Founder Residencies with Open Applications
16 founder residency programs are currently accepting applications — either with an open round or on a rolling basis. Statuses come from our 2026 founder residency guide and are re-verified regularly. Apply while the window is open.
| Program | Funding | Equity | Duration | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afore | $100K+ | Standard pre-seed terms | 10 weeks | San Francisco | Open |
| HF0 | Up to $1M | 5% equity | 12 weeks | San Francisco (live-in) | Open |
| Focal | $25K–$50K + up to $1M | Uncapped SAFE with MFN (optional) | 3–6 months | Miami | Open |
| Antler | Varies by location | Location-specific terms | ~10 weeks | 20+ cities globally | Open |
| Menlo | Negotiated | Standard pre-seed terms | Up to 3 months | San Francisco | Rolling |
| PearX | $250K–$2M | Standard accelerator terms | 12 weeks | San Francisco | Open |
| AI2 | Up to $600K | $10M cap SAFE | 6 months | Seattle | Rolling |
| f.inc | $100K–$200K investment | 4–7% equity | 4–6 weeks (Residency) / 5 weeks (Canopy) | San Francisco (Fort Mason) or online | Open |
| AIR | $50K–$500K | Uncapped, no-discount MFN SAFE, or same price as round within 60 days | Ongoing (rolling) | NYC, SF, LA, London, Paris, and other cities | Open |
| Perplexity | $220K/year (prorated) | Paid residency — no equity taken | 3 months | San Francisco, CA | Open |
| The Bridge | Up to ~$250K + $600K+ credits | EF formation investment terms | 8 weeks (Summer) / 12–14 weeks (Fall) | San Francisco, CA | Open |
| SPC | $400K | 7% equity via SAFE | Bootcamp + open-ended residency | San Francisco & New York City | Open |
| Speedrun | Up to $1M | Standard pre-seed terms | 12 weeks | Los Angeles | Open |
| Arc | Portfolio founders only | Existing Sequoia investment terms | Varies | San Francisco | Rolling |
| Residency | No investment (paid co-living) | No equity taken | 3–6 months | San Francisco, Bangalore, Berlin, Vienna | Open |
| Astera | $125K–$250K salary + up to $1.5M project budget | No equity — nonprofit research institute | 12–18 months | Emeryville, California | Open |