Top Startup Accelerators & Incubators in Boston, USA

Boston, known for its rich history and deep academic roots, has rapidly grown into a central hub for innovation in the United States. With a strong presence like MIT and Harvard, Boston has cultivated a fertile ground for technological and scientific advancements.

This guide explores Boston's leading accelerators and incubators, which support startups at various stages, from ideation and launch to significant growth phase. Its goal is to help you find a program that aligns with your vision and propels your ideas into impactful, global organizations.

Top 10 Startup Accelerators & Incubators in Boston, USA

1. MassChallenge Boston

Target Audience: Early-stage startups and entrepreneurs with a team.

Niche: Health Tech.

MassChallenge, headquartered in Boston, is a renowned global non-profit accelerator founded in 2009, dedicated to empowering early-stage entrepreneurs. The Boston chapter specifically focuses on digital health startups, providing them with industry-leading training, mentorships from experts, and partnership opportunities through matchmaking. The program's participants experience significant revenue growth, funding opportunities, and expansion in employee size.

2. Cleantech Open Accelerator

Target Audience: Early-stage startups and entrepreneurs with a team.

Niche: Industry agnostic

Cleantech Open, based in Boston, is the world's largest accelerator focusing on clean technology. It targets entrepreneurs in sectors such as energy, agriculture, and cleantech. The program offers a 12-week training program with workshops and boot camps, robust mentorship from business experts, and networking opportunities with industry-thought leaders. Successful participants can receive up to $75K in cash and $50K in in-kind services to help launch and scale their businesses.

3. Fintech Sandbox

Target Audience: Startups with a team.

Niche: Fintech, with a focus on data and API development.

Fintech Sandbox is a unique accelerator in Boston that focuses on startups within the FinTech ecosystem. It provides participants with critical resources such as access to financial data, APIs from leading data partners, and premium cloud hosting solutions. Additionally, it offers networking opportunities and plans to enhance support through partnerships with other accelerators and incubators.

4. Greentown Labs

Target Audience: Early-stage startups with an idea and a team.

Niche: Cleantech and energy.

Greentown Labs is a climate-focused startup incubator in Boston that supports founders and innovators in climate tech and cleantech. Ideal for those developing prototypes and entering the market, it provides access to equipment, mentorship, workshops, and a robust network, including investors. Participants benefit from funding, office space, and tools to foster successful ventures.

5. Techstars Boston

Target Audience: Early-stage startups seeking growth and funding.

Niche:  Industry-agnostic.

Techstars Boston is part of a global network that significantly impacts the startup ecosystem by selecting over 500 startups worldwide yearly for its 3-month programs. Each startup in the Boston program receives $120k in investment, extensive mentorship, and access to a robust alum network. Known for its highly successful funding rounds, Techstars Boston helps startups achieve an average post-accelerator funding round of $1 million.

6. PharmStars

Target Audience: Early and growth-stage startups with a team.

Niche: Digital health, Pharma tech.

PharmStars is a pharma-focused accelerator dedicated to digital health startups that aim to improve patient outcomes through innovative technologies. It offers education and mentoring for startups seeking to engage with pharmaceutical and biotech companies, backed by pharma members ready to collaborate with its graduates.

7. Cogo Labs

Target Audience: Early-stage startups with an idea and a vision.

Niche: Industry agnostic.

Cogo Labs is a startup incubator based in Boston that focuses on launching businesses from internal experiments to profitability. It supports innovative founders with tools for testing and scaling capital-efficient companies and focuses on rapid career development for driven individuals. Cogo Labs offers continual technical, analytical, and mentorship support to ensure the success and growth of its startups.

8. Harvard Innovation Labs

Target Audience: Harvard students, alums, and life science majors.

Niche: Industry agnostic.

The Harvard Innovation Labs is an innovation ecosystem designed to support Harvard students, alums, and those engaged in life sciences. It serves as a platform for nurturing ideas and transforming them into impactful ventures through various resources and programs tailored to encourage entrepreneurial and innovative efforts across the university.

9. IDEA Lab

Target Audience: Students and members of the Northeastern University community interested in entrepreneurship.

Niche: Industry agnostic.

IDEA is a student-led venture accelerator at Northeastern University that supports the entrepreneurial journey from concept to launch. This program empowers students and the broader Northeastern community by providing the necessary tools and educational experiences to turn innovative ideas into viable businesses, enabling a solid entrepreneurship environment.

10. LearnLaunch Fund + Accelerator

Target Audience: Entrepreneurs passionate about educational innovation.

Niche: Educational technology and innovation.

LearnLaunch Accelerator in Boston supports entrepreneurs passionate about transforming the education sector. This 10-week program provides up to $200K in funding and offers extensive mentorship from industry experts to help startups refine their products and strategies. Founded in 2013, LearnLaunch is geared toward developing lasting partnerships with founders, providing them with resources to achieve their business goals.

AcceleratorApp Closing Thoughts on Startup Accelerators and Incubators in Boston, USA

Renowned for its academic and technological prowess, Boston is a pivotal innovation hub, especially in fields like biotech and education. Home to institutions like MIT and Harvard, the city's accelerators and incubators, such as MassChallenge and Techstars Boston, provide vital support with funding, mentorship, and extensive networks.

This ecosystem is instrumental in converting innovative ideas into successful enterprises, making Boston a critical player for entrepreneurs looking to impact their industries significantly.

Want to discover more accelerators and incubators from other countries? Check out the list below. 

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