Founder Factory Stage 1 Pre-Accelerator – 2027 Cohort

About

Founder Factory Stage 1 Pre-Accelerator is a 10-week, milestone-driven program in Southeastern Wisconsin offering up to $15,000 in non-dilutive funding plus mentorship and commercialization support to help early-stage startups move toward follow-on funding.

Benefits

• 💰Funding — Up to $15,000 per selected team in non-dilutive, milestone-based seed funding; funds are distributed in tranches based on milestone completion, and continued disbursement is contingent on active participation and satisfactory progress; not all teams may receive the full approved amount
• 🤝Mentorship — Hands-on mentorship from experienced mentors, plus regular one-on-one meetings with staff, coaches, and mentors
• 📈Commercialization Support — Structured 10-week program with weekly facilitated cohort sessions focused on business model development, founder readiness, customer discovery, market validation, and execution
• 📋Roadmap & Playbook — Development of an actionable roadmap/playbook and an investor- or funder-ready presentation aligned with the company’s follow-on funding path
• 🌐Regional Network — Access to a coordinated regional support network and preparation for follow-on funding pathways, which may include Stage 2, incubators or accelerators, equity investment, SBIR/STTR or other commercialization grants, or industry partnerships.

Eligibility Criteria

• Mandatory: formed legal business entity or will have one before the program begins
• Mandatory: business is or will be based and registered in Southeastern Wisconsin
• Mandatory: demonstrate meaningful business activity in SE Wisconsin (e.g., employees, partners, customers, operations)
• Mandatory: intend to grow and retain business activity in Wisconsin
• Mandatory: startup or early-stage business with high-growth potential
• Mandatory: 1–25 employees
• Mandatory: no more than $100,000 in prior external funding (equity, commercialization grants, or similar; bootstrapping excluded)
• Mandatory: demonstrated early problem–solution fit and readiness to test, learn, and iterate
• Mandatory: at least one company founder can commit the time and effort to fully participate throughout the program
• Mandatory: a mentor/coach can commit the time and effort to participate throughout the program
• Mandatory: open to coaching, feedback, and data-driven decision-making
• Ineligible: primary activity in real estate development, direct-to-consumer retail, or hospitality (including restaurants)
• Ineligible: more than $100,000 in prior external commercialization funding (excluding research funding)
• Ineligible: companies that do not align with Founder Factory’s mission of supporting scalable, investable ventures
• Preferred/encouraged: applicants unsure whether they meet criteria are encouraged to apply or reach out before the deadline
• Final eligibility determinations are made by the Founder Factory review committee.

Participation Commitments

• Active participation is required throughout the 10-week program
• At least one company founder must commit the time and effort to fully participate
• A mentor/coach must commit the time and effort to participate throughout the program
• Teams should expect consistent weekly effort for program sessions, customer discovery interviews, milestone execution, and preparation of deliverables
• No equity — Stage 1 funding is described as non-dilutive and provided as a grant.

Target Region

Southeastern Wisconsin, United States. Applicants must have a formed legal business entity or will have one before the program begins; the business must be based and registered in Southeastern Wisconsin, demonstrate meaningful business activity in SE Wisconsin (e.g., employees, partners, customers, operations), and intend to grow and retain business activity in Wisconsin.

Target Sector

Agriculture & Food, Defense & Security, Education, Energy & Utilities, Financial Services, Government & Public Sector, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Media & Entertainment, Semiconductors & Electronics, Sports & Fitness, Telecommunications, Transportation & Logistics, Other