Deep tech accelerators: the programs whose own words say science, hard tech or climate

A deep tech accelerator, for the purpose of this guide, is one that says so itself. On our list, SOSV calls itself "Deep Tech for Human and Planetary Health" and Boost VC leads pre-seed rounds "for deep tech founders in aerospace, nuclear, AI & more". Activate is a two-year fellowship for scientists that pays a living stipend and takes no equity. Third Derivative runs a climate tech accelerator, and Rockstart invests in "a regenerative and sustainable future". Three general programs, Endless Frontier Labs, MassChallenge and Startupbootcamp, run science or climate tracks.

The list is short on purpose: a program is here only when its own words put it here, and we quote each from its own pages, as we read them on 29 and 30 September 2026 and again on 2 October 2026. Our list has no "focus" field, so we picked programs by their taglines and program pages.

01How we picked them

We read the tagline of every program in room 03, then the pages of the ones that matched. A program is in this guide if its own words name deep tech, hard tech, science or climate as what it backs. General programs that run a science or climate track are in the table too, with one line each further down.

Two programs use nearby words and are not here: Founders, Inc. backs "hard problems in emerging domains" and Betaworks Camp "frontier technologies". Neither names science or climate as what it backs, so they aren't in this guide. Betaworks' recent camps are about AI, and they're in AI startup accelerators.

02Venture programs that say deep tech: SOSV and Boost VC

SOSV puts it in its first line:

A035SOSV·In their words

“Deep Tech for Human and Planetary Health SOSV is the world’s most active deep tech venture capital firm investing at pre-seed”

Its home page (opens in a new tab), read on 2 October 2026, describes the programs behind that line. HAX is "Helping hard tech founders tap into the world's ecosystems for real-world product development, manufacturing and fundraising in Newark, NJ." SOSV NY covers "Cutting-edge healthcare and engineering biology, with wet-lab infrastructure". SOSV expects founders to join one of its programs in New York, San Francisco or Newark, and backs only teams with more than one founder; the two rules are quoted in accelerators in San Francisco and accelerators for solo founders. SOSV on the list. Its ownership rule and check size are quoted in how much equity accelerators take.

Boost VC names the fields:

A021Boost VC·In their words

“We lead pre-seed rounds with $500k for deep tech founders in aerospace, nuclear, AI & more. #1 Deep Tech VC. 70+ investments/year. $5B+ follow-on raised.”

Its check sizes are quoted in the equity guide, and how fast it answers after a first call is in how long accelerators take to answer. Its next fellowship deadline is in the Next deadlines strip in room 03. Boost VC on the list.

03A fellowship for scientists: Activate

Activate is built for scientists, and it pays the person, not the company:

A042Activate Fellowship·In their words

“Where scientists become leaders of world-changing ventures.”

When we re-read its home page (opens in a new tab) on 2 October 2026, it led with a shorter line, "Driving Hard Tech for Good", and described its program as "the first fellowship for entrepreneurial scientists".

What it pays. Its application page, as we read it on 30 September 2026: "$100K living stipend per year". Re-read on 2 October 2026, the same page also lists "$100K in R&D support", "$12K in travel and professional development funds per year" and a "Health insurance stipend". We don't link that page from guides because the application form lives there; the stipend quote is on Activate's page on the list.

What it takes. Nothing, by its FAQ (opens in a new tab), read on 2 October 2026: "No. Activate does not charge any fees or take any equity (financial stake) in fellow companies for individuals to join and participate in the fellowship." The same FAQ calls it "the 2-year fellowship experience", starting on 1 July.

Who can apply. The application page sets the bar, in its words:

• "Must have a bachelor's degree and 4+ years post-baccalaureate scientific research, engineering, or technology development experience"
• "Must be leading the commercial development of a hardware-based technology innovation for the first time if awarded the fellowship"
• "Must not have raised more than $2M in debt or equity funding from non-governmental sources at the time of the application deadline"
• "Must be legally able to work in the U.S. for the duration of the fellowship"

You don't need a company yet: the FAQ says "Applicants are not required to have an incorporated entity in order to apply". You can apply with a co-founder, "We take up to two co-applicants from the same project", but "we only provide fellowship funding to one individual per project". And the FAQ is plain on visas: "Activate cannot hold, sponsor, or petition for fellow work visas." Programs that do help with visas are in accelerators for international founders.

When. Its application page, read on 30 September 2026: "Applications will close October 30 at 12 p.m. PT." The date is also in the Next deadlines strip in room 03.

04Climate: Third Derivative and Rockstart

Third Derivative describes itself as "an open, collaborative climate tech ecosystem that accelerates startups and moves markets", on its home page as we read it on 30 September 2026. Its home page (opens in a new tab) also says it was "Founded by RMI and New Energy Nexus in 2020". The program on our list is its Future Industries Partnership, which, in the home page's words, "helps climate tech startups accelerate impact in industrial and built environment sectors". Its program page says "Startups will apply to participate in an 18-month accelerator journey" and names three regions: Southeast Asia (with a focus on Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia), India and the Middle East. In its words: "We focus on startups both based in these regions and those seeking to expand their operations and impact into these geographies." We didn't find an investment, an equity stake or a fee on the pages we read on 2 October 2026. Third Derivative on the list.

Rockstart says on its home page (opens in a new tab), as we read it on 30 September 2026: "We invest in ambitious founders with groundbreaking visions for a regenerative and sustainable future." Re-read on 2 October 2026, the page says it backs "purpose-driven founders operating in Energy, AgriFood and Emerging Technology" and has "offices in Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Bogotá". It invests on a SAFE and charges a fee for its support package; the fee and the terms are quoted in the equity guide. Rockstart on the list.

05Science and climate tracks in general programs

These programs are not deep tech programs by their own description, but each runs a track a science or climate founder may want:

• Endless Frontier Labs: NYU Stern's nine-month program for science-based ideas.
• MassChallenge: a nonprofit; its areas include Climate and Healthcare & Life Sciences.
• Startupbootcamp: runs an Energy & Climate accelerator in Amsterdam.

Endless Frontier Labs and MassChallenge both say they take no equity; the quotes, with the other programs that take no stake, are in accelerators that take no equity.

06What to check before you apply

The pages above point to five questions to answer for each program:

1. Who gets the money: you or the company? Activate pays a stipend to one person per project. SOSV, Boost VC and Rockstart invest in a company.
2. What do they take? Activate takes no equity; the venture programs invest for a stake. SOSV and Boost VC publish their check sizes, and Rockstart publishes a fee. Compare them in the equity guide.
3. Where do you have to be? SOSV's programs are in New York, San Francisco and Newark. Activate requires you to be able to work in the US and won't sponsor a visa. Third Derivative's program is for startups in or entering Southeast Asia, India and the Middle East.
4. Do you need a company or a team? Activate doesn't require a company. SOSV requires more than one founder.
5. When do they decide? Activate and Boost VC have deadlines; Rockstart says its support package runs on a rolling basis. The live dates are in the Next deadlines strip in room 03, and the stated timelines in how long accelerators take to answer.

If you are also launching a product while you apply, the launch plan puts programs and launch sites on one calendar. Add the programs you pick to My launch with the + on each poster:

07How we checked

Every quote comes from the program's own pages, with the page and the exact words. The facts on each program's page on the list were read on 29 and 30 September 2026; for this guide we re-read SOSV's, Activate's, Third Derivative's and Rockstart's pages on 2 October 2026. We picked programs by what they say about themselves, not by our opinion of their portfolios, and we don't know acceptance rates or results. Each poster and table row shows the date of our last link check.

Terms and deadlines change between cohorts: read each program's current pages before you apply. Nobody pays to be listed or to appear in a guide. Read how we check for the details.

08Questions

01

What is a deep tech accelerator?

There is no fixed definition. In this guide it means a program whose own pages say it backs deep tech, hard tech, science or climate companies: on our list, SOSV, Boost VC, Activate, Third Derivative and Rockstart. Endless Frontier Labs, MassChallenge and Startupbootcamp are general programs with science or climate tracks.

02

Are there accelerators for scientists?

Activate describes itself as a fellowship for scientists. It pays a living stipend and other support to one person per project for two years, takes no equity, and asks for research or engineering experience and a hardware-based technology. Endless Frontier Labs at NYU Stern also works with science-based ideas.

03

Which deep tech and climate programs take no equity?

On our list, Activate says it takes no equity and charges no fees, and MassChallenge, a nonprofit with a Climate track, says it takes no equity. We found no investment or stake on Third Derivative's program pages. Rockstart invests on a SAFE and charges a fee for its support package.

04

Do deep tech accelerators require you to relocate?

Some do. SOSV expects founders to join one of its programs in New York, San Francisco or Newark. Activate requires you to be able to work in the US for the fellowship and cannot sponsor visas. Third Derivative's program is for startups in or entering Southeast Asia, India and the Middle East.