The life science industry continues to be a critical field for startup activity. Programs worldwide offer funding and guidance to help these new companies grow.
Switzerland's Venture Kick has supported its portfolio with over 1,400 investments. In the United States, EvoNexus has helped more than 40 of its companies achieve an exit.
Below is our list of the best 36 Life Science accelerators and incubators.
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2,189 Accelerators & Incubators
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1,600+ Unicorns
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250 BioTech & Health Investors
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250 AI Investors
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Get the Sheet for $50Through a philanthropic initiative, Venture Kick provides crucial pre-seed funding to help entrepreneurs spin their ideas out of Swiss universities. The program's three-stage financing model offers up to CHF 150,000, starting as a grant, to kickstart promising ventures in sectors like deep tech and life sciences.
| Headquarters | Schlieren, Zurich, Switzerland |
| Year Founded | 2007 |
| Founders | Jordi Montserrat, Pascale Vonmont, Beat Schillig |
| Investment Amount | CHF 150K total; Kickfund: up to CHF 850K equity |
| Equity Taken | Stage 1: Grant; Stages 2&3: Convertible loan; Kickfund: 20% of next rounds (caps apply) |
| Nº of Investments | 1405 |
| Nº of Exits | 75 |
As a non-profit tech incubator, EvoNexus helps early-stage deep-tech and life science startups become commercially viable without taking any equity. They provide entrepreneurs with crucial mentorship, lab space, and access to capital, having supported successful companies like ecoATM.
| Headquarters | La Jolla, California, United States |
| Year Founded | 1998 |
| Founders | Rory Moore, Walter Davis |
| Nº of Investments | 227 |
| Nº of Exits | 43 |
The Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse provides capital and customized support to help form and grow companies across the life sciences sector. They specialize in nurturing early-stage ventures in fields like biotechnology, medical devices, and healthcare IT.
| Headquarters | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Year Founded | 2001 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 62 |
| Nº of Exits | 13 |
The South Carolina Research Authority champions technology-based startups in sectors ranging from life sciences to advanced manufacturing. By providing funding and resources, they help these early-stage companies bring their innovations from the lab to the market, fostering economic growth across the state.
| Headquarters | Columbia, South Carolina, United States |
| Year Founded | 1983 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 137 |
| Nº of Exits | 9 |
What If Ventures invests in startups tackling complex challenges in mental healthcare and defense technology. They provide capital to companies from the seed stage through pre-IPO, helping them scale disruptive solutions for critical industries.
| Headquarters | Frisco, Texas, United States |
| Year Founded | 2019 |
| Founders | Stephen Hays |
| Nº of Investments | 88 |
| Nº of Exits | 7 |
Fark Labs champions innovation by building a bridge between corporations and startups in the mobility, life sciences, and sustainability fields. Through their co-creation programs and investments, they help launch and scale impactful new ventures.
| Headquarters | Maslak, Istanbul, Turkey |
| Year Founded | 2018 |
| Founders | Ahu Serter |
| Nº of Investments | 29 |
| Nº of Exits | 7 |
Westlake Village BioPartners provides both the capital and hands-on support to incubate and build promising life sciences companies from the ground up. Their model offers deep operational expertise alongside investment, aiming to translate breakthrough science into new medicines and therapies.
| Headquarters | Westlake Village, California, United States |
| Year Founded | 2018 |
| Founders | Beth Seidenberg |
| Nº of Investments | 32 |
| Nº of Exits | 4 |
As one of Japan's first seed accelerators, Open Network Lab nurtures early-stage startups across diverse tech sectors including AI, Bio-Health, and Residential Tech. The program focuses on providing intensive mentorship and connecting founders with overseas funding and global networks.
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan |
| Year Founded | 2010 |
| Founders | Fumihiko Ishimaru |
| Nº of Investments | 40 |
| Nº of Exits | 4 |
| Program Type | On-Site |
| Duration (Weeks) | 14 |
Life Sciences Greenhouse of Central PA fuels the growth of promising life sciences technology companies by providing early-stage capital through a public/private partnership. This virtual greenhouse also delivers crucial business development assistance to help build a self-sustaining life sciences industry throughout the region.
| Headquarters | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Year Founded | 2002 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 19 |
| Nº of Exits | 2 |
EDF Pulse Croissance operates as the corporate venture arm of French utility EDF, dedicated to building new businesses that support the energy transition. The program backs startups in the energy, life science, and service industries, offering them the unique advantage of strategic partnership with a major industry player.
| Headquarters | Paris, Ile-de-France, France |
| Year Founded | 1946 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 8 |
| Nº of Exits | 2 |
26 Additional Life Science Accelerators and Incubators Worth Applying To
Our top picks are a great place to begin your search, but there are many other strong programs out there. Together, the accelerators below have funded over 650 startups from the US to South Korea.
Some of these are newer, while others have been helping founders for decades. Here’s a look at more accelerators and incubators supporting life science startups.