Every year, I reflect on the accelerators and incubators I’ve worked with, looking for one program that stands out. Unfortunately, in 2024, I can’t name a single program that fits the bill.
This isn’t to say that incubators and accelerators didn’t achieve anything meaningful this year. Many offered resources, mentorship, and funding opportunities. But none inspired founders to dig deeper into evidence, test assumptions rigorously, or make real progress rooted in validation.
The Role of Incubators and Accelerators
At their best, these programs serve as catalysts for startups. They provide frameworks, mentorship, and accountability systems that encourage founders to experiment, learn, and grow responsibly. They transform raw ideas into refined, market-ready solutions through discipline and support.
But this year, I saw too many programs fall short of their potential.
What Was Missing in 2024?
Evidence-Based Mentorship Founders need mentors who challenge their assumptions and push them to validate decisions. This year, mentorship often leaned generic instead of actionable and evidence-driven.
Training Over Facilitation There was too much focus on training attendees and not enough on ensuring that attendees developed the mindset to perceive blind spots in their startup logic. Without this awareness, the training becomes obsolete, wasting valuable resources.
Tailored Support Every startup faces unique challenges, yet many programs rely on a one-size-fits-all approach and mentoring. Flexibility and adaptability to founders’ real-world needs were missing.
A Call to Action for 2025
As we look to 2025, there’s an opportunity for accelerators and incubators to step up and reclaim their critical role in the ecosystem. Here’s how they can make a bigger impact:
Prioritize Evidence-Based Progress Teach founders to validate their ideas rigorously and make decisions based on data, not assumptions.
Focus on Perception, Not Just Skills Help startup founders build the right perception alongside the necessary skills to craft their startup logic—the logic of value for the customer and value from the customer.
Customize Programs to Fit Founders’ Needs Adapt to the specific challenges and opportunities of each cohort rather than following rigid structures.
Final Thoughts
This reflection isn’t meant to criticize but to challenge—and more importantly, to inspire action. The purpose of this article is not to dwell on what didn’t work in 2024 but to highlight the opportunity we have to do better.
Our startup ecosystem thrives when we all contribute to building a stronger, more supportive environment for founders. Accelerators and incubators are a critical part of this puzzle, and their success directly impacts the success of the startups they support.
This is a call to action—a sincere invitation to everyone in the ecosystem to come together and create programs that inspire evidence-based progress, resilience, and real impact. Founders deserve our best efforts, and together, we can make startup support in 2025 better than ever.
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