5 US accelerators compared: terms, cheque size, equity and windows

By GrantSnap team · Published 2026-10-31 · guide

The Y Combinator apply page in October 2026 — Y Combinator's application page, captured 31 October 2026.

Y Combinator, Techstars, 500 Global, MassChallenge and HAX are five US programmes that a founder outside one city can apply to, and they differ most on money and cost. As of 31 October 2026, Y Combinator publishes a $500,000 deal, Techstars publishes a $220,000 deal, and 500 Global lists up to $50,000 upfront with a $35,000 programme fee. MassChallenge and HAX state no equity terms on the pages we checked. This is a comparison, not a ranking.

Deadlines move, so confirm each one on the official page. Y Combinator's Winter 2027 deadline is 2 November. MassChallenge's 2026 to 2027 challenge cycle closes on 9 November. Techstars Anywhere closes on 18 November. 500 Global's Flagship Batch 36 window has already closed.

How we chose these five

We looked for programmes with published terms, national reach, a way in for applicants outside the host city, and a cohort running in 2026 or 2027. Not every programme meets every test. Y Combinator and Techstars publish full deal terms. 500 Global publishes an investment range and a fee but no equity. MassChallenge and HAX publish little on cost, and we say so rather than fill the gap.

We also looked at Plug and Play. Its startups page describes accelerator programmes, an in-house venture team and corporate partnerships, but it states no investment, equity, fee or application window, so we left it out. Each programme below is compared on the same fields: who runs it, where, length, money and equity, fees, who it suits, the application window and what the application asks.

Y Combinator

Y Combinator runs a batch four times a year. Its FAQ describes about three months, starting with a three day in-person kick-off and followed by weekly meetups in San Francisco. The deal page states $500,000 on two SAFEs: $125,000 on a post-money SAFE that converts into 7%, and $375,000 on an uncapped MFN SAFE. The page gives an example in which the MFN SAFE converts to 2.5% at a $15 million post-money cap. It says the money is not contingent on milestones, that YC commits on the day of acceptance, and that companies pay nothing to take part.

YC invests in US, Canadian, Cayman and Singapore companies, and accepted startups elsewhere may need to flip to one of those. The FAQ says any startup anywhere can apply, solo founders are accepted though a co-founder is recommended, and about 40% of each batch is just an idea. Non-technical founders generally need a technical co-founder. For Winter 2027, the on-time deadline is 2 November at 8pm Pacific, decisions on those applications come by 11 December, and the batch runs January to March.

Techstars

Techstars describes its accelerators as three months of mentorship, run in cities and around themes such as health, finance, space and defence, and critical infrastructure. The investment terms page states $220,000 paid at acceptance: $200,000 on an uncapped MFN SAFE and $20,000 on a post-money convertible equity agreement for 5% common stock. Total equity is 5% plus whatever the SAFE converts into. A side letter gives Techstars pro rata and drag-along rights and asks for key operating metrics and burn. The page mentions no fees, and it does not list which programmes the terms cover, so check the programme page.

Techstars invests in US companies or foreign equivalents, and companies in non-approved countries, with India given as an example, must reorganise first. Techstars Anywhere is remote-first with no relocation, serves North American time zones and includes three in-person offsites. Its page says applications opened on 24 August and the final deadline is 18 November 2026, with the programme starting on 8 March 2027 and Demo Day on 3 June 2027. It suits domain experts, with robotics, energy, applied and physical AI and materials science named. The Chicago and New York City accelerators are open in GrantSnap's catalog with the same 18 November deadline.

500 Global

The Flagship Accelerator page, updated in September 2026, covers Batch 36 in San Francisco. It runs four months, from 30 November 2026 to 9 April 2027. The page lists up to $50,000 upfront, with potential for up to $1 million more as companies progress, and does not name the equity or the instrument. It also lists a Phase 1 programme fee of $35,000 per startup, excluding travel. The fee text is repeated under every step of the page, so confirm its scope with the team.

The page says the programme suits early-stage founders building for the US and globally who have started building or have early users, revenue or pilots, and who are in the US or plan to be within six months. It invites applicants who tick only some boxes to apply anyway. Applications closed on 11 October, so the realistic move now is to watch for the next batch.

MassChallenge

MassChallenge is a global network founded in Massachusetts, with US sites in Boston and Dallas. Its homepage lists four tracks: Early Stage, Challenge Programs, Additional Programs and Bridge to MC. The 2026 to 2027 challenge cycle page is the clearest open call. It is aimed at pre-seed to Series A startups whose solutions address a partner challenge statement, and the MassMutual challenge lists six. Applicants can be based anywhere, but at least one founder or C-suite member must attend the required in-person events, which are Boston-based.

Applications opened on 19 October and close on 9 November 2026. Finalists are notified in December, matchmaking is on 6 to 8 January 2027, the programme kicks off on 9 and 10 February, and the finale is in June 2027. The page estimates three to five hours a week. It says nothing on equity, fees or prizes, and it is inconsistent about which sessions are in person, so ask before you apply. The homepage also lists the SMU Cox FinTech Accelerator, a hybrid programme with three immersive experiences in Dallas.

HAX

HAX is part of SOSV and works with pre-seed startups building hard tech, such as energy, advanced compute, transportation, health tech and manufacturing. Its homepage lists a $550,000 initial investment and says founders are brought into one of three locations: San Francisco, New York or Newark, where its headquarters sits. Equity, programme length, fees and an application window are not stated on the pages we checked. Applicants must confirm they are building a hard tech product.

It suits founders who need engineering help with physical products more than a general network. Because no terms are published, ask for them early in the process.

What the applications ask

Y Combinator's public pages do not list the questions, so see the form itself. The FAQ does say each co-founder fills in their own profile, only one application is allowed per batch, and an optional Paxel builder report can be linked. Material changes after submitting, such as adding a co-founder, go through an update form. Promising applicants get a video interview, mostly in November and December, usually with a same-day decision and detailed feedback.

Techstars ranks its criteria as team, market, progress and then idea, with team weighted most. It suggests showing a prototype, early traction and the business thinking behind it. MassChallenge says its initial application takes under ten minutes. 500 Global describes an application followed by a series of interviews. HAX publishes the most: company details, founder details, a required pitch deck link, an optional demo video, a cap table breakdown, incorporation, total prior fundraising, whether all founders work full time, and how you heard of HAX.

How to choose and what to prepare

Start with cost and stage. Y Combinator and Techstars both combine a fixed equity slice with an uncapped MFN SAFE, so the final dilution depends on your later round. Neither page gives one total. 500 Global asks for a fee, and MassChallenge and HAX leave terms for you to request. Then check fit: Techstars Anywhere is remote, Y Combinator and 500 Global are in San Francisco, MassChallenge needs a Boston presence for events, and HAX wants hard tech.

Before you apply, gather the incorporation details, because YC and Techstars may need a flip, plus a cap table breakdown, a short deck, a demo or video, your prior funding total and each co-founder's profile. Write down what you can show on progress, since Techstars weights it. Then apply to the programmes whose windows are still open.

GrantSnap tracks live calls like these, including Y Combinator Winter 2027 Batch and the Techstars Anywhere, Chicago and New York City accelerators. It drafts answers from your profile and fills the form in Chrome, and you review every answer before submitting.

Common questions

Which of these accelerators takes no equity?

None of the pages we checked says so. MassChallenge and HAX state no equity terms, so ask them directly. Y Combinator and Techstars publish equity terms, and 500 Global publishes an investment range and a fee but no equity.

Can founders outside the US apply?

Y Combinator says any startup anywhere can apply, and MassChallenge's 2026 to 2027 cycle accepts applicants based anywhere. Techstars Anywhere serves North American time zones. Y Combinator and Techstars may require a flip to an approved country if you are accepted.

Which deadlines are open now?

As of 31 October 2026, Y Combinator Winter 2027 closes on 2 November, MassChallenge's challenge cycle on 9 November and Techstars Anywhere on 18 November. 500 Global's Flagship Batch 36 window closed on 11 October. Confirm on each official page.

Do these programmes charge a fee?

Y Combinator says companies pay nothing. The Techstars terms page mentions no fees. 500 Global's Flagship page lists a $35,000 Phase 1 programme fee per startup, excluding travel. MassChallenge and HAX state no fees on the pages we checked.

Sources

Y Combinator: the standard deal (accessed 2026-10-31)
Y Combinator: apply (accessed 2026-10-31)
Y Combinator: FAQ (accessed 2026-10-31)
Y Combinator: about (accessed 2026-10-31)
Techstars: accelerators (accessed 2026-10-31)
Techstars: investment terms (accessed 2026-10-31)
Techstars Anywhere Accelerator (accessed 2026-10-31)
Techstars help: how companies are accepted (accessed 2026-10-31)
500 Global: Flagship Accelerator (accessed 2026-10-31)
MassChallenge: 2026 to 2027 challenge cycle (accessed 2026-10-31)
MassChallenge: homepage and programmes (accessed 2026-10-31)
MassChallenge: about (accessed 2026-10-31)
HAX (accessed 2026-10-31)
SOSV: apply to HAX (accessed 2026-10-31)
Plug and Play: for startups (accessed 2026-10-31)

Figures come from the official programme pages listed under sources, checked on 31 October 2026, and open-now deadlines come from the GrantSnap catalog as of 2026-10-31.

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