NOTE: Applications for our Spring 2025 batch are now open! Deadline is October 13th, 2024

Build a Better Future

StartX is the premier startup community, accelerator, and fellowship program for over 2,500 Stanford founders, offering support without requiring equity.

We are the strongest network of Stanford entrepreneurs, spanning fields such as AI, healthcare, sustainability, and more.

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$40B+
Total Valuation
$24M+
Raised on Average
165
Companies valued at over $100M
18
Companies valued at over $1B
80
Tenured Stanford Professors
2500+
Founders

StartX is one of the most special communities in Silicon Valley

“StartX is more than just an accelerator” — it's a lifelong ecosystem built around shared learning, collaboration, and support.

Apply to StartX
  • No equity/fees from our founders: StartX is a non-profit that primarily serves the students, faculty and alumni of Stanford University.

  • Tailored experience: Peer learning and support, 4+ mentors/advisors assigned per company, 1-1 regular meetings with StartX stafff

  • 150+ exclusive events/year for education: e.g. seminars/talks, workshops, expert office hours, fundraising (e.g. investor demo day) and networking 

  • Resources: $1.2M worth of perks and resources, office space, scholarship and online learning resources 

Reminder: Applications for our Spring 2025 batch are now open! Deadline is October 13th, 2024.
Click Here to Apply

What does StartX do? 

At StartX we empower the best Stanford entrepreneurs to build a better future. We do this be cultivating one of the most talent dense and engaged founder communities in Silicon Valley.

To join our founder community, founders must first be admitted to our full-time accelerator or student fellowship program. 

We offer community, mentorship, resources, peer-to-peer education, grant funding, and support without requiring equity.

Who Can Join StartX?

Stanford Students

Many students choose to build their company while also studying in school. These are our student founders.

Stanford Alumni

Full time founders that have graduated from Stanford University for either an undergraduate or graduate degree are considered alumni founders.

Stanford Professors

We've had over 80 Stanford professors go through  StartX programs and enter the community.

*Note at least one member of a company's founding team must be Stanford Affiliated in order to apply to StartX Programs  

Stanford-affiliated founder is someone who was/is a Stanford alumni, undergraduate student, graduate student, faculty member, post doctoral scholar, academic staff member, or fellow in a recognized Stanford fellowship program.*

StartX Praise from the Community

"StartX is an authentic community for founders, where we can help each other and get real support."

Charlie Gao

Co-Founder at Crafting, formerly Lime

"If something like StartX had existed, I would have been a founder much earlier in my career."

Konstantin Guericke
Co-Founder at LinkedIn

"When we started Yahoo!, I wish StartX was around back then."

Jerry Yang
Co-founder at Yahoo!

"Through StartX, I’ve recruited highly qualified talent, and found the management team to be very engaged, deeply devoted and genuinely interested in successful outcomes for its founders"

Osama Beidier
Co-Founder at Poynt

"In essence, the StartX Accelerator program not only fueled our growth but also instilled within us a profound sense of purpose and determination. (...) With the right support, innovation knows no bounds."

Robert Kupstas
Co-Founder at Pure Harvest Smart Farms

StartX has been a great partner for us over that time and some 30% of our grantees have had one or another (highly valued and immensely beneficial) affiliation with you"

Brian Bartholomeusz
TomKat Center of Sustainability, Stanford University

"The differentiator for StartX relative to other accelerators and incubators has always been the tight knit community & mentorship." 

Awad Sayeed
Co-Founder at Pixlee

Reminder: Applications for our Spring 2025 batch are now open! Deadline is October 13th, 2024.
Click Here to Apply

Our Community Philosophy

We believe that entrepreneurs can achieve more as a group, than we can as individuals. We help our companies hire elite talent, secure funding, and tap into one of the most powerful and innovative networks in the world: the Stanford University Alumni Network.

Explore Our Community

FAQs

Does StartX take equity?
Who can apply? Who is a Stanford-affiliated founder?
What are the deadlines to apply and dates for the next batch?
Can I apply if I’m in school and just have an idea?
I'm an experienced founder. What will StartX offer me?
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Event: StartX is inviting you to an AI Networking Mixer this Thursday (11/2) from 6-8 PM.
Register Here