Website : https://www.launch.co/
X : @launch
LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/launch-calacanis
LAUNCH, founded by investor and serial entrepreneur Jason Calacanis, is more than just an accelerator—it’s a full-blown startup ecosystem that includes the LAUNCH Accelerator, Angel University, and the popular “This Week in Startups” podcast. Based in San Francisco, LAUNCH is aimed at helping early-stage startups raise money, build traction, and connect with high-quality angel and seed investors.
The LAUNCH Accelerator has helped alumni like Superhuman, Calm, Fitbod, and Daily.co grow from early-stage to funded and scaling. The accelerator is particularly well-known for being pitch-heavy, with constant focus on storytelling, investor readiness, and tight feedback loops.
Who Should Apply to LAUNCH?
LAUNCH is best suited for:
- Seed-stage startups looking to raise a pre-seed or seed round in the near term.
- Founders who are great builders but need help with pitching, positioning, and investor access.
- Startups with some traction (revenue, users, or MVP) but struggling to break through to funding.
- Founders who want direct access to a community of active angel investors, including Jason himself.
LAUNCH puts a strong emphasis on funding readiness—not just helping you build, but helping you get funded. If you’re already grinding and just need someone to help you polish your pitch and close your round, LAUNCH is optimized for that exact problem.
Program Details
- Equity Taken: 6% standard in common stock.
- Investment: $100,000 initial check.
- Duration: 12 weeks, hybrid format.
- Format: Weekly pitch practice, 1:1 coaching, investor feedback, weekly guest speakers.
- Demo Day: Yes, with over 500+ active angels, syndicate members, and early-stage VCs.
What Makes LAUNCH Different?
LAUNCH is extremely founder-centric and capital-focused. Where YC gives you product velocity and Techstars builds networks, LAUNCH gives you a sharp pitch and gets you in the room. It’s the closest thing to a “fundraising bootcamp”in the accelerator space.
Also, Jason Calacanis brings an unusually public voice to the process—between his podcast, syndicate, and Angel Summit events, founders get real exposure. If you perform well in the cohort, you’ll likely get a follow-on syndicate round and exposure to one of the most active early-stage investor communities in the U.S.