Which accelerators in Israel take no equity?

8200 EISP is a non-profit and takes no equity, and Google for Startups Accelerator: Europe and Israel is equity-free. In the Innovation Authority incubators, the Authority funds 85% of the approved budget as a grant, while the incubator takes shares for its 15%.

What is the difference between an accelerator and a venture studio?

An accelerator runs a fixed-length cohort for companies that already exist, usually for a set check and equity. A venture studio builds the company with the founders from an early stage and takes a deeper, longer role. Team8 and Velo Labs are examples of the second model.

25 Accelerators and Venture Programs Every Israeli Founder Should Know (2026), Velo Labs

Q: Can an Israeli company join Y Combinator?

Yes, but YC invests only in US, Canadian, Cayman and Singapore corporations, so an Israeli company needs a parent company in one of them, usually through a Delaware flip. The program itself runs three months in person in San Francisco.

The short answer: Israeli founders can choose from three kinds of programs. Israeli programs, such as the Innovation Authority incubators, 8200 EISP, Fusion and F2's Operator Platform (formerly The Junction of Genesis Partners), keep you at home and range from non-dilutive grants to $150,000 for 7.5%. Venture creation, such as Team8 and studios like ours, builds the company with you and takes a larger role. Global accelerators such as Y Combinator and a16z speedrun invest $500,000 or more and usually require a move to the US and a US parent company. Three deadlines are close: a16z speedrun on November 1, Y Combinator on November 2 and Techstars on November 18.

We checked every program on its official page or official announcement on October 27, 2026, and quote deal terms only where the program publishes them. This list includes Velo Labs, our own studio, and we say so in its entry. The order is by type and implies no ranking. Spotted a change? Let us know.

The 25 programs at a glance

Program	Type	Deal	Where
1. Israel Innovation Authority Technological Incubators	Government-backed incubators	Grant of 85% of the approved budget (NIS 1.7M cap in the standard track)	Israel, through 9 incubators
2. 8200 EISP	Non-profit accelerator	No investment, no equity	Ramat Gan, in person
3. Fusion	Pre-seed accelerator	$150K for 7.5%	Tel Aviv, plus US sessions
4. StarBurst ASTRA (with Israel Aerospace Industries)	Corporate accelerator	Up to $100K cash plus $100K in-kind	Israel, 7 months
5. Google for Startups Accelerator: Europe & Israel	Equity-free accelerator	No equity; Google mentoring, Cloud credits, TPU access	Hybrid, 12 weeks
6. Zell Entrepreneurship Program (Reichman University)	University fellowship	Investment terms not published	Herzliya, one year
7. MassChallenge BreakthroughBio (with the Innovation Authority)	US market-entry accelerator	Support valued at about NIS 300K per company	Boston
8. F2 Operator Platform (formerly The Junction, founded by Genesis Partners)	VC pre-seed platform	Fast-track pre-seed and seed funding; terms not published	Tel Aviv
9. Xcelerator Defense Tech (TAU Ventures with the Israel Security Agency)	Defense-tech accelerator	$50K grant, no equity	Tel Aviv, 4 months
10. SV101 by ICON	Silicon Valley immersion program	Equity-free; $5,000 per participant	Silicon Valley, 10 days
11. Team8	Venture creation (foundry)	Team8 co-founds and finances the seed round	Tel Aviv
12. Inevitable AI Group (IAIG)	AI venture studio	Terms not published	Tel Aviv
13. Velo Labs Venture Studio	Venture studio	Equity-based partnership; terms agreed individually	Israel
14. Y Combinator	Accelerator	$500K: $125K for 7% plus $375K uncapped MFN SAFE	San Francisco, 3 months, 4 batches a year
15. a16z speedrun	Accelerator	$500K for 10%, plus up to $500K in the next round	San Francisco, 12 weeks
16. Techstars	Accelerator network	$220K for a minimum of 5% plus the MFN conversion	US, London and remote, 3 months
17. South Park Commons Founder Fellowship	Founder fellowship	$400K for 7%, plus $600K guaranteed in the next round	San Francisco, New York or Bangalore
18. Entrepreneur First	Talent investor	Up to $250K: $125K for 8%, plus an optional $125K MFN SAFE	London, Bangalore, San Francisco
19. Antler	Pre-seed investor and co-founder program	Set locally; US initial commitment typically $500K to $1M	About 27 cities; no Israel location
20. 500 Global Flagship Accelerator	Accelerator	Up to $50K, potential for up to $1M more; a $35K Phase 1 fee	San Francisco, 4 months
21. Sequoia Arc	Pre-seed and seed program	Bespoke terms	Twice-yearly open call, cohorts of about 10
22. HF0 Residency	Residency for repeat technical founders	Terms not published	15 teams at a time
23. Alchemist Accelerator	B2B accelerator	Terms not published on the site	Six months; founders from anywhere
24. PearX	Pre-seed accelerator	$250K to $2M per company	San Francisco, 12 weeks
25. NVIDIA Inception	Free program for AI startups	Free, no equity; training, preferred pricing, credits	Global, online

Four questions before you apply

What does it cost in equity?Programs range from 0% (8200 EISP, Google) to 7% at YC and 10% at a16z speedrun. Compare the price per percent, and remember that MFN and uncapped SAFEs convert later.
Do you need a US company?YC invests only in US, Canadian, Cayman and Singapore corporations, and other US programs expect a Delaware company. Read our guide to the Delaware flip before you commit.
Where will you spend the next three months?Most global programs are in person in San Francisco. If your first customers are in Israel or Europe, that time has a price.
What do you need most?Capital, a co-founder, customers, or help with the story and the round. A program built for your bottleneck is worth more than a bigger brand. Our comparison of studios, accelerators and VCs goes deeper.

Accelerators and programs in Israel

1. Israel Innovation Authority Technological Incubators

The state program for idea-stage companies in deep tech, medical devices, climate, food and industry. The Innovation Authority funds 85% of the approved budget as a grant, and the incubator invests the other 15% in exchange for shares. Under the Track 36 rules from May 2025, the cap is NIS 1.7 million in the standard track and NIS 2.125 million in the periphery, with higher caps in biotech and medical devices, for a period of up to two years. You apply through one of the incubators; the Authority's list currently shows nine, each with its own sector focus. Official page.

2. 8200 EISP

The 8200 Alumni Association's accelerator has run for 15 years and is open to all Israeli entrepreneurs, including founders who did not serve in 8200. It takes no equity. Teams get one-on-one mentoring, workshops, office hours with service providers, and access to the alumni network and to investors and design partners. Its most recent published cycle ran about three months. The site does not list dates for the next batch yet. Official page.

3. Fusion

A pre-seed investor and accelerator that has funded more than 140 startups since 2017. It invests $150,000 for 7.5%, paid in full before the program starts, followed by a 10-week bootcamp. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and the site lists the next batch for the first quarter of 2027. Official page.

4. StarBurst ASTRA (with Israel Aerospace Industries)

Run by Israel Aerospace Industries with StarBurst for startups in aviation, space, defense and dual-use technology. It is a seven-month program focused on technical maturity and commercial traction. For cohort 8 it offered up to $100,000 in cash and $100,000 in strategic in-kind support. Equity terms are not published, and applications are accepted year-round. Official page.

5. Google for Startups Accelerator: Europe & Israel

One of the few Google accelerators that names Israel as eligible. The 2026 cycle focused on AI for energy, accepted companies from pre-seed to post-Series A with revenue and at least five employees, and ran for 12 weeks with Google mentors and technical support. Applications for 2026 closed in June. The page invites founders to register interest in future programs. Official page.

6. Zell Entrepreneurship Program (Reichman University)

A year-long program at Reichman University in which 16 to 20 fellows build a venture from concept to launch with mentors and an advisory board. It is in its 22nd year, and the site counts more than 180 companies founded by alumni. It is open to Reichman students and graduates, and the latest application window ran from January 6 to March 5. Official page.

7. MassChallenge BreakthroughBio (with the Innovation Authority)

A program the Innovation Authority announced in July 2026 with MassChallenge Boston, for Israeli biotech and medtech companies entering the US. About ten Israeli companies take part in each program, with support the Authority values at about NIS 300,000 per company. Eligibility details and dates were not in the announcement, so check with the Authority before you plan around it. Official page.

8. F2 Operator Platform (formerly The Junction, founded by Genesis Partners)

The successor to The Junction, the program Genesis Partners founded in 2011 and that is now part of F2 Venture Capital. Its alumni include AppsFlyer, HoneyBook, CyberX and Darrow. F2 describes the Operator Platform as fast-track pre-seed and seed funding with hands-on support on the team, the roadmap, customer introductions and fundraising, plus access to senior executive advisers. Its focus is B2B enterprise software, cloud infrastructure and applied AI. Check sizes are not published, and founders reach F2 through its team or contact@f2vc.com. Official page.

9. Xcelerator Defense Tech (TAU Ventures with the Israel Security Agency)

Run by Tel Aviv University's TAU Ventures with the Israel Security Agency since 2018, for civilian and commercial companies whose technology has multi-use potential. The four-month program gives a $50,000 grant with no equity, validation and proof-of-concept work with the agency, and office space in Tel Aviv. TAU Ventures reports 50 alumni startups. Its page lists cohort 9, so check whether registration is open. Official page.

10. SV101 by ICON

A ten-day immersive program by ICON, an organization based in Palo Alto, that brings Israeli founders into the Valley. It is equity-free and costs $5,000 per person, plus travel and lodging. The sweet spot is companies around Series A that have raised about $4 million or have significant revenue, with a product they can demo. About ten companies join each batch, and batch 19 ran from October 12 to 22, 2026. Official page.

Venture creation and studios in Israel

11. Team8

The best-known venture-creation model in Israel. Founders join as Entrepreneurs in Residence, and together with Team8's research, go-to-market and talent teams they move through four gated stages, from defining an enterprise problem to launching the company. At launch Team8 becomes a co-founder and finances the seed round. Its domains are enterprise software, fintech and digital health, and there is no public application form. Official page.

12. Inevitable AI Group (IAIG)

A Tel Aviv studio that builds AI-native software companies with solo founders and lean teams, and provides the engineering, go-to-market and operations infrastructure. It raised a $6 million pre-seed led by Aleph and reported five ventures launched between January and August 2026. Terms for founders are not published. Official page.

13. Velo Labs Venture Studio

This is us, so read it with that in mind. Velo works with up to 10 pre-seed and seed teams in Cohort 01 as a hands-on company-building partner: the story, the go-to-market, the investors and the round. Our focus is vertical SaaS and AI-native companies building in Israel. The partnership is equity-based, with terms agreed individually. Velo does not invest a fixed check or promise a round, and applying takes about five minutes. About the studio.

Global accelerators Israeli founders apply to

14. Y Combinator

YC invests $500,000 in every company: $125,000 on a post-money SAFE for 7%, and $375,000 on an uncapped SAFE with a most-favored-nation clause. The program runs three months in person in San Francisco, four times a year. YC invests only in US, Canadian, Cayman and Singapore corporations, so an Israeli company needs a parent company in one of them, usually through a Delaware flip. The on-time deadline for Winter 2027 is November 2. Official page.

15. a16z speedrun

Andreessen Horowitz's program for very early teams, from an idea to an early product. It invests $500,000 for 10% on a SAFE, and up to another $500,000 in the next qualifying round within 18 months, plus partner credits a16z values at more than $10 million. The program is 12 weeks in person in San Francisco, and founders from more than 20 countries have joined. Applications for SR008 close on November 1, 2026, for a cohort that starts in February 2027. Official page.

16. Techstars

A network of three-month, mentor-driven programs, many of them by city or sector. Techstars invests $220,000: $200,000 on an uncapped MFN SAFE and $20,000 for at least 5%. Programs open in fall 2026 include Boston, Chicago, NYC, London, Los Angeles, two health programs, and Anywhere, which runs remotely, with applications due November 18, 2026. Techstars also runs Founder Catalyst, a free, equity-free virtual pre-accelerator. Official page.

17. South Park Commons Founder Fellowship

A program for builders before or right after the idea. SPC invests $400,000 for 7% on a standard SAFE and guarantees $600,000 in the next external round. It starts with an eight-week in-person bootcamp in San Francisco, New York or Bangalore, followed by a residency with no fixed end. The fall 2026 deadline has passed, and the next one is not yet published. Official page.

18. Entrepreneur First

EF backs individuals, often before they have a co-founder or an idea. The full-time program is 12 weeks at a local hub to find a co-founder and form a company, then 12 weeks in San Francisco. The investment is up to $250,000: $125,000 for 8% on a post-money SAFE, and another $125,000 on an uncapped MFN SAFE if the company moves to San Francisco as a Delaware company. Applications are rolling. Official page.

19. Antler

Antler helps individuals meet co-founders and invests at inception. Terms are set by each local fund: in the US the initial commitment is typically $500,000 to $1 million, with up to three months in person. Antler has no Israeli location, so an Israeli founder joins one of its cities, and in the US one of the co-founders needs US work authorization. Official page.

20. 500 Global Flagship Accelerator

A four-month in-person program in San Francisco for companies from day zero to early revenue, for founders who are in the US or plan to be within six months. 500 Global states that it invests up to $50,000 with the potential for up to $1 million more. The same page lists a Phase 1 program fee of $35,000 per startup, so read the terms closely. Applications for the batch starting November 30, 2026 closed on October 11. Official page.

21. Sequoia Arc

Sequoia's twice-yearly open call for pre-seed and seed founders, with cohorts of about ten companies and a four-day Arc Intensive. Sequoia describes every partnership as bespoke and does not publish a standard check. Arc is the most direct path into Sequoia for an early team, and the site takes recommendations for the next call. Official page.

22. HF0 Residency

A residency for repeat founders and top technical founders that backs 15 teams at a time. HF0 does not publish its deal terms or program length on its site, so ask directly before you plan around it. Official page.

23. Alchemist Accelerator

An accelerator dedicated to enterprise and B2B startups, with a six-month program that accepts founders from around the world. That focus makes it a natural fit for many Israeli B2B teams. Its deal terms did not appear on its official pages when we checked, so confirm them with Alchemist. Official page.

24. PearX

Pear VC's small-batch pre-seed accelerator, for companies from the idea stage to early traction. Pear invests between $250,000 and $2 million in every PearX company, and gives desk space at its San Francisco studio free for the first nine months. The program is 12 weeks, and the latest published cohort, W26, started in January 2026. Pear does not state its rules for non-US founders on that page. Official page.

25. NVIDIA Inception

A free program with no equity and no fees for AI startups, from prototype to production. Any incorporated company under ten years old with a website, an active founder and a clear use for NVIDIA technology can join, regardless of revenue or funding. Members get technical training, preferred pricing on NVIDIA hardware and software, cloud credits from NVIDIA and partners, and, based on eligibility, introductions to investors through Inception Capital Connect. It is not a cohort accelerator, but for an AI team it is among the easiest programs to join on day one. Official page.

How to choose

If you are pre-idea or looking for a co-founder, Entrepreneur First, Antler and South Park Commons are built for that stage. If you have a team and an early product and are ready to move, YC and a16z speedrun offer the largest checks. If you are in deep tech, medical devices or climate and want to stay in Israel, start with the Innovation Authority incubators and read our guide to Innovation Authority grants. If you are building B2B software in Israel and need help with the story, the investors and the round, a hands-on partner such as a studio may fit better than a cohort. Whatever you choose, read the deal page itself and ask alumni what they got beyond the check.

25 accelerators and venture programs every Israeli founder should know