27 Best Startup Accelerators & Incubators In Winston Salem [2024]

Updated: January 20th, 2022

Are you looking for an accelerator program in Winston Salem?

Are you aware of the fact that Winston Salem is listed amongst one of the best investment hubs for Startups and entrepreneurs?

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

Startup Accelerators & Business Incubators In Winston Salem

# Accelerator/Incubator Funding Location Apply
1 New Ventures $50K Winston-S... Apply
2 Venture Winston Grants $50K Winston-S... Apply
3 Velocity $50K Winston-S... Apply
4 Winston Starts Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
5 Soy Emprendedor Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
6 Kinetic Bootcamp Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
7 North Carolina Biotechnology Center Varies Winston-S... Apply
8 StartUp Lab Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
9 Innovation Quarter Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
10 Hustle Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
11 Center for Creative Economy Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
12 The Enterprise Center Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
13 One Hundred Watt Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
14 Business Inclusion & Advancement Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
15 Center for Women in Entrepreneurship and Business Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
16 Forsyth Tech Community College Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
17 AeroX Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
18 Wake Forest Innovations Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
19 Agile City Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
20 Center for Design Innovation (CDI) Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
21 SBTDC Not Disclosed Raleigh, ... Apply
22 WSBCC Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
23 Flywheel Foundation Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
24 Center for Private Businesses Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
25 Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. Not Disclosed Winston-S... Apply
26 Startup Grind Not Disclosed Global Apply
27 Score Not Disclosed Greensbor... Apply

27 Best Startup Accelerators & Incubators In Winston Salem [2024]

1. New Ventures

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: Healthcare, B2B Software, Agtech, and Minority Founders
  • Investment Size: $50K
  • Program Length: 12 Weeks
  • Equity Taken: 7.50%

New Ventures operates an accelerator program to serve businesses in the niche of health, wellness, nutrition, AgTech, and B2B software. They also empower minority entrepreneurs to grow and move forward in the industry. This 12-week accelerator program provides entrepreneurs with funding of $50K in return for 7.5% of equity. They offer mentorship from business experts, business education workshops, tailored curriculum, technical assistance, access to a 2-week follow-up residency program, knowledge about various business topics, and networking & connection-building opportunity.

Apply to New Ventures, or learn more ➜

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2. Venture Winston Grants

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: Nutrition, Health, Agriculture, Aviation, Aerospace, and Well-Being
  • Investment Size: $50K
  • Program Length: 1 Year
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

Venture Winston Grants host a business program to empower innovative business ideas and creative business entrepreneurs in the niche of aerospace, aviation, agriculture, nutrition, well-being, and health. This program acts as a catalyst to provides future-focused entrepreneurs with mentorship, business support, funding & grants of $50K, acceleration & incubation services, networking opportunities, resources, and tools essential to build a minimum viable product and succeed in the industry.

Apply to Venture Winston Grants, or learn more ➜

3. Velocity

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: $50K
  • Program Length: 10 Weeks
  • Equity Taken: No Equity Taken

Velocity runs a 10-week mentor-focused accelerator program that leaves a high impact on society. This program provides members with a tailored business curriculum, mentorship, resources, business skill, training, business knowledge, functional expertise, workshops, ready-to-launch business prototype, technical assistance, business experience, and access to the pitching events. The selected teams pay $995 to participate in this program, and they will be offered a roadmap to success.

Apply to Velocity, or learn more ➜

4. Winston Starts

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: 42 Months
  • Equity Taken: No Equity Taken

Winston Starts organizes a business program that helps startups grow and scale their business in the industry. This non-profit and no-equity 42-month program offers a range of resources to business firms and assists them in the long run. They provide business ventures and entrepreneurs with mentorship from industry experts, legal assistance, networking opportunities with potential & pilot customers, venture capital, affordable coworking space & various amenities, and hands-on business experience and expertise. This program serves businesses in the niche of Apparel, Aerospace, EdTech, Financial Services, Automobile, Healthcare, Sports Marketing, and Business Intelligence.

Apply to Winston Starts, or learn more ➜

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5. Soy Emprendedor

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: 2 Months
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

Soy Emprendedor runs a 2-month accelerator program that teaches student entrepreneurs to foster creativity and build an entrepreneurial mindset through brainstorming sessions, business presentations, and pitching opportunities. This program aims to build & develop an entrepreneurial success path for young entrepreneurs belonging to minority communities. The mission of this program is to empower, inspire, and educate students and prepare them for potential success.

Apply to Soy Emprendedor, or learn more ➜

6. Kinetic Bootcamp

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: Creative Entrepreneurs
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: 10 Weeks
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

Kinetic Bootcamp runs a 4-week business program that helps entrepreneurs validate their creative business ideas. They assist them in igniting ideas by providing them hands-on working experience, learning by doing opportunities, various resources, and guidance in developing a successful business model. This program serves creative & hobbyist entrepreneurs and founders in the niche of theatre, film, culinary, writing, digital media, and some skill-based businesses and empowers their potential to turn innovative business ideas into reality.

Apply to Kinetic Bootcamp, or learn more ➜

7. North Carolina Biotechnology Center

  • Location: Winston-Salem, Research Triangle Park, Charlotte, Ashville, Greenville, and Wilmington
  • Industry: Biotechnology Industry
  • Investment Size: Varies
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

North Carolina Biotechnology Center operates a program that transforms and accelerates technology-based life science through education, commercialization, and innovation. They help entrepreneurs and startups in the niche of biotechnology to thrive in North Carolina and also empowers the economic growth of the region by providing members with various entrepreneurial resources, business planning & incorporation tools, funding resources, lab space, accelerations & incubation services, investment opportunities, and education about financial planning & business management.

Apply to North Carolina Biotechnology Center, or learn more ➜

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8. StartUp Lab

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

StartUp Lab hosted by Wake Forest Center for Entrepreneurship is an accelerator program that provides business owners with the resources necessary to launch a business venture. These resources include mentorship from industry-specific experts, business concepts, seed capital, legal business expertise, business coaching, and pitching opportunities. The two coaches who empower the participants of this program are Dan Cohen and Greg Pol.

Apply to StartUp Lab, or learn more ➜

9. Innovation Quarter

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: Arts, Innovation, and Healthcare
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

Innovation Quarter runs a business program that focuses on building a vibrant business community and empower the growth of the businesses in the industry by hosting a collaborative business environment that sparks creativity and innovation. They encourage business arts, innovation, and healthcare business ideas by providing entrepreneurs with resources, space to grow, and support. This program leverages communication and marketing tools to run business activities and programs successfully in the industry.

Apply to Innovation Quarter, or learn more ➜

10. Hustle

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

Hustle operates an inclusive entrepreneurship program that assists and provides resources to entrepreneurs of color, women entrepreneurs, and those who belong to the marginalized business areas. The mission of this program is to grow and develop the local economy by providing entrepreneurs with support, business education, resources, support services, and equitable business opportunities. They host various business programs such as Marketing Outside The Box, Womenpreneur, and The Come Up to help entrepreneurs grow and succeed in the industry.

Apply to Hustle, or learn more ➜

11. Center for Creative Economy

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Varies
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

Center for Creative Economy (CCE) runs a business program that creates various tools & resources for entrepreneurs and assists them to grow and succeed in the industry. They also provide mentorship, networking opportunities, business training, and business education to entrepreneurs and business owners. This program designs a business program for creatives and founders to connect, spur, and engage innovation in the industry. CCE hosts three different programs, Momentum, Kinetic (a 4-week program), and, Velocity (a10-week program).

Apply to Center for Creative Economy, or learn more ➜

12. The Enterprise Center

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

The Enterprise Center runs a business incubator program hosted by Winston-Salem State University. They provide startups and organizations with business support, 1:1 mentoring & counseling, business workshops, assistance in legal services, resources, and affordable office, coworking, and kitchen space. This program also offers a collaborative environment for businesses and communities to thrive together and develop green & sustainable ventures in the industry.

Apply to The Enterprise Center, or learn more ➜

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13. One Hundred Watt

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

One Hundred Watt runs an integrated business program that helps business owners and entrepreneurs to bring their business ideas into reality. This program focuses on integrating and combining the brand and the business by providing them business strategies, support, solutions to hurdles, business infrastructure, and a path to build a scalable and successful business firm. They also offer assistance in business plan creation, brand development, market validation, execution of seed-stage, and fundraising to the entrepreneurs.

Apply to One Hundred Watt, or learn more ➜

14. Business Inclusion & Advancement

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

Business Inclusion & Advancement program empowers entrepreneurs and small businesses with economic growth and development opportunities necessary to move forward in the industry. This program assists and focuses on small, minority-owned, and women-owned business enterprises and provides them with business workshops, access to seminars, guidance & counseling, and various business services to succeed in the industry.

Apply to Business Inclusion & Advancement, or learn more ➜

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15. Center for Women in Entrepreneurship and Business

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

Center for Women in Entrepreneurship and Business program hosted by Salem College provides student entrepreneurs with various business programs, a global business environment, mentorship, internship, and education & guidance on various business topics. The mission of this program is to assist women entrepreneurs and connect them with business professionals, government agencies, and academic fields to move forward in the industry.

Apply to Center for Women in Entrepreneurship and Business, or learn more ➜

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16. Forsyth Tech Community College

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

Forsyth Tech Community College runs a Small Business Center program that aims to increase the success of businesses by providing them high-quality business resources and assistance. This program also offers one-on-one business counseling, guidance & mentorship, growth-enabled tools, access to seminars & roundtable conferences, business training, and networking opportunities to the participants.

Apply to Forsyth Tech Community College, or learn more ➜

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17. AeroX

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: Air Mobility
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

AeroX runs a non-profit business organization that focuses on creating a successful and sustainable advanced air mobility ecosystem by helping technology-enabled business companies. They provide businesses with resources, aviation technology lab, support & guidance from mentors and industry experts, infrastructure, technical assistance, business incubation services, and equipped working space to succeed in the industry.

Apply to AeroX, or learn more ➜

18. Wake Forest Innovations

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: Technology and Innovations
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

Wake Forest Innovations operates a business program that accelerates the commercialization and development of the latest technological innovations. This program aims to improve healthcare through a collaborative environment between the industry and faculty of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. They take innovative healthcare ideas and transform them into path-breaking technologies to shape the medical field. This program also provides participants with the knowledge to develop new technologies, various funding methods, and the opportunity to meet industry experts.

Apply to Wake Forest Innovations, or learn more ➜

19. Agile City

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: Innovation Industry
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

Agile City hosts a non-profit business program that accelerates, amplifies, and activates the business ecosystem of Winston-Salem. They focus on creating a meaningful change in the economy through entrepreneurship and agile business solutions. This program provides entrepreneurs with innovative consulting services and assists them in ecosystem building.

Apply to Agile City, or learn more ➜

20. Center for Design Innovation (CDI)

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: Innovation and Technology
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

Center for Design Innovation (CDI) operates a business incubator program that turns innovative business ideas into reality. They transform ideas into prototypes to bring a change in society. This program assists student entrepreneurs of all ages, faculty, and disciplines and helps them to develop meaningful business solutions. They host technical workshops, seminars, education sessions & classes, and programs such as Education Design Studio and Spatial Justice Studio to help participants grow and move forward in the industry.

Apply to Center for Design Innovation (CDI), or learn more ➜

21. SBTDC

  • Location: Raleigh, Winston-Salem

  • Industry: Mid-sized Business Companies

  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed

  • Program Length: Not Disclosed

SBTDC or Small Business and Technology Development Center program hosted at the NC State University provides businesses with expert business counseling, advice, viable business strategies, market opportunities, industry research, business assistance, and various resources to run a profitable business in the marketplace.

Apply to SBTDC, or learn more ➜

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22. WSBCC

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: Businesses owned by Black Entrepreneurs
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

WSBCC or Winston-Salem Black Chamber of Commerce supports businesses owned and operated by Black entrepreneurs to grow and scale in the industry. This program also empowers the economy through advocacy and visionary leadership. They provide members with various resources to stimulate and start a successful business firm, such as a customized business kit, mentorship, networking opportunities, access to events, training, business contracts, employment opportunities, and guidance regarding business planning, accounting, and marketing.

Apply to WSBCC, or learn more ➜

23. Flywheel Foundation

  • Location: Winston-Salem, Davidson, and Concord
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

Flywheel Foundation runs a business program that promotes entrepreneurship in the region through research, business education, acceleration services, innovative business challenges, and various events & programs. They serve microentrepreneurs, inception-stage startups, and alumni & students of communities and institutions. To date, this program has empowered and supported 62 companies and they all are soaring to new heights in the market.

Apply to Flywheel Foundation, or learn more ➜

24. Center for Private Businesses

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

Center for Private Business program hosted by Wake Forest University serves and empowers businesses owned by families and privately held business firms. They provide them with resources, growth opportunities, mentorship from industry experts, business education, and networking opportunities to build better businesses in the industrial ecosystem. This program acts as a catalyst for the economic growth and social prosperity of the region.

Apply to Center for Private Businesses, or learn more ➜

25. Greater Winston-Salem, Inc.

  • Location: Winston-Salem
  • Industry: Advanced Manufacturing, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Technology, Aerospace, and Aviation
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program Length: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: Not Disclosed

Greater Winston Salem, Inc. runs a business program that assists small businesses to grow and expand in the region. They also provide resources and advocacy for business development, talent recruitment, networking, marketing, mentorship, and various investment, learning, and connection-building opportunities to the participating businesses and entrepreneurs. This program majorly helps business firms in the niches of advanced manufacturing, life sciences & healthcare, business services, technology, aerospace, and aviation.

Apply to Greater Winston-Salem, Inc., or learn more ➜

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26. Startup Grind

  • Location: Global
  • Industry: All Industries
  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed
  • Program: Not Disclosed
  • Equity Taken: No Equity Taken

Startup Grind is an accelerator program that connects startup networks across the world. They offer aid to student entrepreneurs, early-stage business startups, and partners through mentorship, education, and a network of world-class experts. They provide startups with the best hands-on experiences and inspire them to learn and build successful startup business firms.

Apply to Startup Grind, or learn more ➜

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27. Score

  • Location: Greensboro, Winston-Salem

  • Industry: All Industries

  • Investment Size: Not Disclosed

  • Program Length: Not Disclosed

Score NC Piedmont Triad provides entrepreneurs and small business owners with resources, expertise, education, and networking opportunities essential for starting a new business and scaling an existing one. This program also offers a roadmap to success for entrepreneurs through mentorship, workshops, webinars, and business training programs.

Apply to Score, or learn more ➜

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meet the author
Pat Walls

I'm Pat Walls and I created Starter Story - a website dedicated to helping people start businesses. We interview entrepreneurs from around the world about how they started and grew their businesses.