TIME named the best accelerators and incubators in the US for 2026. Who made the top 5

The final rating was composed of four components:

— 40% — overall recommendation from graduates;
— 45% — ratings based on six separate criteria;
— 10% — results and track record of startups;
— 5% — recommendations from investors and entrepreneurs. 

Thus, 85% of the final rating was based on the direct experience of program participants.

Top 5 of the rating

1. Techstars

The first place was taken by Techstars — one of the pioneers of the modern accelerator model.

The program is built not only around funding but also around founders' access to entrepreneurs and executives of large companies who help startups with market entry, project presentation, and finding the right contacts. 

According to co-founder and CEO of Techstars David Cohen, the program is particularly useful for companies that need help with market entry, pitching, and building a network of contacts. After completing the three-month program, Techstars continues to work with graduates as they grow.

2. MassChallenge

The second place was taken by MassChallenge, founded in 2009.

Unlike the classic venture fund model, the organization focuses on supporting technological projects with high impact potential and commercialization.

About 65% of MassChallenge's funding comes from companies and government organizations interested in working with innovative projects. The remaining 35% comes from grants and philanthropic funding. 

Among notable MassChallenge graduates, TIME highlights Spring Health, which operates in the mental health sector, and Tomorrow.io, specializing in weather technology.

3. Tampa Bay Wave

The third place was taken by Tampa Bay Wave — a non-profit accelerator from Florida.

The organization was created because its founder, Linda Olson, while working on her own tech startup, discovered the lack of a developed startup ecosystem in the region.

Since 2008, Tampa Bay Wave has worked with companies from 30 countries, attracted entrepreneurs to the region, and contributed to the creation of thousands of jobs. 

One example is the cybersecurity startup Refactr. Before participating in the program, the company faced difficulties in raising funding and was close to closing. After acceleration, the startup attracted investments and was subsequently acquired by the British company Sophos. 

4. Y Combinator

The fourth place was taken by Y Combinator — one of the most well-known accelerators in the world, which launched companies such as Airbnb, Stripe, Dropbox, and Reddit.

The program combines funding, mentoring, and access to a global community of founders and investors. Startups go through an intensive program and at the end present their projects to investors on Demo Day.

5. The Garage at Northwestern University

The fifth place was taken by The Garage at Northwestern University — a university incubator focused on students and graduates who are developing their own startups.

The program was launched in 2015 and has supported over 1500 startups since then. Companies that have gone through The Garage have collectively raised more than $1.6 billion and created over 2600 jobs.