Top 26 Space Accelerators and Incubators (2026)
The space industry has a growing number of programs designed to help new companies succeed. For example, Y Combinator has made over 7,800 investments, while Techstars has completed more than 6,300.
Beyond the large, multi-industry players, there are also more focused programs. Starburst Accelerator, for instance, concentrates on aviation, space, and defense, with over 75 investments in these areas.
Below is our list of the best 26 Space accelerators and incubators.
Failory's Top 10 Picks
1. Y Combinator
They help launch early-stage startups across a vast array of industries by providing seed funding and an intensive mentorship program. Its community-centric approach has helped build legendary companies like Airbnb, Dropbox, and Stripe, making it one of the most prestigious programs for founders.
| Headquarters | Mountain View, California, United States |
| Year Founded | 2005 |
| Founders | Trevor Blackwell, Jessica Livingston, Armand Cognetta, Paul Graham, Robert Morris |
| Investment Amount | $500,000 ($125K for 7% + $375K uncapped MFN SAFE) |
| Equity Taken | 7% + SAFE conversion (~2.5% more typical) |
| Nº of Investments | 7818 |
| Nº of Exits | 687 |
| Program Type | On-Site |
| Duration (Weeks) | 11 |
2. Techstars
Techstars fuels the growth of early-stage startups by providing pre-seed investment and intensive mentorship across a diverse range of industries. Founders join a three-month, mentorship-driven program that offers hands-on support and access to a massive global network of investors and alumni.
| 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 |
Backed by the University of Tokyo, this platform invests in early to later-stage startups to help commercialize academic research. They focus on turning deep-tech innovations from fields like life sciences, robotics, and AI into globally competitive companies.
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan |
| Year Founded | 2016 |
| Founders | Katsuhiko Oizumi |
| Nº of Investments | 73 |
| Nº of Exits | 9 |
The Accelerator Centre helps develop and commercialize technology startups through world-class mentorship and a network of facilities. As an award-winning not-for-profit, they provide founders with significant resources and a supportive community to build globally competitive companies, often without taking equity.
| Headquarters | Waterloo, Ontario, Canada |
| Year Founded | 2006 |
| Founders | — |
| Investment Amount | Aerospace Program: up to $600K in-kind tools/services |
| Nº of Investments | 211 |
| Nº of Exits | 9 |
| Program Type | On-Site |
| Duration (Weeks) | 144 |
What If Ventures provides crucial early-stage funding to startups tackling mental health and addiction recovery. The firm also backs founders building the future of hard tech, with a focus on defense, space, and industrial technologies.
| Headquarters | Frisco, Texas, United States |
| Year Founded | 2019 |
| Founders | Stephen Hays |
| Nº of Investments | 88 |
| Nº of Exits | 7 |
6. Centech
Centech champions deep tech startups, guiding companies with high growth potential through the complexities of scaling. They specialize in supporting ventures in demanding sectors such as space, semiconductors, and medical devices.
| Headquarters | Montréal, Quebec, Canada |
| Year Founded | 1996 |
| Founders | Carl Malartre |
| Nº of Investments | 106 |
| Nº of Exits | 5 |
| Program Type | On-Site |
| Duration (Weeks) | 12104 |
Starburst Accelerator propels early-stage startups in the aviation, space, and defense sectors onto the global stage. They act as a critical link between groundbreaking technology and the major corporations, government agencies, and investors that define the aerospace industry.
| 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 |
By offering capital, a collaborative platform, and access to a deep network, the Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies gives local entrepreneurs a distinct advantage. They focus on accelerating startups across diverse emerging technology fields, from AgTech and FinTech to life sciences and aviation.
| Headquarters | Burlington, Vermont, United States |
| Year Founded | 2005 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 21 |
| Nº of Exits | 3 |
Operating as part of the UK's Ministry of Defence, this accelerator finds and funds innovative technologies to address national security challenges. They provide a vital bridge connecting private sector innovators with the government resources and contacts needed to build a safer future.
| Headquarters | Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom |
| Year Founded | 2016 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 11 |
| Nº of Exits | 3 |
10. CAS Star
Stemming from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS Star focuses on incubating and investing in "hard and core" technology startups. They specialize in commercializing scientific breakthroughs in fields like optoelectronic chips, AI, and new materials through strategic investment and support.
| Headquarters | Xian, Hunan, China |
| Year Founded | 2020 |
| Founders | Hao Li, Lei Mi |
| Nº of Investments | 208 |
| Nº of Exits | 2 |
16 Additional Space Accelerators and Incubators Worth Applying To
The programs we highlighted are excellent, but there are many other strong options for founders. Together, the accelerators and incubators listed below have invested in more than 350 companies.
These programs are spread across the United States and Europe, from Poland to the UK. Here’s a look at the rest of the startup accelerators helping founders in the space industry.
| Accelerator/Incubator | Country | Year Founded | Nº Investments | Nº Exits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Space3ac | Poland | 2015 | 143 | 2 |
 Qi3 Ventures | United Kingdom | 1999 | 10 | 2 |
 AFWERX | United States | 2017 | 43 | 1 |
 EDventure Holdings | United States | — | 1 | 1 |
 I3P | Italy | 1999 | 29 | 1 |
 SAP.iO Foundry Berlin | Germany | 2016 | 2 | 1 |
 GIGA Venture | United Kingdom | 2023 | 1 | — |
 Commercialization Reactor | Latvia | 2009 | 6 | — |
 Catalyst Accelerator | United States | 2018 | 6 | — |
 Hula | United States | 2018 | 4 | — |
 Seraphim Space Accelerator | United States | 2018 | 17 | — |
 Aerospace Xelerated | United Kingdom | 2019 | 40 | — |
 Thales Digital Factory | France | 2017 | — | — |
 Actuate Ventures | United States | 2024 | 1 | — |
 European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre, Noordwijk | France | 2003 | 10 | — |
 DigitalCPR | Canada | — | 39 | — |
