pre-accelerator APPLICATION: Free to Attend, 0% Equity Taken
A 7-week pre-accelerator designed for pre-seed/seed stage founders to master fundraising, gain access to mentors, and network. Learn from diverse industry experts, receive group mentoring, and join a mastermind group.
Funding Breakthrough Lab is now FREE for founders to attend. This enables it to be accessible to more founders.
The early application deadline is January 16th (11:59pm PST)
Tentative dates
Online (March 15th - April 29th, 2027)
Cohort runs March 15th - April 29th (online).
In person (Optional)
Opening & Closing Retreats in person retreats at Rancho San Gregorio
Top 10 Demo Day Competition
Who should join?
You don’t fit the traditional startup or YC founder mold
You’re an immigrant founder, underserved founder, or experienced operator with 10+ years of industry expertise
We intentionally ensure at least 50% of each cohort is made up of women founders
You care about building something meaningful, not just making money
You’re bootstrapping, pre-seed, or seed-stage and want to better understand the funding landscape
You want clarity on fundraising options including non-dilutive capital, grants, venture capital, loans, and alternative financing
You don’t have the time or network to figure everything out alone
You want honest feedback and pitch practice to communicate your business more effectively to investors, partners, and customers
You value founder wellbeing, long-term thinking, and maintaining control of your company
You want to be surrounded by ambitious, values-aligned founders who genuinely support each other
You’re looking for both tactical startup education and a strong founder community
Read more about us here:
www.fundingbreakthroughlab.org
Candidates that want early acceptance review can opt to apply early.
WHAT YOU GET:
Opening and Closing Retreat at Rancho San Gregorio
Workshop Recordings: Ability to rewatch the workshops 1 year period
Exclusive Community Membership: Join a vibrant network of like-minded founders
Mentor + Coaching Access: Engage with experienced mentors through Slack for guidance and support
Mastermind Groups: Supercharge your growth with a life long friends
3 Pitch Competitions: Improve your pitch all the way through
The Fourth Effect: 3 months advisory boards platform access
Access to joining next cohort: alumni are allowed to come back (Q&A reserved for ongoing cohort)
TAKE AWAYS:
💡 Actionable advice from industry experts (VCs, founders, lawyers, tax strategists, and business bankers).
🎙️ Live Q&A sessions tailored to your startup’s unique challenges.
🤝 Personalized mentorship to shape your product, pitch, and fundraising strategy.
👥 Group accountability to keep you motivated and moving forward.
🎯 Weekly pitch feedback to refine and perfect your investor presentations.
📈 Clear understanding of funding sources and strategies to optimize your approach.
🌐 Access to a network of founders, mentors, and opportunities to pitch directly to VCs with focus on B2B AI
📚 In-depth knowledge of the ins and outs of early-stage fundraising.
Brought to you by:
Funding Breakthrough Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pre-accelerator with a mission of creating a supportive community (23,000+ subscribers) to build a better tomorrow. We support founder success not just startup success by ensuring founders have access to education, networks, and resources to unlock their potential. Founded by Natalie Pan, an engineer, community builder and executive coach. Apply for the next cohort here https://fundingbreakthroughlab.org.