ODF Founder Fellowship (formerly On Deck) 🚀 Accelerator
One-week, in-person founder sprint in San Francisco; non-dilutive, pay-what-you-can (suggested $1,000).
| Who qualifies | Pre-team, pre-seed builders with a shipping track record, from anywhere. Non-dilutive; suggested contribution $1,000 (pay what you can). |
|---|---|
| Open in | Worldwide, United States |
| Partner code needed | No: apply directly |
| Deadline | ODF28 (date listed as Q3 2026 and Q1 2027) |
| Terms last checked | 2026-10-11 |
About ODF Founder Fellowship (formerly On Deck)
What you get
ODF (On Deck's founder programme; beondeck.com now redirects to joinodf.com) runs an intense one-week, in-person fellowship in San Francisco to meet collaborators, explore ideas and gain conviction. Cohorts have 80 to 100 people, more than half technical. You get lifetime access to a community of 3,000+ members, a library of workshops on fundraising, product and hiring, and over $800K in perks (including AWS, Stripe, Mercury and Carta).
Who qualifies
People with a track record of shipping who are committed to starting a company and like helping other founders. It welcomes applicants worldwide. It is not a fit if you already have a team or have raised beyond pre-seed or found product-market fit.
Good to know
- Equity: none. "This is a non-dilutive program"; ODF does not invest.
- Cost: pay-what-you-can, with a suggested $1,000 contribution for venue, food and community.
- Next cohort: ODF28. The admissions page says Q3 2026, while the main site says Q1 2027, so check the date.
- You must attend all five business days in person.
Verdict
A good place to find a co-founder and test ideas without giving up equity. It does not fund you.
How to apply
- Read admissions.joinodf.com.
- Apply via "Apply to ODF".
- Take part in the interview process; decisions take about 36 hours afterwards.
- Plan five business days in San Francisco.
Who it is for
Steps ODF Founder Fellowship (formerly On Deck) helps with
Pros
- No equity
- Strong for co-founder search
- Large perks bundle
Cons
- No investment
- Suggested $1,000 contribution plus travel
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