Startup accelerator that funds companies, including idea-stage ones, in batches four times a year; the Winter 2027 batch runs January to March in San Francisco.
Who can apply
Full-time students can apply (the FAQ says so), but accepted founders must commit full time to the company during the batch. About 40% of funded companies per batch are just an idea. The batch is in person in San Francisco; the apply page states no country limit.
Benefit
YC invests in companies as soon as they are accepted (amount not stated on this page), plus weekly dinners, partner office hours, $12M+ in free credits and deals, and Demo Day.
Where
San Francisco, USA (in person); interviews mostly by video call
A deep tech startup competition for early-stage teams, with an equity prize, investor access and a place in the Deep Tech Pioneers community; summit in Amsterdam in June 2027.
Who can apply
Startups from early development up to the start of scale-up (up to Series B), built on new technology, a scientific discovery or a complex engineering process, with a team of at least 2 people. Subsidiaries and spin-offs are excluded. The page does not mention students or country limits.
Benefit
A 200,000 euro equity prize from DeepBright Ventures, access to 350+ investors at Investor Day, recognition as a Deep Tech Pioneer and year-round investor and corporate connections. A separate prize exists for teams at pre-seed or earlier.
A global startup competition with equity-free cash prizes, open to idea-stage, early-stage and growth-stage founders, with a bootcamp and live finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in November 2027.
Who can apply
Open to founders anywhere, from idea stage to growth stage, with companies under 10 years old at the Global Finals. All team members must be 18 or older. Apply from the country where the business is or will be based. English is the official language. Students are not mentioned.
Benefit
More than 1 million USD in equity-free cash prizes across tracks. The top 250 join a virtual bootcamp; the top 100 finalists get investment opportunities, visibility, mentorship and market access. No application fee at any stage.
Global VC Antler's Vietnam hub in Ho Chi Minh City offers pre-seed investment and a six-week Inception Residency in Singapore for founders building an ambitious idea.
Who can apply
Direct Investment Track: existing co-founding teams with a working MVP and early traction, open to any nationality with Vietnam as the base. Inception Residency: founders committed to a big idea. The page does not mention students; its FAQ says Antler backs founders from day zero, even before a product or paying customers.
Benefit
Pre-seed investment with follow-on funding, coaching, a co-founder matching network, 250,000 USD in technical credits and perks, and free office space beyond the residency. The page gives no pre-seed amount.
VISI, Vườn ươm Khởi nghiệp Đổi mới Sáng tạo ĐHQGHN (VNU Innovation & Startup Incubator)
Hanoi startup incubator of VNU for student and alumni projects: 1-on-1 coaching, office space, AI cloud credits and 50 to 100 million VND in financial support.
Who can apply
Students or alumni of universities, of any age, with an entrepreneurial mindset and a wish to build their own business. Any field is open, with special interest in enterprise AI software, AI-native business models and AI robots. The page does not say VNU students only.
Benefit
Financial support of 50 to 100 million VND, 1-on-1 coaching, business model and company structure advice, help recruiting co-founders, office space, a business registration address, credits from AWS, Google Cloud, ByteDance, NVIDIA and Salesforce, and investor introductions.
Backs individuals before they have a team or idea: an equity-free grant while ideating, then up to 250,000 USD once you form a company.
Who can apply
Aimed at building a company in the United States: EF is for individuals who have outperformed their peer group, built products, organizations or startups before, and have the ambition to build a company in the U.S. An idea or cofounder is not required. The page states no nationality rule and does not mention students.
Benefit
Equity-free grant while you ideate, up to 250,000 USD investment once you form a company, up to 5 million USD in follow-on funding, over 600,000 USD in credits, nine months of office space in London, Bangalore or San Francisco, and visa and relocation help.
Google Cloud credits by stage: 2,000 USD for pre-funded teams building an MVP, and 200,000 USD (up to 350,000 USD for AI-first startups) from seed to Series A.
Who can apply
Stage based. The pre-funded Start tier is for digital-native technology startups with a working MVP, a clear business model and plans to seek venture funding soon, founded within the last 24 months and without Google Cloud credits beyond the free trial. Applicants need a Google Cloud billing account ID and a business email matching the startup's public website domain. Students are not mentioned and no country limit is stated.
Benefit
Pre-funded Start tier: 2,000 USD in Google Cloud credits valid for 12 months, AI Studio free tier access, 12 months of Google Workspace Business Plus, 200 USD in Google Skills credits and partner perks. Seed to Series A startups can reach 200,000 USD, or up to 350,000 USD for AI-first startups.
Microsoft's startup program gives Azure credits and technical and go-to-market support to software startups. Credits are available right away while eligibility is verified, and can grow with usage.
Who can apply
Set at company level: a for-profit, privately held company with its own software product or service, based in a country where Azure is available, below Series C, and under 350,000 USD of past free Azure credits. The page does not mention students.
Benefit
Startup credits usable on Azure right away, rising to up to 150,000 USD over time as progress and usage are verified; investor-network-backed startups may unlock more. Includes technical guidance and go-to-market help.
Free online course from Y Combinator partners on starting a startup, with weekly progress updates and a co-founder matching tool. Self-paced, about seven weeks.
Who can apply
Anyone at the early stages of building a startup, turning a side project into a company, or curious about becoming a founder. No country or age limit is stated.
Benefit
Free course taught by Y Combinator partners, a weekly progress update tool and access to YC Co-Founder Matching.
A one-week program that brings ten early builders together with founders of large companies, with an optional $10,000 investment.
Who can apply
Technical builders of any age with a side project or startup. College students, high school dropouts and people with full-time jobs have joined. No company or team is needed, and you can be based anywhere.
Benefit
Optional $10,000 investment that converts to stock at your next priced round; you can also join without taking money. Mentoring from founders of large companies.
Where
Mostly online; the last day is in person in San Francisco or New York
Program images come from each organizer's own site.
Where
Online application; Hello Tomorrow Summit in Amsterdam, 2 to 3 June 2027
Free startup credits from Amazon Web Services. Self-funded founders can apply for the Founders tier, starting at 1,000 USD in credits and rising to as much as 5,000 USD.
Who can apply
Startups that are pre-Series B and founded in the last 10 years, with an AWS account on a paid plan. The Founders tier is for bootstrapped or self-funded companies. The page does not mention students and states no country limit.
Benefit
Promotional AWS credits: the Founders tier starts at 1,000 USD and can reach 5,000 USD. The Portfolio tier offers up to 200,000 USD but needs an Org ID from an accelerator, angel or VC.
Student startup competition: teams of 2-4 pitch for-profit ventures that support a UN Sustainable Development Goal, with $1M in seed funding for the winner.
Who can apply
Teams of 2-4 students from almost every country, aged 18 or older and enrolled in a degree-granting program when they register. The venture must be for-profit and support at least one UN Sustainable Development Goal. All submissions must be in English.
Benefit
The winning team gets $1M in seed funding (the foundation takes a stake, typically 10%). All participants get mentorship, perks, scholarship opportunities and a global network.
Where
Campus or online qualifiers worldwide; accelerator in London
Fellowship and grant program launched in 2018 for entrepreneurs; grants go to people around the world, with dedicated support for projects focused on India, Africa, the Caribbean or Ukraine.
Who can apply
All applicants must be 13 or older. Grants go to thinkers and doers around the world; the page mentions no student or country restriction.
Southeast Asia accelerator investing 150,000 to 500,000 USD in founders at any stage, even just an idea; four-day in-person orientation, then a remote program.
Who can apply
The company must be based in Southeast Asia or focused on a Southeast Asian market. All stages are welcome, including just an idea; solo founders are accepted and no degree is needed. The FAQ says Iterative does not invest in founders who are not full-time on the startup, which rules out combining it with study or a job. Incorporation is needed to get funded, not to apply.
Benefit
Investment of 150,000 to 500,000 USD paid in full on admission through a post-money SAFE for roughly 10 to 15 percent of the company, with no program fee, founder-led support on the idea and introductions to investors in Southeast Asia and Silicon Valley.
Where
Southeast Asia (four-day in-person orientation, then a fully remote program)
InnoEx, Hội Doanh nhân trẻ TP.HCM (YBA) và Investment Business Partners (IBP)
A six-month startup competition run from Ho Chi Minh City that takes projects from raw idea to finished product, with a Vietnam track, an international track, training and incubation.
Who can apply
Open to startups, businesses, and individuals or teams, with no age limit and no country limit. Idea-stage projects can register, but semi-finalists need a demo or prototype. The FAQ encourages an engineering student who asks about joining, though the rules do not list students as a category.
Benefit
Cash prizes across a Vietnam track and an international track (the site cites up to 5 billion VND and up to 100,000 USD, and another blurb says up to 10 billion VND), plus training, incubation activities and a showcase at InnoEx.
Where
Vietnam (semi-finals and grand final in Ho Chi Minh City); international track open worldwide
A two-year program that gives young founders a $250,000 grant, with no equity taken, to build something new instead of finishing university.
Who can apply
Age 22 or younger and no university degree. Current students may apply, but a selected fellow must drop out to accept. Individuals can apply without a team; you need meaningful progress on a concrete vision, not a registered company. No country limit is stated.
Benefit
A $250,000 grant paid over two years; the foundation takes no equity.
Where
Online application; no need to move to San Francisco
A free, equity-free six-month incubator in Ho Chi Minh City for early-stage startups, with co-working space, workshops, mentors, an investor network and shared legal and HR services.
Who can apply
Startups that are building their MVP, testing product-market fit or preparing go-to-market. Remote teams are accepted. The page does not say whether students can apply or whether a link to UEH is required.
Benefit
Free of charge and no equity taken. Basic track of six months, with a 6 to 12 month extension for standout projects. Co-working space, training, mentoring, investor network, shared legal and HR services.
An annual 15-week incubation program for student founders: online idea-to-prototype phase, then in-person coaching for the top 20 projects, with free co-working space and mentors.
Who can apply
University students in Vietnam, all majors, with an early-stage idea, working solo or in a team. First-time founders are especially welcome.
Benefit
Free co-working space, workshops and training, a growth associate for each team, access to investors and mentors, certificates and extracurricular points, and a place in the UII startup community.
Where
Vietnam: online first, then in-person with UEH Institute of Innovation (Ho Chi Minh City)
