Helping founders find community and connections
National pitch competition for female founders, offering $50K+ in grants, investments, and services. Part of Stella Foundation's mission to fund and scale women-led startups. Connected to the Women's Venture Summit (3-day event) and the Stella Angels investor collective.
Provides Bay Area entrepreneurs with a seven-week program offering hands-on training, mentorship, and resources in business management, legal compliance, marketing, and financial skills, culminating in a showcase at pop-up events and ongoing support.
Learn more →Ranked #1 U.S. accelerator by MIT/Rice University's Seed Accelerator Rankings Project. A highly selective seed-stage accelerator in San Francisco and New York, accepting ~15 teams twice per year from ~2,000+ applicants. The 10-week intensive program covers product-market fit, target market definition, first validation, and investor meeting preparation. Has launched 150+ companies with $1.8B total funding raised. Portfolio includes Postmates, Buffer, Periscope Data, DroneDeploy, and 3 unicorns.
Learn more →Supports entrepreneurs and startups developing dual-use technologies through mentorship, resources, and collaboration with the Department of Defense, universities, and federal labs to refine innovations and scale businesses. Offers extensive support for navigating SBIR/STTR programs and securing government contracts.
Learn more →Provides free consulting and training to new and existing businesses, offering expertise in areas like accounting, marketing, funding, government contracting, and business operations through a network of service locations and outreach centers.
Learn more →Crucible Ignitor: Helps participants launch startups using West Coast federal and university lab technologies for defense and commercial applications, offering virtual workshops and mentorship for early-stage innovators. Crucible Accelerator: Provides mentorship, resources, and strategic partnership opportunities to help early-stage startups grow and address real-world challenges, with a focus on the Pacific Northwest. APEX Accelerator: Offers expert guidance for businesses seeking government contracts and innovation grants, assisting with certifications, opportunity identification, and proposal preparation for mature-stage companies.
Learn more →Crucible Ignitor: Helps participants launch startups using West Coast federal and university lab technologies for defense and commercial applications, offering virtual workshops and mentorship for early-stage innovators. Crucible Accelerator: Provides mentorship, resources, and strategic partnership opportunities to help early-stage startups grow and address real-world challenges in the Pacific Northwest. APEX Accelerator: Offers expert guidance for businesses seeking government contracts, including certifications and innovation grants, and supports navigation of federal, state, and local procurement platforms.
Learn more →A non-equity community program for startups ready to scale that do not need investment from Expert Dojo. Includes monthly high-level training videos from experts, monthly AMA sessions with Dojo experts, exclusive perks and discounts, growth tracking, and complimentary tickets to Expert Dojo events. Top performers may transition into the Investment Program and receive referrals to outside VCs and investors.
Learn more →Expert Dojo's core accelerator and venture investment program for pre-seed and seed startups. Invests $50K–$100K (SAFE notes) for 3.5%–7% equity. Provides Monday Accountability Sessions, Monthly Mastermind sessions (4/month), weekly expert training videos, warm introductions to VCs and investors, and Quarterly Demo Days. Over 260+ startups invested since 2018. Ranked among most active pre-seed investors in U.S. after Techstars and Y Combinator. Portfolio companies have raised an average of $3.7M. Focus on minority- and female-founded tech companies.
Learn more →Accelerates women-led technology companies through mentorship, leadership coaching, business gap analysis, and pitch preparation, providing access to networks, subject matter experts, and support to help founders grow and scale their businesses.
Learn more →Strengthens Oakland-based small businesses through community, collective learning, and access to capital, prioritizing Black, Latino, and underinvested founders focused on equity, sustainability, and green jobs. Offers eligibility for up to $100,000 in funding.
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