issues for over 35 years. They work with transformational leaders who strive to create meaningful change in areas like education, climate justice, human rights and health; all aiming for social equity on a grand scale.
Their Fellows make up our community -bright minds united by passion-and remain committed members beyond their fellowship term as we continue marching forward together towards progress.
The AirMiners Launchpad program is a unique 6-week accelerator designed for early-stage teams dedicated to removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.
Developed in collaboration with XPRIZE and Creative Destruction Lab, this program supports founders as they navigate the vast potential of carbon removal—a trillion-dollar opportunity that addresses one of the most critical challenges of our time: climate change.
With an emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurial growth, the Launchpad equips participants with the tools needed to thrive in the rapidly expanding carbon removal industry.
Participants gain insights into key areas such as carbon markets, product development, and entrepreneurial finance, enabling them to communicate their value clearly to both customers and investors.
The curriculum covers essential topics like solidifying unit economics, ensuring technologies remain carbon-negative, understanding the carbon removal ecosystem, and identifying buyers for carbon credits.
Through the AirMiners Launchpad, founders can accelerate their path toward making meaningful environmental impact while building sustainable, scalable businesses.
Founding To Give is launching a new program for technical and entrepreneurial talent who want to start high-growth tech companies for good.
Designed to provide the runway, support, and network to find co-founders, test ideas, and gain early market traction, the program runs from January to March 2026 and does not require participants to have an idea or co-founder to apply.
The program includes a monthly stipend for living expenses and a 4-week in-person intensive in January where travel and housing are covered.
Instead of taking equity, Founding To Give utilizes a unique model where founders pledge to donate a portion of their future personal exit earnings to effective charities, unblocking talented builders to launch startups that can create outsized impact.
Mercy Corps Ventures' Anticipatory Action Accelerator is dedicated to transforming humanitarian aid by shifting focus from reactive to proactive interventions.
This initiative supports innovative solutions that predict and mitigate the impacts of crises, helping vulnerable communities build resilience against climate change and other disasters.
Globally, nearly 300 million people require humanitarian assistance, with $223.7 billion allocated to aid in 2023. However, 99% of this funding is reactive, delivered only after crises occur, while only 1% is spent on reducing and managing risks.
Despite this, over half of humanitarian crises are predictable, with 20% being highly predictable. Research shows anticipatory action—providing aid before disasters strike—is seven times more cost-effective than traditional humanitarian responses.
The Accelerator aims to address this gap by designing a proactive aid system that identifies potential crises and minimizes their negative impacts, enabling low-income populations to better withstand shocks.
Goals of the Accelerator:
Mercy Corps Ventures offers grants of up to $100,000 for qualifying proposals. Additionally, grantees will receive mentorship, impact measurement support, partnership opportunities, knowledge exchange, and brand exposure.
Application Process
The O’Shaughnessy Fellowships is a one-year program built on a simple belief. Great ideas deserve real backing without strings attached.
Each year, a small group of creators, builders, and researchers is selected who are willing to take responsibility for turning ideas into reality. Fellows receive $100,000 in funding and retain 100 percent ownership of everything they create. No equity. No hidden clauses. No games.
This is not an incubator that forces participants into a mold. It is a fellowship in the traditional sense. Fellows are trusted to work, think deeply, and finish what they start.
Awardees are preserving endangered languages, building prosthetics for amputees, researching quantum computing, filming documentaries, composing music, and advancing science in areas where institutions move too slowly. The work is ambitious because the people are.
Participants gain capital, a serious peer community, and access to mentors who have built real things in the real world. In return, they are expected to bring discipline, integrity, and the courage to ship their work.
For those tired of pitch decks, buzzwords, and permission, the O’Shaughnessy Fellowships offers a different path.
The Yale Planetary Solutions Impact Accelerator is a focused, results driven program designed to move serious climate and ecosystem solutions from proof to scale. Backed by Yale’s research depth and commercialization discipline, the accelerator supports founders building technologies that address real environmental constraints, not theoretical ones.
Selected teams receive $100,000 to $250,000 in non dilutive grant funding, along with direct access to Yale’s scientific expertise, venture support, and industry networks. The program prioritizes solutions that can be deployed in the real world, measured in outcomes, and scaled responsibly across markets.
This is not an idea lab. It is a builder program for founders who are ready to translate climate science and ecosystem innovation into durable companies with long term impact.
LowCarbon.Earth is a climate tech accelerator that supports startups developing sustainable goods and services to address climate change, nature loss, and pollution.
Launched by the Massive Earth Foundation in collaboration with UNEP, LowCarbon.Earth operates across the Asia-Pacific region and focuses on core climate sectors such as renewable energy, mobility, and air pollution.
The Massive Earth Foundation introduced the first edition of LowCarbon.Earth in 2021. Since its inception, the program has received backing from organizations like Go4SDGs and Empower, which support women-led and climate tech startups.
Over 1,000 startups have participated in LowCarbon.Earth, benefiting from bootcamps, workshops, mentorship, networking sessions, and pitching opportunities.
The program has become a hub for climate tech leaders, founders, venture capitalists, and investors, offering critical insights into the climate landscape of the Asia-Pacific region.
The latest edition of LowCarbon.Earth took place at Novotel in Bangkok, where top-listed startups pitched their products to over 20 investors from the Asia-Pacific region.
The program has garnered widespread media attention, with national channels like CNBC Aawaz providing in-depth coverage. LowCarbon.Earth is an annual event, inviting all startups working on climate tech solutions to participate and contribute to solving climate change.
Greentown Go is a program by Greentown Labs designed to accelerate the commercialization of climate technologies through startup-corporate partnerships.
With a focus on decarbonizing key sectors, the program supports various tracks including Go Build, Go Energize, Go Grow, Go Make, and Go Move, each aimed at different aspects of sustainability and innovation.
By fostering collaborations between innovators and industry leaders, Greentown Go drives the deployment of climate solutions at the scale needed to combat climate change.
Remove is an accelerator program that serves as Europe’s leading initiative tailored to assist early-stage startups focused on carbon dioxide removal (CDR).
This program features a comprehensive two-stage accelerator plan, specifically designed to acquaint early-stage CDR founders with the CDR sector, establish connections with relevant ecosystem stakeholders, and offer guidance to address individual challenges encountered during their entrepreneurial journeys.
Moreover, “remove” provides non-dilutive funding and the valuable opportunity to leverage its extensive network of CDR domain experts.
This initiative enjoys support from core partner, the Sustainability in Business Lab at ETH Zurich, as well as founding partners including The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, Carbon Removal Partners, and The DOEN Foundation.
The Youth Skills and Employment Accelerator is a one year, cohort based program supporting community nonprofits that prepare young people in the United States for work. Run by the Global Business Coalition for Education, the accelerator connects youth serving organizations with corporate partners, pro bono expertise, funding opportunities, and practical workforce training resources to close the gap between education and employment.
Now in its third year, the accelerator has supported 43 organizations across 28 states, collectively reaching more than 250,000 young people.
Participating nonprofits have helped thousands of youth secure first jobs, internships, apprenticeships, and hands on skills training in sectors ranging from technology and manufacturing to retail and customer service.
The program includes structured workshops, corporate pro bono support, pitch showcases, conference stipends, and long term alumni engagement.
Recent cohorts have also focused on emerging areas like AI and future of work skills. Applications are open to registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits, with the next cohort expanding toward broader national and international impact.
With a mission to foster groundbreaking ideas with tangible community impact, Elemental Excelerator offers funding for entrepreneurs seeking to make a difference.
With funding opportunities of up to $3 million, the accelerator program aims to fuel initiatives that have the potential to enact deep-rooted change.
Whether it's refining growth strategies, navigating fundraising, or embedding equity into projects, entrepreneurs are equipped with the tools and knowledge needed to thrive in the competitive landscape of ClimateTech.
gBETA Social Impact is a free, virtual accelerator designed to support early-stage startups focused on addressing critical societal issues. With a special emphasis on equity in education and criminal justice reform, this accelerator provides emerging companies with the tools and mentorship they need to scale their impact.
gBETA runs several times a year across various cities in the United States, helping up to five startups from diverse sectors to grow their businesses and become investor-ready.
Program Overview
The gBETA Social Impact program is a seven-week accelerator offering personalized coaching and guidance from the highly ranked gener8tor team. Participating companies benefit from weekly "Lunch & Learn" sessions, mentor swarms, and pitch opportunities, all designed to prepare them for fundraising and scaling.
The program connects participants with a vast network of investors, mentors, and industry experts, providing over $1M in deals and perks from major vendors like IBM Cloud, Rackspace, and Microsoft.
Graduates of gBETA are positioned to take the next step in their startup journey, whether it’s joining an investment accelerator or raising a seed round.
Halcyon is dedicated to accelerating the impact-driven future of business. They firmly believe in the significance of integrating a social mission at the core of a company’s DNA, recognizing that impact-driven businesses hold the potential to foster equity and inclusivity both within the workplace and society at large.
As a community-driven entity, Halcyon stands as a pillar of support for impact-driven businesses and their visionary founders, offering vital resources such as space, community engagement, and access to crucial opportunities.
At the heart of their initiatives are programs designed to empower social entrepreneurs.
Through fellowships, Halcyon provides a platform for these change-makers to grow and flourish, while their funding vehicles ensure that these ventures receive the financial backing needed to scale their endeavors and amplify their positive impact on the world.
SEA Change is a nonprofit social enterprise accelerator committed to helping early-stage entrepreneurs build mission-driven businesses that create real-world impact.
Through free 16-week regional cohorts, flexible online learning modules, and a growing national affiliate network, SEA Change equips founders with the tools, mentorship, and community needed to launch and scale ventures that prioritize both purpose and profit.
By fostering a strong ecosystem of advisors, funders, and alumni, SEA Change continues to empower the next generation of changemakers across the United States.
IKEA Social Entrepreneurship focuses on partnering with civil society organizations to support social entrepreneurs who are not developing products or services for IKEA.
These partnerships aim to scale up already successful businesses that have strong models addressing social problems but face challenges preventing growth.
By supporting their expansion, IKEA Social Entrepreneurship aims to enhance these entrepreneurs' capacity to achieve greater social change. These businesses can operate in any location and provide any product or service.
Accelerator Programs
An accelerator program is a time-limited, established plan of actions designed to scale up social entrepreneurs' businesses.
All accelerator programs are co-created with partnering civil society organizations and include engagement from IKEA co-workers.
The Acumen Fellowship is a one-year fellowship program for social entrepreneurs who are working to solve problems in the areas of poverty, health, and education.
The fellowship provides participants with access to Acumen’s global network of investors, mentors, and leaders. Fellows also receive a living stipend and health insurance.
Village Capital offers accelerator programs aimed at addressing significant challenges for both people and the planet.
These programs focus on supporting entrepreneurs and startups that are working towards solving major societal issues. Through their accelerator programs, Village Capital aims to provide resources and guidance to help these innovators build successful businesses.
The specific details and areas of focus may vary across different Village Capital accelerator programs. However, the overarching goal is to support startups that are tackling significant problems and creating positive impact in various fields.
Village Capital’s programs typically provide entrepreneurs with access to mentorship, training, networking opportunities, and potential funding sources.
By facilitating connections between entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors, Village Capital aims to create an ecosystem that fosters innovation and social change.
Their accelerator programs serve as platforms for entrepreneurs to refine their ideas, develop their business models, and ultimately scale their ventures to make a meaningful difference in the world.
The Seed Spot Impact Accelerator is an 8-week program offering training, tools, and coaching to drive rapid revenue growth and investment readiness for social enterprises.
Participants gain lifetime alumni benefits including connections with industry leaders, ongoing support from Seed Spot, and a national network of mentors and fellow impact entrepreneurs.
The program aims to provide clarity by focusing on strategic priorities and refining the business model. It builds leadership skills in financials, industry expertise, and storytelling.\
The accelerator drives traction through sales optimization, social impact measurement, and increased fundability. Finally, it provides a community of guidance, potential partners, and support.
Key outcomes include achieving product-market fit, structured goals and plans, confidence through experience, advanced business skills, compelling narrative, revenue growth, quantified social impact, and an expanded network of advisors and investors.
For mission-driven social enterprises looking to scale a sustainable impact model, Miller Center’s Silicon Valley Investment Readiness Accelerator provides the resources and guidance needed for next-level success.
These programs focus on women’s economic empowerment and climate resilience initiatives while leveraging their team of executive mentors and leadership coaches to analyze business gaps in order to develop an action plan that takes organizations towards their vision of growth.
Radical Partners is a social impact accelerator and consulting firm based in Miami, Florida. They work with organizations, philanthropists, and government agencies to drive social change and create more equitable communities.
Their services include strategic planning, program design and implementation, fundraising and grant writing, and leadership development.
They focus on issues such as education, health, economic opportunity, and civic engagement, and they have a track record of successfully launching and scaling initiatives that have made a positive impact in the community.
The website provides information about their team, approach, and portfolio of projects.
MIT Solve’s Global Challenges seek social entrepreneurs who are using technology to solve today’s most pressing problems.
MIT Solve is calling on innovative and impact-minded social entrepreneurs who are utilizing technology to drive positive change.
Their prestigious nine-month support program gives participants access to a wealth of resources, from funding opportunities worth more than $1 million to advice and coaching from experts in their field.
By joining the acclaimed network of leaders, successful applicants will be able boost exposure for their projects with help from the media -all while tackling some of today’s biggest challenges along the way.
Village Capital is an organization that invests in early-stage companies solving global problems through their business model.
Village Capital offers a variety of programs for entrepreneurs, including an accelerator program which provides access to funding, mentorship, networking opportunities, and educational resources.
Village Capital is proud to be the leader in amplifying the impact of early-stage, socially conscious businesses around the globe.
They have partnered with 1,400 entrepreneurs from 28 countries and run multiple programs annually that equip future founders with valuable knowledge and resources.
Fast Forward is nonprofit tech accelerator that provides a range of resources and support to tech nonprofits, enabling them to create positive impact on a large scale. They offer technical guidance and advice; access to mentors, funders, and other key influencers.
Meet Fast Forward, the Accelerator Program Helping Tech Nonprofits Scale
Fast Forward seeks to strengthen the capacity of tech nonprofits by providing support in areas ranging from technology development and implementation to fundraising, marketing, operations management, financial planning, and strategic communications.
Through their initiatives, Fast Forward aims to create a more equitable world by amplifying the impact of tech nonprofits working on issues related to social justice, education, health care access and delivery, economic empowerment and opportunity, climate change adaptation and resilience building, civic engagement and advocacy.
Techstars Sustainability accelerators invests in early stage high-growth startups looking to build a better future thanks to technology.
They invite social entrepreneurs that want to solve some of the greatest challenges our planet faces today such as climate change, pollution, poverty, disease.
Techstars accelerators are committed to the success of entrepreneurs worldwide. Their three-month immersion programs provide start-ups access to invaluable resources, including world class mentorships and industry connections.
Funds for growth opportunities are also part of our comprehensive service package, along with engaging workshops and knowledge sharing exercises among peers.
With this specialized support structure companies have achieved groundbreaking results across global markets – making it an established success story in entrepreneurship circles around the globe.
Ignite impact-driven innovation with the Watson Institute Venture Accelerator.
Connect to a global network, receive an award-winning education and mentorship from experienced professionals, venture capitalists and executives in this 16 week program that officially launches with an onsite Immersive event held Boulder, Colorado – followed by virtual programming for next level entrepreneurs looking to make their mark.
The 100x Impact Accelerator helps revolutionary thinkers achieve maximum impact with our top-tier research and accelerator program.
Join forces to determine the ideal approach for you, from government recognition to digitization strategies and open source solutions – so that your game plan doesn’t rely solely on fundraising efforts but leads instead to tangible outcomes.
Entrepreneurs will be offered £150,000 of catalytic capital, world-class resources, door-opening connections and 12 weeks of programming to catapult their social venture into the future.
The Fashion for Good Accelerator is a unique programme that offers startups the opportunity to take their sustainable innovations in the textile industry to the next level.
The accelerator is committed to driving positive change in the fashion supply chain by promoting sustainability, circularity and transparency.
The programme is designed to provide startups with the necessary support to develop and scale their innovations. Participants benefit from a range of resources, including mentorship, expert guidance, funding, and access to a network of industry experts.
The accelerator is based on three key pillars: sustainable fashion, circular fashion, and transparent fashion. Startups that focus on these areas are chosen to participate in the program.
AlphaLab, established in 2008, is Pittsburgh's leading startup accelerator. The program focuses on four key tracks: software, hardware, life sciences, and robotics.
As one of the first ten accelerators in the United States, AlphaLab provides founders with essential resources across three core areas: customers, capital, and community.
The accelerator helps startups validate their market fit, develop sales strategies, and connect with investors. Through its partnership with Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, AlphaLab leverages Pittsburgh's growing tech ecosystem and talent pool.
Its location offers startups significant cost advantages compared to traditional tech hubs, while still providing access to cutting-edge research and development opportunities.
Since its inception, AlphaLab has consistently produced successful alumni companies, contributing to Pittsburgh's emergence as a leading center for robotics, artificial intelligence, and life sciences innovation.
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Katapult is well known for its climate and ocean accelerators, and its dedicated Africa program is designed to fuel ventures addressing agriculture, food systems, and climate challenges across the continent.
Startups admitted into the program receive investment capital, structured mentorship, and access to Katapult’s global network of investors and corporate partners.
The program goes beyond short-term funding by focusing on long-term resilience, offering follow-on support even after the formal accelerator ends.
Accelerate Africa works with founders building global-ambition startups that also solve critical challenges on the continent.
The program is structured to help early-stage ventures refine their business models, become “accelerator-ready” for larger international programs, and connect with mentors who have scaled companies before.
The goal is to bridge African innovation with global markets while keeping impact at the center.
Based in Cape Town, OceanHub Africa backs startups developing ocean-positive solutions. From marine restoration technologies to sustainable aquaculture, the program offers a combination of mentoring, funding support, and international exposure.
Each year, around 15 for-profit ventures are selected for the program, with a focus on building businesses that can both protect and sustainably use ocean resources.
Village Capital has pioneered peer-selected investment, and its Greentech Asia program continues that legacy. Focused on ventures developing green technologies, the accelerator helps early-stage startups refine their investment readiness.
The program places a strong emphasis on reaching underserved communities in markets such as Malaysia and Vietnam, making it ideal for founders committed to environmental and social sustainability.
Singapore-based Accelerating Asia runs a flagship program designed for pre-Series A companies across Southeast and South Asia.
Unlike many accelerators, it operates with a venture capital model, investing directly in the startups it accelerates.
Founders gain access to intensive mentorship, structured fundraising support, and introductions to a global pool of investors.
With a track record of helping startups raise millions after graduation, it is one of the region’s strongest options for scaling impact ventures.
Quest Ventures focuses on social enterprises that already have proven traction and are ready to scale.
The Sustainable Impact Accelerator combines venture capital investment with a program that helps founders refine business models, measure impact, and connect with institutional investors.
It is particularly well-suited for revenue-generating companies that are ready for rapid growth but want to maintain their mission.
The ASEAN Institute runs an accelerator focused on empowering women entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia. Founders in the program work on cross-border trade, technology, and environmental projects.
With an emphasis on female leadership and regional integration, the program not only provides business support but also connects founders to international networks that amplify their voice and impact.
New Ventures, originally launched by the World Resources Institute, has become one of Latin America’s most established impact startup support organizations.
Operating in countries such as Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil, New Ventures offers acceleration programs, impact investment funds, and capacity-building services.
Its focus is on small and medium-sized enterprises driving social and environmental change, with a strong emphasis on connecting entrepreneurs to capital.
Village Capital also runs regional programs in Latin America, supporting early-stage startups in sectors like financial inclusion, agriculture, and health.
Its peer-selected investment approach allows founders to evaluate each other’s businesses, ensuring that capital goes to startups that demonstrate both strong potential and real impact.
The Gratitude Network Fellowship is a world-class leadership accelerator designed to help nonprofit founders and executives scale their impact.
Each year, the program selects approximately 30 exceptional social impact leaders from around the world who are dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth.
Over a 13-month journey, Fellows receive personalized executive coaching, peer learning opportunities, and strategic tools modeled after top-tier executive education programs.
The Fellowship equips leaders to strengthen organizational systems, build high-performing teams, and develop the confidence to scale sustainably.
Each Fellow gains access to over $10,000 worth of resources and mentorship, including:
What’s the difference between an incubator and accelerator?
Incubators often focus on earlier stage ideas, provide longer timeframes, infrastructure, and guidance. Accelerators are cohort-based, for companies further along, with fixed term, often culminating in a Demo Day or investor pitch.
Do accelerators always take equity?
No. Some take equity, some offer grants or non-dilutive capital, or hybrid models. For example impact-oriented programs may avoid taking equity to reduce barriers. Always read the terms.
How much funding can I expect from impact accelerators?
Ranges vary widely: from small grants in the tens of thousands, to programs offering hundreds of thousands or millions depending on sector, geography, and maturity of startup.
How important is impact measurement in these programs?
Very. Reputable impact accelerators/incubators invest in helping ventures define, measure, and report impact (social, environmental). It improves credibility and helps unlock future funding.
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