Program Overview

Seedling AI's incubation program is an intensive 12-week accelerator designed specifically for early-stage AI startups. We provide funding, mentorship, resources, and a structured framework to help you build, launch, and scale your AI product.

12 Weeks

Intensive program duration

$150K

Investment for 7% equity

3 Cohorts/Year

Multiple opportunities to join

What You Get

Comprehensive support to help you succeed

$150K Investment

We invest $150,000 for 7% equity in your company. No hidden fees, no complicated terms. Standard SAFE agreement.

Expert Mentorship

Weekly 1-on-1 sessions with successful AI founders, researchers from top institutions, and domain experts.

Compute Credits

$100K+ in cloud compute credits from AWS, GCP, and Azure. Access to specialized AI hardware and infrastructure.

Developer Tools

Free access to essential tools: GitHub Enterprise, Notion, Figma, and 50+ development and productivity platforms.

Legal Support

Free incorporation, IP protection, and legal counsel from top law firms specializing in tech startups.

Founder Network

Join a community of 500+ AI founders. Share learnings, collaborate, and support each other's growth.

12-Week Program Structure

A proven framework to achieve product-market fit

Weeks 1-3

Foundation

  • Refine product vision and technical architecture
  • Conduct customer discovery interviews
  • Define key metrics and success criteria
  • Set up development infrastructure
  • Build initial MVP roadmap
Weeks 4-8

Build & Test

  • Develop core AI models and features
  • Launch beta version to early users
  • Iterate based on user feedback
  • Establish data pipelines and MLOps
  • Begin forming partnerships
Weeks 9-12

Scale & Fundraise

  • Prepare investor pitch and materials
  • Launch to broader audience
  • Develop go-to-market strategy
  • Practice Demo Day presentation
  • Meet with potential investors

Typical Weekly Schedule

Monday
Cohort Standup

Share weekly goals and progress with your cohort

Tuesday
Technical Workshop

Deep dives on AI/ML topics, architecture, and best practices

Wednesday
Office Hours

1-on-1 mentorship sessions with domain experts

Thursday
Guest Speaker

Successful founders and investors share insights

Friday
Demo & Feedback

Present progress and get feedback from peers and mentors

Who Should Apply?

Ideal Candidates

  • Early-stage AI startups (pre-seed or seed)
  • Strong technical founding team with AI/ML expertise
  • Clear vision for solving a meaningful problem
  • Commitment to full-time work during the program
  • Open to feedback and rapid iteration
  • Based anywhere globally (remote participation available)

Focus Areas

  • Large Language Models & Generative AI
  • Computer Vision & Multimodal AI
  • AI Infrastructure & MLOps
  • AI for Healthcare & Life Sciences
  • AI for Climate & Sustainability
  • Robotics & Embodied AI
  • AI for Enterprise & Productivity

Frequently Asked Questions

We invest $150,000 for 7% equity using a standard SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) with no hidden terms or fees.

While we recommend being present in-person for maximum benefit, we offer a hybrid model. Core workshops and Demo Day are in-person, but we accommodate remote participation when necessary.

We accept startups at various stages from idea to early revenue. The most important factors are team strength, technical expertise, and vision. Most companies in our program are pre-seed or seed stage.

We receive 2,000+ applications per cohort and accept 15-20 companies (1-2% acceptance rate). We look for exceptional teams solving important problems with novel AI approaches.

Yes, solo founders are welcome to apply. However, we strongly encourage building a co-founder team as it significantly increases startup success rates. We can help connect you with potential co-founders.

You gain lifetime access to our network, ongoing mentorship opportunities, and continued support for fundraising. Many alumni raise successful seed and Series A rounds from top VCs in our network.

Ready to Join Our Next Cohort?

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Apply early for best consideration.

Start Your Application

Next cohort starts: May 1, 2026