StartOut
StartOut is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2009 that empowers LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs through an 18-month accelerator (Growth Lab), 8-week incubator (Spark Lab), 600+ mentor network, and 650+ investor portal, serving 28,000+ community members across five US cities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What StartOut does
StartOut is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2009 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, that operates a national ecosystem to empower LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and business leaders. The organization delivers a multi-stage founder development platform anchored by Growth Lab (an 18-month accelerator for Seed/Series A founders), Spark Lab (an 8-week virtual incubator for Angel/Pre-Seed founders), and a Mentorship Program matching founders with 600+ active mentors in 6-month engagements. Supporting infrastructure includes an Investor Portal connecting 650+ accredited investors with founders, NetworQ (an online directory), The Forum (a community discussion platform), and Expert Office Hours. Cumulative impact metrics include 28,000+ community members, 1,829 companies supported, $1.58B in funding raised by portfolio companies, and $5.8B in economic value created.
The organization operates a hybrid revenue model combining tiered corporate sponsorships (50+ companies across Steel, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and In-Kind tiers — including Coca-Cola, JPMorgan Chase, SVB, UPS, Visa, AWS, TikTok, Comcast NBCUniversal, and GV), individual major donor programs (CEO Circle at $15K+/year, Major Donor at $5K+/year, Entrepreneur Circle at $1,200+/year), Founder Memberships at $125/year (with scholarship pathways), and event revenue from signature gatherings like StartOut Con ($69-$149 tickets) and Demo Day pitch competitions. Distribution is national through five Leadership Council cities (San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Boston) plus virtual programming, with a remote-first ~20-person staff. The StartOut Index research initiative — analyzing 142K founders and 95K high-growth companies — and the annual StartOut Awards gala anchor thought leadership, while partnerships with UPenn's Eidos LGBTQ+ Health Initiative and Socos Labs extend the organization's data and research footprint.
StartOut firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- StartOut
- Legal name
- StartOut, Inc.
- Website
- https://startout.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- StartOut is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2009 that empowers LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs through an 18-month accelerator (Growth Lab), 8-week incubator (Spark Lab), 600+ mentor network, and 650+ investor portal, serving 28,000+ community members across five US cities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
StartOut industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Entrepreneurship Support Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)
Keywords
Where StartOut is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
StartOut business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors (50+ companies) pay to support LGBTQ+ entrepreneur programs. Sponsors receive recognition, access to founder network, and recruitment opportunities. Sponsorships are tiered (Steel, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, In-Kind) with varying benefit levels.
- Individual Donations & Major Gifts: Individual donors contribute at various levels: CEO Circle ($15,000+/year), Major Donor ($5,000+/year), Entrepreneur Circle ($1,200+/year). Donations support scholarships and program operations.
- Founder Memberships: Founders invited to become giving members at $125/year to participate in founder programs. Need-based scholarships provide free 12-month memberships for underrepresented founders (Latinx/Hispanic, Women/Non-Binary, Black, age 45+, DEI founders).
- Event Revenue: Ticket sales for signature events including StartOut Con ($69-$149 per ticket) and Demo Day. Sponsorship packages available for events.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Standard Founder Giving Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Scholarship Founder Membership |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | StartOut Con General Admission |
| Subscription | Monthly | CEO Circle Major Donor |
| Subscription | Monthly | Major Donor |
| Subscription | Monthly | Entrepreneur Circle |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
StartOut product offering
Product offeringCore offering
StartOut is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides programs, mentorship, and investor connectivity for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. Its core offerings are the Growth Lab accelerator (18 months, zero equity), Spark Lab incubator (8 weeks virtual), a Mentorship Program matching founders with 600+ mentors, and the Founders Program membership that bundles access to expert office hours, perks, community platforms (NetworQ directory, The Forum, Investor Portal), and signature events.
Product overview
StartOut is a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs and resources for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and allies. The core offerings include Growth Lab (an 18-month accelerator taking zero equity) and Spark Lab (an 8-week virtual incubator) for founder development, paired with a Mentorship Program connecting founders with 600+ mentors. The platform provides an Investor Portal for fundraising connectivity, The NetworQ online directory, The Forum community platform, and Expert Office Hours for specialized advisory support. Additional services include signature events (StartOut Con, Demo Day, Awards), the StartOut Index research initiative, and the StartOut Innovation Table podcast. Founder membership costs $125/year with scholarship options for underrepresented entrepreneurs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Founders Program: Core program connecting LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs with mentors, investors, peer founders, and business professionals to accelerate growth.
- Spark Lab
- Growth Lab
- Mentorship Program
- StartOut Index
- StartOut Innovation Table
Products and services
- Growth Lab An 18-month cohort-based accelerator program for Seed to Series A stage LGBTQ+ founders with $200,000+ in ARR or comparable funding. Provides mentorship, strategic workshops, peer networking, expert office hours, and culminates in a polished business plan. Takes zero equity from participating companies and offers $1M+ in founder perks and credits. Alumni have raised $1.2B and created 4,536 jobs.
- Spark Lab
Quantifiable outcome
- $1.58B in funding raised by supported companies
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use StartOut
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
StartOut technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
StartOut partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Socos LabscoreResearch collaborator on the StartOut Index. Socos Labs leads the research methodology and data analysis for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship metrics.
- Eidos LGBTQ+ Health Initiative at University of PennsylvaniacoreCollaborated on 'Diminished Diversity in Entrepreneurial Pipelines' report (2025), examining barriers faced by LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs with focus on underrepresented racial and gender groups.
- LinkedIncoreHost venue for StartOut Con 2026 at LinkedIn HQ in San Francisco. Provides platform for professional networking and career development content.
- World Business ChicagominorEvent partner for Demo Day Chicago, part of TechChicago Week 2026.
- TechRiseminorEvent partner for Demo Day Chicago, supporting Chicago's startup ecosystem.
- Norton Rose FulbrightminorEvent partner and venue sponsor for Demo Day Chicago at their Chicago office.
Scale indicators20 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
StartOut competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Backstage Capital: Backstage Capital is a VC fund specifically investing in underrepresented founders including LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. Listed as a StartOut investor partner, it operates in the same LGBTQ+ founder capital-access space and competes/collaborates on deal flow.
- National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC): NGLCC is the largest LGBT business organization in the US, certifying LGBT-owned businesses and connecting them to corporate supplier diversity programs. It directly parallels StartOut's mission of advancing LGBTQ+ economic empowerment through community, certification, and corporate engagement.
- Out Leadership: Out Leadership is a global LGBTQ+ business network that connects senior LGBTQ+ leaders with corporations on inclusion and economic outcomes. It overlaps with StartOut in connecting LGBTQ+ business talent to corporate ecosystems and capital.
- Chasing Rainbows: Chasing Rainbows is a VC firm committed to investing in LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, founded by a StartOut board member. It is a direct peer in the LGBTQ+-focused capital ecosystem.
- Pride Fund: Pride Fund is an LGBTQ+-focused venture fund investing in LGBTQ+ founders. It is a StartOut investor partner and shares the mission of directing capital to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs through dedicated fund vehicles.
Broad incumbents
- Y Combinator: Y Combinator is the world's largest generalist accelerator. It competes for the same cohort of high-growth founders as Growth Lab but takes equity and lacks LGBTQ+-specific community, mentorship, and investor networks.
- Techstars: Techstars is a global generalist accelerator running equity-taking cohorts. It overlaps with Growth Lab/Spark Lab as a comparable accelerator product for early-stage founders but does not specialize in LGBTQ+ founders.
Others
- Echoing Green: Echoing Green is a nonprofit that identifies and invests in emerging social impact leaders and entrepreneurs through fellowships. It overlaps with StartOut's mission of supporting founders building businesses with social impact.
- SCORE: SCORE is a US nonprofit providing free mentorship and education to small business owners through a volunteer network. It is comparable to StartOut's mentorship and education model but is generalist rather than LGBTQ+-focused.
Emerging players
- Astia: Astia is a nonprofit that supports women and underrepresented founders through investor introductions and accelerator programming. It overlaps with StartOut's mission of capital access for underserved founder populations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
StartOut social profiles
Digital presenceStartOut financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
StartOut leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
StartOut funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
StartOut M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments20 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about StartOut
What does StartOut do?
StartOut is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides programs, mentorship, and investor connectivity for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. Its core offerings are the Growth Lab accelerator (18 months, zero equity), Spark Lab incubator (8 weeks virtual), a Mentorship Program matching founders with 600+ mentors, and the Founders Program membership that bundles access to expert office hours, perks, community platforms (NetworQ directory, The Forum, Investor Portal), and signature events.
Is StartOut a public or private company?
StartOut is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was StartOut founded?
StartOut was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is StartOut based?
StartOut is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does StartOut make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Corporate Sponsorships are the primary driver. The others are individual Donations & Major Gifts, founder Memberships and event Revenue.
Who are StartOut's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Backstage Capital, National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), Out Leadership, Chasing Rainbows and Pride Fund. Broad incumbents are Y Combinator and Techstars. Others are Echoing Green and SCORE. Astia is listed as an emerging player.
Does StartOut have an API?
No public API is recorded for StartOut.
What industry is StartOut in?
StartOut's product category is Nonprofit Entrepreneurship Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAHAA, Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics, with a secondary code of FSANAAAM, Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated). Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8200.