A 10-week Founder Fellowship for early-stage, underrepresented founders building high-growth, tech and tech-enabled businesses. Through this hybrid program, you can join an exceptional cohort of 15 overlooked founders based in New York City.

Applications now closed
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Receive a $10K business grant

Your perspective, time, and business are valuable. You will receive $10,000 in non-dilutive funding upfront as part of the VHNYC Fellowship—with the potential for future investments from Visible Hands.

Join a vibrant and uplifting in-person community

There’s nothing like the diverse New York entrepreneurial community. You will unlock hybrid opportunities to connect digitally and meet IRL across the five boroughs.

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Attend hands-on workshops

You will access programming and expert-led workshops designed with the earliest stage in mind, covering topics from “Business Modeling and Financial Projections” to “Raising your Pre-Seed Round.” Each workshop will be led by a guest entrepreneur.

fellowship eligibility

Who is VHNYC for?

  • Teams with at least one co-founder currently living in one of New York City's five boroughs
  • Startups that have a tech or tech-enabled enterprise based in NYC
  • Teams that can commit 2 hours a week to the Fellowship

Applications now closed.

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1. Application

The application should take you less than an hour to complete. We ask for some basic information about you and your startup, as well as some short answer questions.

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2. Interview

You will hear back by February 2024 if you're invited for a 30 minute interview.

THINGS TO KNOW

Frequently Asked Questions

When will the Fellowship take place?
The VHNYC Fellowship will run from March 2024 to June 2024.
Can I apply to the Fellowship with a co-founder? 
Yes! If you would like to go through the program with your co-founder(s), please submit one application and include information about them where prompted. (We are currently accepting startups with a maximum of 2 additional co-founders per company.)
What do you look for in founders?
Skills and Insights: You have a strong skillset or deep insights that give you a competitive advantage in building and distributing a solution.

Hustle and Execution: You can work creatively around constraints, deliver with speed, and consistently achieve what you set out to do.

Community Orientation: You are eager to collaborate and learn from others in the cohort and the broader Visible Hands community.
Can I participate in multiple accelerator programs at the same time?
If accepted, you cannot participate in any other Visible Hands or NYCEDC fellowships or accelerator programs throughout the duration of the VHNYC Founder Fellowship. Accepted founders also cannot be previous cohort members of other VH Founder Fellowships or NYCEDC City Fellowships.
Who do I contact if I have additional questions?
If you have questions regarding the Fellowship selection process, please contact Monica Roman.

If you have questions regarding the Fellowship programming, please contact Justin Kang.

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