AcceleratorAI-firstEquity-freeby OpenAI

OpenAI Grove

Five-week program at OpenAI for about 15 pre-idea technical builders, with in-person weeks at OpenAI's San Francisco HQ and travel covered.

Invests

—

Takes

No equity terms published

Length

5 weeks (about 4 to 6 hours a week plus async work)

Where

San Francisco

The deal

No investment or equity terms are published; OpenAI covers travel for the in-person weeks and offers credits and introductions to capital later.

Grove is OpenAI's program for technical people at the very start of building a company in AI, before they have an idea. Each cohort of about 15 people spends the first and last weeks in person at OpenAI in San Francisco, with asynchronous work in between. OpenAI says it is not a traditional accelerator and offers credits and investor introductions as participants build.

Takes: No equity terms published
Length: 5 weeks (about 4 to 6 hours a week plus async work)
Format: Hybrid
Based in: San Francisco, US
Runs in: San Francisco, Remote
Stage: Pre-idea
Focus: Anyone building or aspiring to build with AI; OpenAI APIs not required
Cohorts: Cohort 2 ran January 22 to February 27, 2026, about 15 participants
Acceptance: About 15 participants per cohort
Perks: Time with OpenAI researchers and teams, travel covered for in-person weeks, credits and investor introductions

Apply ↗Website ↗Ask the room

Terms as published by the program; verified October 2026. Programs change their deal every year, the apply page is the source of truth.

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