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Entrepreneurs First (EF)

Rolling acceptance for individual founders before team/idea.

London, UK

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Description

Entrepreneur First (EF) is the world’s leading "talent investor," focusing on backing exceptional individuals before they have a team, a company, or even a concrete idea. As of 2026, EF has evolved into a "bridge to Silicon Valley," with all global cohorts now transitioning to San Francisco for the latter half of their journey. 

  • "Day Zero" / Pre-Seed: EF invests at the earliest possible stage—frequently before incorporation.
  • Talent Phase: They first provide an equity-free grant (e.g., $10,000) for individuals to explore ideas and find a co-founder.
  • Follow-on Capital: EF supports its portfolio through Series B, committing up to $5 million in follow-on funding for successful graduates. 
  • London/Paris/Berlin Program: Final application deadline is February 8, 2026.
  • Bangalore Program: Final application deadline is January 9, 2026.
  • The Bridge (SF Residency): A specialized 8-week residency for recent graduates (2023 onwards); the Summer 2026 application deadline is February 16, 2026.

Eligibility

  • Individual Focus: EF is for individuals, not existing companies. You do not need a team or an idea to apply.
  • Technical Bias: The majority of participants have technical backgrounds (CS PhDs, software engineers), though a small number of "domain experts" are accepted.
  • The "Outlier" Profile: They target people who have consistently outperformed their peers in academia, research, or industry. 

Process

FORM (12 Weeks): Participants receive a stipend/grant to find a co-founder and develop an idea in their home hub (London, Bangalore, etc.).
Investment Committee: Teams pitch for the full investment package at the end of FORM.
LAUNCH (12 Weeks): Funded teams relocate to San Francisco to build their product and prepare for Demo Day. 

What an Applicant can Obtain

  • Financial Capital: Up to $250,000 in total initial funding ($125k from EF and an optional $125k from partner Transpose Platform).
  • Co-founder Matching: Access to a curated pool of roughly 50 highly ambitious peers to find a complementary partner.
  • San Francisco Bridge: Three months of housing and workspace in San Francisco, providing a direct gateway to the U.S. market and Silicon Valley investors.
  • Tech Credits: Over $600,000 in credits from partners like Azure ($350k), OpenAI, and Anthropic.