Startup accelerators in China

Accelerators in China split into two distinct lanes. Venture funds run their own: Sinovation Ventures’ AI Institute, ZhenFund, and Sequoia China’s YUÈ accelerator all feed their parent funds’ pipelines, while state-backed incubators in the big tech zones (Zhongguancun in Beijing, Suzhou Industrial Park, Chengdu’s Tianfu Software Park) offer infrastructure at district scale.

For founders outside the country, cross-border programs like Orbit Startups (formerly Chinaccelerator) are the practical entry point. These are the China-based programs we track; the terms sit on each listing.

Startup accelerators in China

368 accelerators

Accelerator

MassChallenge

Remote

16 wks · equity-free

Equity-free accelerator + non-dilutive cash prizes

GeneralB2BHealthcare
Accelerator

Entrepreneur First (EF)

London · Paris · Bangalore · San Francisco, Global

24 wks · $250k · ~8% equity

Up to $250K + a 24-week pre-team to launch program

Deep techAIPre-team
Accelerator

Antler

Multiple cities, Global

24 wks · $250k · ~10% equity

~$100K–$250K for ~10% + a 6-month residency

GeneralPre-teamAI
Accelerator

TAQADAM

Remote

26 wks · $40k · equity-free

KAUST six-month startup accelerator

Deep TechHealthClimate
Accelerator

Crucible Ignitor

Remote

equity-free

Equity-free program with mentorship and network access

Dual-use techDefense tech
Accelerator

CancerX Accelerator Cohort

Remote

17 wks

Structured mentorship, curriculum, and investor access

Digital healthOncology
Accelerator

Adidas Cultivate and B.L.O.O.M.

Remote

Structured mentorship, curriculum, and investor access

Social impactSports tech
Accelerator

Danone Manifesto Ventures

Remote

$10000k

Up to $10M + a structured program

Food techPlant-basedHealthtech
Accelerator

Nestle R+D Accelerator

Remote

26 wks · equity-free

Equity-free program with mentorship and network access

Food techNutrition
Accelerator

PepsiCo Greenhouse Accelerator APAC

Remote

$100k

Up to $100K + a structured program

Circular economySustainable agriculture
Accelerator

The Estee Lauder Companies New Incubation Ventures

Remote

$3000k

Up to $3M + a structured program

BeautySkincareCosmetics
Accelerator

Kering Generation Award

Remote

Structured mentorship, curriculum, and investor access

Sustainable fashionBeauty
Accelerator

La Maison des Startups LVMH

Remote

Structured mentorship, curriculum, and investor access

LuxuryFashionCosmetics
Accelerator

Accelerate Africa Startup Programme

Remote

24 wks · equity-free

Equity-free program with mentorship and network access

General
Accelerator

Startup Wise Guys SaaS Africa

Remote

26 wks · $65k · ~12% equity

Up to €65K for ~12% + a structured program

FintechAgritechEdtech
Accelerator

The Baobab Network

Remote

14 wks · $100k

Up to $100K + a structured program

General tech
Accelerator

Zhangjiang Hi-Tech 895 Incubator

Shanghai, China

Structured mentorship, curriculum, and investor access

IoTBig dataCloud
Accelerator

Columbia Startup Accelerator in China (CSAC)

Beijing, China

Structured mentorship, curriculum, and investor access

General
Accelerator

XNode

Shanghai, China

10 wks

Structured mentorship, curriculum, and investor access

AIHealthcareEnterprise
Accelerator

Shenzhen Valley Ventures

Shenzhen, China

Structured mentorship, curriculum, and investor access

HardwareSmart tech
Accelerator

iStart Rajasthan

Remote

Structured mentorship, curriculum, and investor access

General
Accelerator

StartinUP Incubator Network

Remote

13 wks

Structured mentorship, curriculum, and investor access

CleantechEnergyDefence tech
Accelerator

ELEVATE Idea2PoC

Remote

equity-free

Equity-free program with mentorship and network access

General
Accelerator

Karnataka Acceleration Network

Remote

26 wks

Structured mentorship, curriculum, and investor access

General

Showing 24 of 368. See them all in the directory, or sign up free for the ones matched to you.

Common questions.

Straight answers. For the full picture, read the FAQ.

The realistic route is a cross-border program: Orbit Startups, which began as Chinaccelerator, was built to take international companies into Chinese and Asian markets. The state-zone incubators generally expect a locally registered entity, so read each listing’s requirements before planning around one.

Sinovation Ventures runs its AI Institute, ZhenFund operates a seed program, and Sequoia China created the YUÈ accelerator. Fund-run programs like these are as much a sourcing channel for the fund as a service to founders, which shapes who they pick.

Programs attached to zones like Zhongguancun, Hangzhou’s high-tech district, and Guangzhou Development Zone typically pair workspace with local-government support for companies registering in the district. Benefits and conditions differ by park, so treat each listing as its own deal.