Orange County's 14 Best Startup Accelerators & Incubators [2024]

Updated: January 20th, 2022

Are you looking for an accelerator program in Orange County?

With a population of over a 3.1Million people and a median family income of $107,171 as of 2019, Orange County remains the top destination to many fortune 500 companies.

If you're starting a startup in Orange County, you might be wondering what startup accelerators or incubators exist in the area. Here's the full list:

Best Startup Accelerators & Incubators In Orange County.

# Accelerator/Incubator Funding Location Apply
1 Operate $100k-$750k Orange Co... Apply
2 K5 Ventures $10K - $250K Los Angel... Apply
3 Octane Launchpad SBDC program Not Disclosed Irvine Apply
4 Tech Coast Angels Not Disclosed San Berna... Apply
5 EvoNexus Not Disclosed San Diego... Apply
6 Pismo Ventures Not Disclosed Irvine Apply
7 CSUF Startup Incubator Not disclosed Irvine, O... Apply
8 University Lab Partners Not Disclosed Irvine Apply
9 Masterminds OC Not Disclosed Irvine Apply
10 Accelerate Greece Not Disclosed Irvine Apply
11 UCI Beall Applied Innovation’s Not Disclosed Irvine Apply
12 Frost Data Capital Not disclosed San Juan ... Apply
13 UCI ANTrepreneur Centre Not Disclosed Irvine Apply
14 Koa Accel Not Disclosed Irvine Apply

1. Operate

  • Location: Orange County, CA
  • Industry: Technology
  • Investment Size: $100k-$750k
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: *Not Disclosed *

Operate is a startup accelerator firm in Orange county. The Accelerator firm focuses on technology-based startups and invests capital ranging from $100K to $750K. Apart from providing funding to startups, the accelerator provides access to an extensive network of experts who craft a custom blueprint for each startup.

Apply to Operate, or learn more ➜

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2. K5 Ventures

  • Location: Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Orange County, Beijing
  • Industry: Technology Industry
  • Investment Size: $10K - $250K
  • Program: 3-6 Months
  • Equity Taken: *Not Disclosed *

K5 Ventures offers an accelerator program that invests in early-stage business startups with technology-driven and impactful business ideas.

They provide resources and capital to early-stage companies and use a hands-on investment approach, thus providing them with key milestones.

The team here accelerates startup companies through impactful and big ideas, mentorship, and helping them build products.

Apply to K5 Ventures, or learn more ➜

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3. Octane Launchpad SBDC program

  • Location: Irvine
  • Industry: Tech and Med tech
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: *Not Disclosed *

Launchpad Accelerator Octane is a program that helps businesses in the niche of biotech, aesthetic, health tech, diagnostic, life sciences, sports tech, digital health, cybersecurity, cleantech, fintech, AR/VR, SaaS, mobile tech, IT, and hardware/software.

This program guides small businesses to grow in the industry through strategic mentorship, funding opportunities, business analytics, and networking opportunities.

Apply to Octane Launchpad SBDC program, or learn more ➜

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4. Tech Coast Angels

  • Location: San Bernardino, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Orange County
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: *Not Disclosed *

Tech Coast Angels program acts as a major catalyst to build up the startup economy of the region.

This program provides businesses with early-stage capital or seed funding, innovative solutions to business issues, connection-building opportunities, mentoring from experts and experienced entrepreneurs, business knowledge, technical & operational assistance, investments, and business strategies for running a successful and sustainable business firm.

To date, they have made investments in more than 450 companies and have raised seed capital of nearly $250M for the portfolio companies.

Apply to Tech Coast Angels, or learn more ➜

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5. EvoNexus

  • Location: San Diego, Orange County, and Silicon Valley
  • Industry: DeepTech, FinTech, and MedTech
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program: 3 Months
  • Equity Taken: *Not Disclosed *

EvoNexus provides a three-month accelerator program that motivates and empowers entrepreneurs to turn their innovative ideas into scalable and viable business firms.

They offer incubation and collaborative workspace for DeepTech /5G, FinTech, and Med Tech industries.

Additionally, they provide participants with mentorship, fundraising opportunities, access to capital, pitch scrubs, strategic and corporate networks, one-on-one meeting opportunities with experts, credibility, and the chance to collaborate with other entrepreneurs.

Apply to EvoNexus, or learn more ➜

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6. Pismo Ventures

  • Location: Irvine
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: *Not Disclosed *

Pismo Ventures is a program that helps entrepreneurs bring their business ideas into a profitable venture.

This program guides founders to grow and scale their business through incubation, acceleration, resources, business strategies, high-end technology solutions, fundraising opportunities, and expertise.

They help startup businesses reach their goals and catapult to the next level.

Apply to Pismo Ventures, or learn more ➜

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7. CSUF Startup Incubator

  • Location: Irvine, Orange County.
  • Industry: Multi-Sectors
  • Investment Size: Not disclosed
  • Program Length: 6 Months
  • Equity Taken: *Not disclosed *

CSUF Startup Incubator hosts a program providing innovators and founders access to technical advice for six months. CSUF Startup Incubator provides a networking opportunity where innovators can meet veteran entrepreneurs for expert guidance on various issues.

CSUF Startup Incubator provides executive coaching to startups, helping founders to stay on task with their defined goals and milestones. The program also includes connecting founders and innovators to early-stage VC firms.

Apply to CSUF Startup Incubator, or learn more ➜

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8. University Lab Partners

  • Location: Irvine
  • Industry: Medtech
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: *Not Disclosed *

University Lab Partners organizes an incubator program that primarily serves MedTech businesses of Irvine. They provide founders with wet lab, office space, scientific equipment, expertise, member benefits, training, and resources. This program empowers entrepreneurs and creates jobs so they can succeed.

Apply to University Lab Partners, or learn more ➜

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9. Masterminds OC

  • Location: Irvine
  • Industry: Technology Industry
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: 1 Month
  • Equity Taken: *Not Disclosed *

MasterMind Startup Accelerator Workshop is a technology accelerator program that provides coaching and training workshops to early-stage technology startups. They also offer mentorship and expert advice to software entrepreneurs and help them foster creativity and earn profits.

Apply to Masterminds OC, or learn more ➜

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10. Accelerate Greece

  • Location: Irvine
  • Industry: Technology Industry
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: 1 Week
  • Equity Taken: *Not Disclosed *

Accelerate Greece offers an accelerator program for Greek entrepreneurs who want to build successful tech companies in California.

This 1-week program hosts breakout sessions, mentorship sessions and provides networking and pitching opportunities to the entrepreneurs.

Apply to Accelerate Greece, or learn more ➜

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11. UCI Beall Applied Innovation’s

  • Location: Irvine
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: 6 Months
  • Equity Taken: *Not Disclosed *

Wayfinder Incubator program connects student entrepreneurs with resources essential to succeed in the industry. They help entrepreneurs develop, launch and grow startup businesses from the formation stage to the funding stage.

This program has an experienced team of investors and business leaders who provide participants with growth strategies, mentorships, and guidance. Wayfinder Incubator also offers workspace, training programs, workshops, and networking opportunities to the participants.

Apply to UCI Beall Applied Innovation’s, or learn more ➜

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12. Frost Data Capital

  • Location: San Juan Capistrano
  • Industry: Big Data, Analytics and IoT sectors
  • Investment Size: Not disclosed
  • Program Length: Not disclosed
  • Equity Taken: *Not disclosed *

Frost Data Capital is an early-stage incubator and venture capital firm. Built to create opportunities for companies venturing into big data, analytics, and IoT sectors, Frost data capital provides venture capital and leadership to investees.

Apply to Frost Data Capital, or learn more ➜

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13. UCI ANTrepreneur Centre

  • Location: Irvine
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: *Not Disclosed *

UCI ANTrepreneur Center is an accelerator program that helps individuals kick-start their entrepreneurial journey. The mission of this program is to empower student entrepreneurs and provide them with the skills and resources necessary to start, grow, and operate a business.

Apply to UCI ANTrepreneur Centre, or learn more ➜

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14. Koa Accel

  • Location: Irvine
  • Industry: Medical Devices
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: 12-18 Months
  • Equity Taken: *Not Disclosed *

Koa Accel is an accelerator program that accelerates medical device businesses. They have a team of experts who build the startup from the ground level through strategic business execution. This program provides participants with knowledge and education about medical devices development, strategies to run business operations, and innovative ideas and technologies to operate medical device businesses.

Apply to Koa Accel, or learn more ➜

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meet the author
Pat Walls