Early-stage founders, take note: three Techstars Founder Catalyst programs are now accepting applications.

Founder Catalyst is a part-time, primarily virtual pre-accelerator built for founders who want to sharpen their fundamentals: understanding their target customers, refining their solution, and building the entrepreneurial skills that carry a startup from idea to traction.

Three programs are kicking off in September and are currently accepting applications:

Techstars Founder Catalyst WaterTech & Sustainability

The Techstars Founder Catalyst: WaterTech & Sustainability program is a 10-week, hybrid pre-accelerator designed to empower early-stage founders developing cutting-edge solutions in water technology, climate resilience, and environmental sustainability. Through immersive training, hands-on mentorship, and access to the global Techstars network, participants gain the tools and support needed to accelerate their ventures with confidence.

Apply by August 7, 2026.

Techstars Founder Catalyst Global Fall 2026 Program

The Techstars Founder Catalyst Global Fall 2026 Program is a part-time, virtual pre-accelerator powered by Techstars and offered exclusively to founders from our partner communities in Istanbul, Sarajevo, Omaha, Uzbekistan, and Belfast.

Apply by August 21, 2026.

Techstars x EIT Urban Mobility Founder Catalyst

The Techstars x EIT Urban Mobility Founder Catalyst is a 10-week hybrid pre-accelerator for early-stage founders building scalable companies in urban mobility. The programme combines in-person and virtual programming focused on customer discovery, traction, storytelling, and business model validation, while connecting founders to the Techstars global network and EIT Urban Mobility's ecosystem across Europe.

Apply by August 26, 2026.

If you're building in one of these spaces, or just starting to shape your idea, now's the time to apply.

Read More