Entrepreneur First
Resource · Organization
Entrepreneur First (EF) is a global talent investor that identifies and backs individuals often before they have a co-founder or idea to build technology startups from scratch. Its highly selective “Form” phase (12 weeks) helps participants find co-founders and validate ideas, supported by a living stipend. Successful teams pitch for pre-seed funding (£80K–£100K in Europe; C$100K in Canada; SG$75K in Asia, typically in exchange for ~10% equity), then enter the “Launch” phase, which often includes relocation (e.g., San Francisco) and culminates in a Demo Day. EF operates in key global hubs such as London, Paris, Bangalore, New York, and San Francisco. Since its launch in 2011, EF has supported over 600+ startups with a combined valuation exceeding $11 billion. Notable alumni include Magic Pony Technology (acquired by Twitter), Tractable (AI unicorn), Cleo, Aztec, and more. The organization is backed by prominent investors like Reid Hoffman, the Collison brothers and Demis Hassabis