Website : https://www.joinef.com/
X : @join_ef
LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/entrepreneurs-first
Entrepreneur First (EF) flips the traditional accelerator model on its head. Instead of backing existing startups, EF invests in individuals before they’ve formed a company—helping them find a co-founder, develop an idea, and build something from scratch. Founded in London in 2011, EF now runs programs across Europe, Asia, and North America, and has backed more than 800 companies.
If you’re a technical founder, domain expert, or visionary with strong potential but no team or product yet, this is your accelerator.
Who Should Apply to Entrepreneur First?
EF is uniquely suited for:
- Individuals, not teams — especially those with deep technical or research backgrounds.
- Founders who have ambition but no startup yet.
- Builders who want to meet a high-quality co-founder through a structured, competitive process.
- People willing to take a 3–6 month leap to go from zero to company.
This is not for someone who already has a full team, product, and traction. EF is designed to create companies from scratch, not to scale existing ones.
Program Structure & Terms
- Phase 1: Form — EF brings together 50–100 individuals per cohort. You’ll meet potential co-founders, explore ideas, and start building.
- Phase 2: Launch — Once you form a team and validate an idea, EF may invest around $100K–$150K (region-dependent) in exchange for ~10% equity.
- Duration: 3–6 months.
- Locations: London, Paris, Berlin, Bangalore, Singapore, Toronto.
- No equity required to join — EF only takes equity if you form a company and accept investment.
What Makes EF Different?
Unlike YC, Techstars, or 500 Global, EF is for people before the startup even exists. It’s more like a startup studio for founders. Their program is selective—often recruiting from top universities, research labs, and big tech firms—and intensely founder-first.
It’s also ideal for people leaving academia or big tech, looking to take their first leap into entrepreneurship but needing the structure, peer group, and financial support to do it right.