Entrepreneur First
Entrepreneur First (EF) is a talent investor that recruits individuals before they have a co-founder or idea, helps them form teams, and funds the resulting companies. It gives an equity-free grant during the ideation phase and invests up to $250K once a company is formed, with follow-on capital available. Current hubs are London, Bangalore and San Francisco, with Demo Day in San Francisco.
At a glance
Entrepreneur First key facts
- Investment
- $250K
- Deal terms
- Equity-free stipend during ideation, then up to $250K investment after company formation (third-party sources report $125K post-money SAFE for 8% plus $125K uncapped MFN SAFE; not confirmed on EF's site)
- Format
- In-person
- Headquarters
- London, United Kingdom
- Cohort locations
- London, United Kingdom; Bangalore, India; San Francisco, United States
- Stage
- pre-idea, pre-seed
- Sectors
- general, deep tech, ai
- Application cycle
- Multiple cohorts a year per location
Verified November 3, 2026 against the sources below. Terms change; confirm on the official site before applying.
Timing
EF does not publish deadlines on its homepage; applications via apply.joinef.com.
See all upcoming accelerator deadlines
Notable alumni
- Cleo
- Aztec
- Magdrive
- Omnea
- Sonantic
FAQ
Applying to Entrepreneur First
- How much does Entrepreneur First invest?
- Entrepreneur First's standard deal: Equity-free stipend during ideation, then up to $250K investment after company formation (third-party sources report $125K post-money SAFE for 8% plus $125K uncapped MFN SAFE; not confirmed on EF's site).
- When is the Entrepreneur First application deadline?
- Application cycle: Multiple cohorts a year per location. EF does not publish deadlines on its homepage; applications via apply.joinef.com.
- Where is Entrepreneur First based?
- Entrepreneur First is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The program runs in person. Cohorts run in London, United Kingdom, Bangalore, India, San Francisco, United States.
Preparing answers? Our accelerator application tips cover what reviewers look for.
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