Incubator vs accelerator: which one does your startup need?
Incubators help very early ideas with space and mentoring. Accelerators run short, intense programmes for startups that are ready to grow. The difference.
Both incubators and accelerators help startups, but in different ways.
Incubator
- For very early ideas or teams
- Offers office space, mentoring and training
- Usually runs for months to a year or more
- Pakistan has National Incubation Centers in several cities, backed by the government's Ignite fund
Accelerator
- For startups with a working product
- A short, intense programme, often 3 to 6 months
- Often gives a small investment in return for equity
- Ends with a demo day where startups pitch to investors
Which one to choose
- Just an idea? Start with an incubator.
- Product and first customers? Try an accelerator.
Related
- What is a startup?
- How to write a pitch deck