Endeavor

What Endeavor does

Endeavor is a global nonprofit organization founded in 1997 and headquartered at 28 Liberty Street, New York, that identifies, selects, and supports high-impact scaleup entrepreneurs across 45+ markets in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the U.S./Canada. Its selection process—a 12-18 month search culminating in a 2.5-day International Selection Panel (ISP)—is highly selective, with fewer than 5% of 100,000+ screened companies advancing and approximately 70% of ISP participants selected into the network. Selected entrepreneurs gain access to a 3,000+ founder community, sector-based verticals, mentor matching, curated investor introductions, geographic expansion support, executive education at MIT, Stanford, Harvard, and Oxford Saïd, and the year-long Outliers program for top performers. Endeavor does not take equity as a condition of selection or membership.

The organization's revenue model combines philanthropic donations from foundations (Omidyar Network at $10M+, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Kauffman), multilateral institutions (European Union, Inter-American Development Bank), and corporate partners (J.P. Morgan, Bain & Company, Morgan Stanley, EY, PwC, UBS, Payoneer) with returns from Endeavor Catalyst, a rules-based co-investment fund that invests passively in qualified rounds of Endeavor Entrepreneurs without additional diligence or terms. Catalyst manages $540M+ AUM across multiple funds (Fund I-V) and has made 405+ investments across 35+ markets, with 37 realized exits and 71-93 portfolio unicorns depending on the reporting period. Executive education tuition ($5,500-$8,800 per participant), strategic partnerships, and research/content monetization through Endeavor Insight and Elsewhere Magazine (25,000+ subscribers) provide supplementary revenue. The core methodology is the "Endeavor Multiplier Effect"—a framework combining curated peer networks, mentorship, capital facilitation, and personal leadership development to compound entrepreneurial impact.

Since inception, Endeavor Entrepreneurs have collectively generated $88.5B in annual revenue and created 4M+ jobs globally; the 2026 Outliers cohort of 238 companies alone raised $31.4B in three years with 93 unicorns. The organization has 600+ staff on the ground and operates through wholly-owned subsidiaries including Endeavor Catalyst, Endeavor Insight, Elsewhere Magazine, and Endeavor Outliers. In May 2025, Silver Lake completed a take-private acquisition of Endeavor, following its January 2025 divestiture of PBR, On Location, and IMG to TKO Group Holdings for $3.25B. The organization is now positioning around AI investing in emerging markets through a planned $300M Catalyst deployment and partnerships with OpenAI, Visa, Prosus, and others.

Name

Endeavor

Legal name

Endeavor Global, Inc.

Website

https://endeavor.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Endeavor is a global nonprofit founded in 1997 that selects and supports high-impact scaleup entrepreneurs across 45+ markets through a rigorous ISP process, offering curated network access, mentorship, executive education, and passive co-investment via its $540M+ Catalyst fund.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Entrepreneur Support Network

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

Keywords

• Entrepreneur support network
• Startup mentorship programs
• Venture co-investment fund
• Executive education programs
• Ecosystem research services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Endeavor Catalyst Co-Investment Fund: Endeavor Catalyst is a rules-based, co-investment fund that invests passively in qualified funding rounds of Endeavor Entrepreneurs. It does not take additional terms or conduct separate diligence. Returns from Endeavor Catalyst provide revenue to sustain Endeavor's long-term operations in a mission-aligned way, contributing to financial self-sustainability across both global and local levels.
2. Donations and Grants: Endeavor receives philanthropic donations and grants from a broad donor base including foundations (e.g., Omidyar Network, Gates Foundation), multilateral organizations (European Union, IADB/IDB), corporations (J.P. Morgan, EY, PwC), and individual philanthropists. Donors at the $10M+ level include Omidyar Network; $5M+ donors include the European Union, EY, and the Multilateral Investment Fund of IDB.
3. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorship: Endeavor generates revenue through strategic partnerships with corporations (e.g., Bain & Company, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, UBS, Payoneer, Chubb, HubSpot, NYSE, Orrick, Gunderson Dettmer). Partners provide financial support, in-kind services, mentorship access, and co-programming in exchange for proximity to high-growth entrepreneurs and ecosystem influence.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Endeavor is a nonprofit organization that selects, supports, and invests in high-impact scaleup entrepreneurs across 45+ markets worldwide. It runs a 12-18 month International Selection Panel process, provides post-selection mentorship, peer networking, investor introductions, and executive education programs, and operates the Endeavor Catalyst rules-based co-investment fund (with $540M+ AUM) that passively invests in Endeavor Entrepreneur-led companies without taking equity as a condition of network membership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Endeavor Catalyst: Rules-based co-investment fund of Endeavor that invests exclusively in Endeavor Entrepreneur-led companies
• Endeavor Insight
• Elsewhere Magazine
• Endeavor Outliers
• International Selection Panels
• Executive Education

Products and services

• Endeavor Catalyst Fund Rules-based co-investment fund that invests exclusively in Endeavor Entrepreneur-led companies. With $540M+ in assets under management across multiple funds, it has made 405+ investments across 35+ markets and counts 71 companies valued at $1B+ in its portfolio, having realized 37 exits to date. Designed for LPs seeking exposure to early-stage emerging market unicorns without taking additional terms or conducting separate diligence.
• International Selection Panels (ISP) Endeavor's rigorous 12-18 month entrepreneur selection process culminating in 2.5-day interview panels where global business leaders evaluate scaleup candidates. Fewer than 5% of candidates advance to the ISP stage; approximately 70% of those who reach ISP are selected into the network. Selection is free, with no equity taken as a condition of entry.
• Endeavor Outliers Year-long elite experience for the top 10% of Endeavor Entrepreneurs at similar growth stage. Includes curated programming, peer circles, AI in Practice program, Paths to Liquidity program, and annual Outliers Retreat in Comporta, Portugal. Categories span Early Breakout ($30-50M), Scaling Up ($50-100M), Scaled & Growing ($100M+), and Multipliers ($500M+ exit).
• Executive Education Programs Week-long certificate programs delivered in partnership with MIT, Stanford GSB, Harvard Business School, and Oxford Saïd Business School. Programs focus on leadership, innovation, scaling, and Inside VC & Emerging Tech. Tuition ranges from $5,500 (Oxford) to $8,800 (MIT, Stanford, Harvard) and includes lodging, meals, and course materials.
• Endeavor Insight

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000+ entrepreneurs selected from 100k+ companies screened, with <5% advancing to the ISP stage
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered key, flagship and core.

• Greek Film Center, Audiovisual Media and Creation (EKOMED)keyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026EKOMED and Endeavor expanded their strategic cooperation to jointly support audiovisual, technology, digital creation, and innovation sectors in Greece. The partnership connects creative talent with business and investment networks to accelerate growth, enhance international outreach, and strengthen Greece's position as a regional hub for creative industries.
• OpenAI (Greece)keyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026OpenAI partnered with the Greek government and Endeavor Greece to organize a mission of 18 Greek AI startups and 40+ founders to Silicon Valley (May 18–22, 2026). The program included visits to major technology companies, meetings with investors, and engagement with the Greek diaspora entrepreneurial community. At least one participant, Hermetica, closed its largest deal to date with a fund managing over $150 billion.
• Visa (Europe)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2026Visa's 2026 Innovation Programme Europe is implemented in collaboration with Eleven Ventures and Endeavor Greece. The program selects fintech startups from Cyprus, Greece, and Malta focused on AI, agentic commerce, B2B solutions, money movement, open finance, and data. Since 2019, the program has expanded across 15 countries and received over 1,900 applications.
• Sebrae (Brazil)keyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026Sebrae selected 30 startups for Scale AI, a national program to accelerate AI adoption among Brazilian small and medium-sized enterprises. Endeavor is a strategic partner alongside AWS, NVIDIA, and the Federal University of Goiás. The six-month program runs from May to October 2026.
• Prosus (Romania)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 April 2026Prosus, in partnership with Endeavor Romania, launched the Prosus Found-HER Challenge Romania, offering EUR 100,000 in equity-free grants to women-led startups. This is the first European edition following successful stages in India and Africa, addressing the gender funding gap where less than 5% of VC flows to female-founded startups.
• BoosteroidkeyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 March 2026Boosteroid CEO Ivan Shvaichenko joined Endeavor as a member, following a selection process evaluated by prominent venture capitalists and Silicon Valley investors. Boosteroid simultaneously expanded its GPU infrastructure across Europe with new server nodes in Poland, France, and the Czech Republic.
• McKinsey & Company (Brazil)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 18 February 2026Endeavor partnered with McKinsey to reimagine its support model for Brazil's entrepreneurs. The partnership aims to enhance Endeavor Brazil's service delivery and strategic guidance for scaleup founders in the Brazilian market.
• OpenAI / Greek AI Accelerator (Greece)keyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 September 2025Greece and OpenAI signed an MoU to launch 'OpenAI for Greece,' piloting ChatGPT Edu in select educational institutions. Endeavor Greece partners on the Greek AI Accelerator Program to support local startups building AI products.
• Bain & CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBain & Company is a global consultancy partner to Endeavor. The partnership involves shared ambition, high-impact engagement, and active collaboration across all levels of both organizations since 2011.

Scale indicators23 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Techstars: Techstars operates a global accelerator network and mentorship-driven programs that select and support early- and growth-stage founders, directly comparable to Endeavor's selection panel and network model. Both monetize through corporate partnerships and run programs in multiple geographies.
• Y Combinator: Y Combinator is the leading global startup accelerator, offering seed funding, mentorship, and a powerful founder network. While focused earlier-stage than Endeavor, both compete for top entrepreneur mindshare and investor deal flow globally.
• 500 Global: 500 Global (formerly 500 Startups) runs a global accelerator and venture fund with presence in 70+ countries. Its emerging-markets focus and large founder community closely parallel Endeavor's model of selecting and backing founders outside traditional tech hubs.
• Plug and Play Tech Center: Plug and Play operates a global innovation platform connecting startups with corporate partners across multiple verticals and geographies. Its corporate-sponsored accelerator model and global footprint mirror Endeavor's partner-driven approach to scaling founders.
• Antler: Antler is a global early-stage VC and founder generator operating in 30+ cities across six continents. It focuses on identifying founders at the earliest stage and building companies from scratch, comparable to Endeavor's mission of finding and supporting high-impact entrepreneurs globally.
• Village Capital: Village Capital runs impact-focused accelerator programs supporting entrepreneurs solving major global problems. Its peer-driven, network-based approach and emerging-market focus closely align with Endeavor's mission-aligned selection and multiplier model.
• Founders Forum: Founders Forum is a private global community of tech founders, CEOs, and investors. Its curated, trust-based peer network of high-growth entrepreneurs directly mirrors Endeavor's selective membership model for elite founders.

Broad incumbents

• Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: The Kauffman Foundation is a major U.S. philanthropic organization funding entrepreneurship research and programs. It partners with Endeavor Insight on ecosystem research and is comparable as a large-scale, mission-aligned supporter of high-impact entrepreneurship.
• World Economic Forum: The World Economic Forum operates a global multi-stakeholder platform connecting governments, business leaders, and entrepreneurs. Its Young Global Leaders and Uplink programs serve a comparable function to Endeavor's selective global network for high-impact leaders.

Emerging players

• EchoVC Partners: EchoVC is an early-stage venture fund focused on African technology companies. Its regional, founder-supportive approach in emerging markets aligns with Endeavor's model of backing high-impact entrepreneurs in underserved geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/endeavorglobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/endeavorglobal
• Instagraminstagram.com/endeavor_global
• Xx.com/endeavor_global
• Facebookfacebook.com/endeavorglobal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments74 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Endeavor