Top 34 Retail Accelerators and Incubators (2026)
Retail accelerators provide focused support for startups aiming to enter the consumer goods and e-commerce space. For example, Newchip Accelerator has backed over 1,200 companies, while SAP.iO has made more than 200 investments in its portfolio.
Other programs like Rocket Internet have seen nearly 50 of their companies exit.
Below is our list of the best 34 Retail accelerators and incubators.
Failory's Top 10 Picks
With a focus on building and investing in internet companies, Rocket Internet operates globally to launch startups in sectors from e-commerce to FinTech. The firm provides extensive operational support to scale proven business models internationally, helping to create household names like HelloFresh and Zalando.
| Headquarters | Berlin, Berlin, Germany |
| Year Founded | 2007 |
| Founders | Marc Samwer, Nickyl Raithatha, Michele Ferrario, Christopher Strauch, Armando Baquero Ponte, Aneesa Arshad, Tanner Hackett, Oliver Samwer, Peter Kopitz, Alexander Samwer, Jaques Weltman, Fernando D'Alessio |
| Nº of Investments | 154 |
| Nº of Exits | 49 |
2. SAP.iO
SAP.iO helps B2B software startups scale by providing deep integration with SAP's technology, data, and vast customer base. Through its equity-free foundries and a dedicated venture fund, the program gives innovators the tools and access needed to build solutions that complement the SAP ecosystem.
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California, United States |
| Year Founded | 2017 |
| Founders | Ram Jambunathan |
| Investment Amount | Foundries: $0 (equity-free); Fund: $50K-$250K+ |
| Equity Taken | 0% |
| Nº of Investments | 236 |
| Nº of Exits | 42 |
| Program Type | Online |
| Duration (Weeks) | 10 |
3. H-FARM
Operating since 2005, H-FARM helps entrepreneurs launch new ventures across a wide range of industries including FinTech, SaaS, and AI. The platform provides seed funding while also supporting the digitalization of established corporations, fostering a unique innovation ecosystem.
| Headquarters | Roncade, Veneto, Italy |
| Year Founded | 2005 |
| Founders | Maurizio Rossi, Riccardo Donadon |
| Investment Amount | €50K-€500K typical seed funding; ES Accelerator: equity investment + follow-on potential |
| Nº of Investments | 86 |
| Nº of Exits | 18 |
| Program Type | On-Site |
Newchip Accelerator offers a global, remote program that prepares early-stage startups from any industry for their next funding round. Founders gain access to a full curriculum and mentorship to help them raise capital, all while retaining 100% of their equity.
| Headquarters | Austin, Texas, United States |
| Year Founded | 2016 |
| Founders | Andrew Ryan, Travis Brodeen, Nihar Patel, Andrew Ryan |
| Investment Amount | Up to $250K for top companies (via partner warrant option) |
| Equity Taken | 0% |
| Nº of Investments | 1275 |
| Nº of Exits | 16 |
| Program Type | Online |
| Duration (Weeks) | 24 |
5. XRC Ventures
XRC Ventures champions the next wave of disruptive startups across the retail, consumer, and healthtech sectors. Through its dual venture fund and accelerator model, the firm provides capital and strategic support to help founders build the future of commerce and well-being.
| Headquarters | New York, New York, United States |
| Year Founded | 2015 |
| Founders | Pano Anthos |
| Investment Amount | $100K-$300K (accelerator) |
| Nº of Investments | 168 |
| Nº of Exits | 13 |
| Program Type | Online |
| Duration (Weeks) | 14 |
Samurai Incubate invests in a wide range of early-stage startups, providing them with both capital and deep operational support. The firm offers hands-on guidance in key areas like management, marketing, sales, and HR to help founders build and grow their businesses.
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan |
| Year Founded | 2008 |
| Founders | Hayato Ikegami, Kentaro Sakakibara |
| Nº of Investments | 181 |
| Nº of Exits | 13 |
| Program Type | Online |
7. Data Pitch
Data Pitch connected data-rich organizations with startups to solve industry challenges through its EU-funded accelerator program. It provided equity-free funding and a six-month virtual curriculum to help early-stage companies build innovative, data-driven products.
| Headquarters | London, England, United Kingdom |
| Year Founded | 2017 |
| Founders | Ali Syed, Bashara Hinnawi, Heidi Lindvall |
| Nº of Investments | 48 |
| Nº of Exits | 7 |
Lighthouse Labs RVA champions early-stage startups across diverse sectors like EdTech and HealthTech with a founder-first approach. They provide a $20,000 equity-free investment, allowing founders to accelerate growth while retaining full ownership of their companies.
| Headquarters | Richmond, Virginia, United States |
| Year Founded | 2012 |
| Founders | Todd Nuckols |
| Nº of Investments | 92 |
| Nº of Exits | 6 |
| Program Type | Online |
| Duration (Weeks) | 12 |
9. VENTIUR
Ventiur provides early-stage venture capital to entrepreneurs across a diverse set of industries, including FinTech, AgTech, and Software. They specialize in boosting growth by connecting their portfolio startups with established corporations to facilitate corporate venture capital investments and strategic partnerships.
| Headquarters | São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil |
| Year Founded | 2013 |
| Founders | Sandro Cortezia, Guilherme Kudiess, Carlos Klein |
| Nº of Investments | 89 |
| Nº of Exits | 5 |
| Duration (Weeks) | 24 |
10. Nielsen Innovate
As an early-stage incubator and investment fund, Nielsen Innovate champions startups focused on retail, marketing, research, and media technologies. They provide the necessary capital and strategic support to help founders build and scale their ventures from the ground up.
| Headquarters | Caesarea, Hefa, Israel |
| Year Founded | 2013 |
| Founders | Esther Barak Landes |
| Nº of Investments | 36 |
| Nº of Exits | 5 |
24 Additional Retail Accelerators and Incubators Worth Applying To
Our top picks are a great place to start, but the support for retail founders doesn't end there. Combined, the programs below have invested in over 370 startups and guided more than 20 to an exit.
These accelerators are spread across the globe, from the United States to Slovenia and Vietnam. Here’s a look at the other accelerators and incubators helping founders in the retail space.
| Accelerator/Incubator | Country | Year Founded | Nº Investments | Nº Exits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Plug and Play Spain | Spain | 2012 | 51 | 5 |
 Target Accelerators | India | 2014 | 31 | 5 |
 INCISENT Labs | United States | 2009 | 4 | 2 |
 Hayseed Ventures | United States | 2015 | 8 | 2 |
 R/GA IoT Venture Studio UK | United Kingdom | 2016 | 10 | 2 |
 Highline Beta | Canada | 2016 | 22 | 1 |
 Kings Ventures | United States | 2007 | 10 | 1 |
 IKEA Bootcamp | Sweden | 2017 | 13 | 1 |
 ABC Accelerator | Slovenia | 2015 | 66 | 1 |
 FORUM | Singapore | 2015 | 4 | 1 |
 Annex Ventures Management LLC | United States | — | 3 | 1 |
 Nex Cubed FinTech | United States | 2019 | 7 | 1 |
 Plug and Play Brand & Retail | United States | 2006 | 1 | 1 |
 Mana Up | United States | 2017 | 71 | — |
 Imagination Machine | France | 2017 | 2 | — |
 i2A Capital - Asia incubator | China | 2020 | — | — |
 FCJ Triangulo Venture Builder | Brazil | 2018 | 4 | — |
 RIHub | United States | 2019 | — | — |
 Nike Valiant Labs | United States | 2018 | — | — |
 Ocean Solutions Accelerator | United States | 2014 | 2 | — |
 Yellow Sub AI | United Kingdom | 2018 | — | — |
 ThinkZone Ventures | Vietnam | 2019 | 22 | — |
 Plug and Play Japan | United States | 2017 | 13 | — |
 Savour Ventures | Kuwait | 2017 | 29 | — |
