The social impact sector includes a diverse group of accelerators that support startups focused on creating positive change. These programs offer resources to companies in fields ranging from healthcare and education to climate and finance.
Some organizations operate on a large scale, such as MassChallenge, which has made over 3,200 investments leading to more than 240 exits. Others, like Investisseurs & Partenaires, concentrate on specific regions with over 110 investments in sub-Saharan Africa.
Below is our list of the best 46 Social Impact accelerators and incubators.
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2,189 Accelerators & Incubators
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Get the Sheet for $50As a global non-profit, MassChallenge runs a network of zero-equity accelerator programs for early-stage startups. Founders from any industry can join to access mentorship and compete for significant, non-dilutive cash prizes.
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Year Founded | 2009 |
| Founders | Akhil Nigam, Cait Brumme, Vijay Sekhara, Amir Eldad, David Constantine, John Harthorne |
| Investment Amount | CHF 500K+ in cash prizes (competition-based), $0 direct investment |
| Equity Taken | 0% |
| Nº of Investments | 3230 |
| Nº of Exits | 246 |
| Program Type | On-Site |
| Duration (Weeks) | 20 |
Idea Foundry backs early-stage, tech-enabled startups aiming to create a significant social impact. Through its investment, the organization helps launch and scale companies that address pressing societal challenges.
| Headquarters | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Year Founded | 2002 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 72 |
| Nº of Exits | 15 |
| Duration (Weeks) | 12 |
LearnLaunch Fund + Accelerator provides capital and mentorship to early-stage startups aiming to transform the education sector. They partner with founders building innovative solutions across the entire learning lifecycle, from K-12 and higher education to workforce development.
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Year Founded | 2013 |
| Founders | Tetyana Astashkina, Matthew J. Rubins, Jean Hammond, Asad Butt |
| Investment Amount | $50K initial + up to $150K milestone-based = $200K total potential |
| Nº of Investments | 89 |
| Nº of Exits | 13 |
| Duration (Weeks) | 11 |
Dedicated entirely to Sub-Saharan Africa, Investisseurs & Partenaires champions the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises through impact investing. They partner with businesses in vital sectors such as agriculture, health, and energy, providing the financial backing needed to drive local economic and social progress.
| Headquarters | Paris, Ile-de-France, France |
| Year Founded | 2002 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 112 |
| Nº of Exits | 10 |
As the corporate venture capital fund for Australia's largest general insurer, Firemark Ventures invests in startups from seed to Series B. They partner with founders who are reshaping the future of insurance by providing capital and strategic access to the insurer's extensive resources and expertise.
| Headquarters | Surry Hills, New South Wales, Australia |
| Year Founded | 2016 |
| Founders | Ashley Frenken |
| Nº of Investments | 30 |
| Nº of Exits | 8 |
| Program Type | On-Site |
| Duration (Weeks) | 12 |
The Baobab Network provides early-stage tech ventures across Africa with crucial funding and hands-on support to help them grow. They partner with founders to scale innovative solutions in a wide range of sectors, from social impact to information technology.
| Headquarters | Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya |
| Year Founded | 2015 |
| Founders | Tom Fairburn, Toby Hanington |
| Nº of Investments | 78 |
| Nº of Exits | 4 |
| Program Type | Online |
| Duration (Weeks) | 12 |
As a venture capital and advisory firm, Nfinitiv provides funding and strategic guidance to purpose-driven founders of startups and scaleups. They champion companies with a social impact mission, having backed notable ventures like the anti-food waste app Too Good To Go.
| Headquarters | Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Luxembourg |
| Year Founded | 2017 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 4 |
| Nº of Exits | 3 |
Born from a partnership at the University of British Columbia, HATCH ventures helps transform research-based ideas into viable companies. They support technology and social impact startups by providing deep integration with university resources and a clear path from lab to market.
| Headquarters | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Year Founded | 2016 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 33 |
| Nº of Exits | 2 |
Hatch Ventures operates as a marketing consultancy, guiding technology companies through new product launches and market entries. They offer specialized expertise in go-to-market strategy and product marketing, helping both tech and social impact ventures build momentum from day one.
| Headquarters | Redmond, Washington, United States |
| Year Founded | 2006 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 3 |
| Nº of Exits | 2 |
Taronga Ventures drives innovation across the real asset sector by investing in technology startups focused on the built environment. They provide capital and strategic support to companies aiming to transform foundational industries like real estate and infrastructure.
| Headquarters | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Year Founded | 2015 |
| Founders | Avi Naidu, Jonathan Hannam |
| Nº of Investments | 29 |
| Nº of Exits | 1 |
| Program Type | On-Site |
| Duration (Weeks) | 52 |
36 Additional Social Impact Accelerators and Incubators Worth Applying To
Our top picks are just a handful of the programs out there helping social impact startups. Combined, the accelerators below have backed over 540 startups across the globe, from the United States to Japan.
Each program offers a different approach to building a business that does good. Here’s a look at the rest of the accelerators helping founders make a difference.
