Our Program

is founder-focused, time-tested, and ready to roll. Twice a year we invest $20,000 equity-free in 6-10 early-stage startups. Over 11 weeks, they receive tailored mentorship, extensive education in scaling a startup, and a cohort community to grow alongside for the long-haul. You should definitely apply.

 
 
 

The Basics

  • Teams receive $20,000 in seed capital investment, no equity-taken. Yes, we’re serious. 0%.

  • 11 productive weeks are filled with proven programming and mentorship. Our program is a hybrid program, with a virtual portion of the cohort in addition to an in-person portion in Richmond, VA.

  • Each team is paired with a Lead Mentor and has access to over 100 subject-matter mentors.

  • Office hours and hands-on support from legal advisors, accounting pros, branding experts, and more.

  • Lifetime support and community as a member of the Lighthouse Alumni Network. Networking events, on-going education and programming and founder retreats - we’ve got it all.

  • Connections to capital for future funding through our Lighthouse Investor Network, which is over 300 members strong.

 
 

Timeline

Fall 2024 Cohort

August 26 - November 8, 2024

In person in Richmond, Virginia the first and last weeks; remaining weeks are virtual

 
 
 
 

A snapshot of acceleration:

 
Featured
Cohort & Community
Cohort & Community

Don’t go it alone - you’ll be in community with founders going through the same growing pains. Scale together, lean on each other, and get some much-needed founder-to-founder facetime.

Expert Programming
Expert Programming

Learn in weekly sessions on the topics that move the needle when growing an idea - from company values to marketing principles to fundraising strategy and everything in between.

Mentorship
Mentorship

Your lead mentor is by your side with sage advice and weekly check-ins - they’ve scaled, they’ve exited, and they’re ready to support your growth. Plus, you’ll have access to over 100 subject-matter experts to help guide the way.

Perks! Perks! Perks!
Perks! Perks! Perks!

Cash in on $1,000,000 of additional benefits including:

Demo Week
Demo Week

Cap off the cohort with the chance to share your story with the folks who want to hear it:

  • Community Demo Day

  • Investor Demo Day

  • Additional investor pitch opportunities

Support Services
Support Services

Get hands-on support from our incredible program partners:

 
 
 
 

A Mentor-Driven Program

The opportunity to be encouraged, challenged, and taught by someone who has experienced successes and failures as an entrepreneur proves invaluable to a founder. Mentors are the greatest assets to our program, and we couldn’t invest in the lives of founders without them. 

  • Over 100 subject-matter experts who have built big things and learned the lessons.

  • Industry breadth and depth for any topic or problem.

  • From one-off connections to regular check-ins, every touchpoint makes the difference.