Top 5 Defense Accelerators and Incubators (2026)
Accelerators provide a key path for startups entering the complex defense industry. Generalist programs like Techstars have a huge reach, with over 6,300 investments made across its portfolio.
More focused funds also exist to support this specific area. What If Ventures has made nearly 90 investments, while Starburst Accelerator has backed over 75 companies in fields like aerospace and defense.
Below is our list of the best 5 Defense accelerators and incubators.
Failory's Top 5 Picks
1. Techstars
Operating a global network of accelerator programs, Techstars provides early-stage startups in a wide variety of sectors with pre-seed funding and intensive mentorship. This approach gives founders access to significant capital and a vast support system, resulting in thousands of investments and hundreds of successful exits.
| Headquarters | Boulder, Colorado, United States |
| 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 |
Fueling innovation in mental wellness, What If Ventures invests in early-stage startups dedicated to mental health and addiction recovery. The firm backs founders with capital from seed to pre-IPO, empowering them to develop and scale transformative healthcare solutions.
| Headquarters | Frisco, Texas, United States |
| Year Founded | 2019 |
| Founders | Stephen Hays |
| Nº of Investments | 88 |
| Nº of Exits | 7 |
Starburst Accelerator propels early-stage companies in the aviation, space, and defense sectors onto the global stage. They provide founders with deep industry connections and strategic guidance to navigate these complex and highly regulated markets.
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Year Founded | 2015 |
| Founders | Abhi Anuket, Francois Chopard, Sandra Budimir |
| Nº of Investments | 77 |
| Nº of Exits | 5 |
| Program Type | Online |
| Duration (Weeks) | 52 |
As part of the UK's Ministry of Defence, the Defence and Security Accelerator finds and funds innovative ideas to solve the nation's most complex security challenges. They connect private sector innovators with government end-users, providing the support needed to fast-track new technologies for UK defence and security.
| Headquarters | Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom |
| Year Founded | 2016 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 11 |
| Nº of Exits | 3 |
As the accelerator arm for SAP, they help B2B startups build innovative software that delivers value to SAP's enterprise customers. The equity-free program provides participants with curated mentorship, access to SAP technology, and opportunities to collaborate with a global client base.
| Headquarters | Berlin, Berlin, Germany |
| Year Founded | 2016 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 2 |
| Nº of Exits | 1 |
| Duration (Weeks) | 14 |
