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Overview

START Fellowship is a philanthropic incubator and accelerator program operated by START Global, designed to empower young entrepreneurs from Latin America and Africa. The program provides resource-intensive support to help founders turn ideas into scalable ventures. It consists of two phases: an online incubator followed by an in-person accelerator in St.Gallen, Switzerland, focusing on mentorship, workshops, and investor introductions.

Investment focus

The START Fellowship aims to support young, ambitious entrepreneurs from Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly those with technology and social innovation ideas. The program focuses on helping founders develop product-market fit and build investable companies ready for venture funding, while facilitating connections to European investors.

Program details

Designed for Founders, Students. The program is hybrid. Participation is generally full time.

Who it is for

The incubator accepts founders aged 14-28 with a startup idea, English proficiency, and commitment to develop an MVP. The accelerator targets founders aged 18-25 from Latin America and Africa who are full-time founders with an MVP or first prototype and are enrolled, or can become enrolled, at a partner university.

Check your startup’s fit

Check your eligibility for START Fellowship

Admissions and application

The 2025 accelerator cycle opened on August 4, 2025, closed on September 14, 2025, ran alumni, team, and VC interview rounds, and made final selections on October 26, 2025. The next application window is expected in August-September 2026.

Benefits

Participants finish with a strong peer network from Africa and Latin America, investor introductions, business fundamentals, operational skills, European market exposure, and mentorship relationships.

Timeline

The program consists of a 7-week online incubator followed by a 4-month in-person accelerator.

What came of it

START Fellowship reports 156+ young entrepreneurs helped, 117+ startups supported, and more than $9 million raised by participating startups.

How to go about it

  1. Read what it asks for

    Who can apply, how people get in and whether it is open right now.

  2. Have something to show

    Programs pick people whose work they can already point to. Put yours where it can be found.

  3. Apply the way the program asks

    The program has not published how to apply. Terms and dates change. Check the official page before you act.

What it pays

The program is free for participants, covering basic costs during the Switzerland stay, including travel, accommodation, living expenses, and support for startup-related costs.

Questions about this program

What is the START Fellowship?

START Fellowship is a philanthropic incubator and accelerator program for young entrepreneurs from Latin America and Africa, providing mentorship, workshops, and funding opportunities.

Who can apply?

The program targets young founders aged 14-28 for the incubator and 18-25 for the accelerator, focusing on those with MVPs or prototypes.

What are the costs associated with the program?

The program is free for participants, covering living costs during the accelerator in Switzerland.

How do I apply?

Applications are accepted through an application-only process, with the next window expected in August-September 2026.

About START Global

START Global

Community

Empowering young entrepreneurs through community and innovation.

Other programs by START Global

START Fellowship Accelerator logoProgram

START Fellowship Accelerator

START Global

START Fellowship Accelerator is a distinct offering within START Fellowship, alongside a separate Incubator. START Global and its partners operate the umbrella program. The Accelerator targets young founders from Latin America and Africa an

Lists that include this program

From public sources

What the sources say about START Fellowship

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Location
San Francisco, California, United States
Format
In Person
Terms
Hybrid
Deadline
Jun 21, 2026

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