Top 13 Accelerators and Incubators in Boulder (2026)
Boulder, Colorado is a key city for early-stage companies looking for support. The area contains a mix of programs designed to help new businesses succeed.
Global accelerator Techstars has a major presence here, with over 6k investments to its name. Other focused programs like Third Derivative have also made an impact, backing over 200 climate tech startups.
Below is our list of the best 13 accelerators and incubators in Boulder.
Failory's Top 10 Picks
1. Techstars
Techstars provides pre-seed investment and hands-on mentorship to early-stage startups across a vast range of industries. Through its intensive 13-week program, founders gain access to a powerful global network and the resources needed to build and scale their companies.
| Year Founded | 2006 |
| Founders | Jakub Kulisa, Nikita Gupta, Jared Polis, Brad Feld, Asetila Koestinger Von Sonnenland, David Brown, Mike Romano, David Cohen |
| Investment Amount | $220,000 ($200K uncapped MFN SAFE + $20K for 5% equity) |
| Equity Taken | 5% + SAFE conversion |
| Nº of Investments | 6394 |
| Nº of Exits | 570 |
| Program Type | On-Site |
| Duration (Weeks) | 13 |
Boomtown Accelerators designs customized programs to help early-stage startups across a wide range of tech industries, from AdTech to HealthTech. They provide seed funding and mentorship to help founders build profitable and scalable businesses.
| Year Founded | 2013 |
| Founders | Jack Donenfeld, Erin Stadler, Toby Krout, Stephen Groth, Jose Vieitez, Jason Searfoss |
| Investment Amount | $35K-$50K seed + $20K cash + $1.7M+ in perks/discounts |
| Equity Taken | ~6% |
| Nº of Investments | 174 |
| Nº of Exits | 11 |
| Program Type | Online |
| Duration (Weeks) | 12 |
Third Derivative accelerates promising climate tech startups from around the globe, focusing on innovations in hardware, software, and business models. Backed by RMI and New Energy Nexus, they provide crucial funding and access to a curated ecosystem of investors and experts to scale solutions for the climate crisis.
| Year Founded | 2020 |
| Founders | Josh Agenbroad, Bryan Hassin, Elaine Hsieh, Jason Prince, Jon Creyts |
| Nº of Investments | 226 |
| Nº of Exits | 7 |
4. MergeLane
MergeLane champions female leadership by investing in high-potential startups and venture capital funds that have at least one woman in a leadership position. They provide capital and a supportive network to help these companies scale and succeed in a competitive landscape.
| Year Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | Sue Heilbronner |
| Nº of Investments | 54 |
| Nº of Exits | 5 |
| Duration (Weeks) | 12 |
5. Startup Next
Operating under the Techstars umbrella, Startup Next served as a pre-accelerator to ready early-stage startups for accelerators and seed investors. The program provided intensive mentorship to help founders successfully navigate the next steps of their fundraising journey.
| Year Founded | 2012 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 13 |
| Nº of Exits | 5 |
| Program Type | On-Site |
| Duration (Weeks) | 5 |
CanopyBoulder provides mentorship and seed-stage investment for companies creating ancillary products and services for the legal cannabis industry. Its mentorship-driven program is designed to help founders build the essential technology and services that support the rapidly expanding legal cannabis market.
| Year Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | Troy Dayton, Patrick Rea, Micah Tapman, Mark A. Nottoli |
| Nº of Investments | 79 |
| Nº of Exits | 3 |
| Program Type | On-Site |
| Duration (Weeks) | 15 |
By connecting startups with the resources of Alabama Power, the Techstars EnergyTech Accelerator helps launch new companies focused on cleantech and innovative utility solutions. Founders receive hands-on mentorship and tap into a global network to build and scale their ventures in the rapidly evolving energy sector.
| Year Founded | 2006 |
| Founders | Nate Schmidt |
| Nº of Investments | 25 |
| Nº of Exits | 1 |
| Program Type | On-Site |
| Duration (Weeks) | 13 |
This Techstars program backs founders building technology to solve pressing challenges within the modern workforce. They provide hands-on mentorship and funding to help ventures scale solutions for everything from corporate training to talent acquisition.
| Year Founded | 2006 |
| Founders | Taylor McLemore |
| Nº of Investments | 28 |
| Nº of Exits | 1 |
Techstars operates a global network of accelerator programs designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs build and scale their businesses. They provide seed funding, intensive mentorship, and lifelong access to a vast community of founders and investors.
| Year Founded | — |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 5 |
| Nº of Exits | 1 |
10. Black Lab Sports
Black Lab Sports incubates technology and invests in businesses within the sports and transportation industries. The firm supports ventures that unleash human potential, with a unique focus on the intersection of mind, body, and energy.
| Year Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | JP O'Brien |
| Nº of Investments | 4 |
| Nº of Exits | — |
3 Additional Boulder Accelerators and Incubators Worth Applying To
While our top picks are based in Boulder, the support for founders doesn't stop there. The accelerators below have collectively backed nearly 50 startups, opening up more doors for growth. They welcome founders from different industries and locations. Here’s a look at the other programs helping startups in and around Boulder.
| Accelerator/Incubator | Year Founded | Nº Investments | Nº Exits |
|---|---|---|---|
 Fulcrum Venture Accelerator | 2019 | 33 | — |
 Techstars London | 2009 | 2 | — |
 Techstars Physical Health, Fort Worth, Texas | 2006 | 11 | — |
