EWOR, a German founder fellowship, is emerging as a highly selective and well-funded program in Europe’s startup ecosystem, challenging the dominance of established accelerators like Y Combinator. With a commitment of €60 million to support top entrepreneurs worldwide, EWOR boasts a 0.1% acceptance rate and has backed founders responsible for over €12 billion in exits. This fellowship is positioned as a tougher and more elite alternative to Y Combinator, which itself has a 1% acceptance rate and is known for producing successful startups. The European venture capital scene in 2024 is witnessing a generational shift, with Gen Z entrepreneurs pushing to rewrite traditional startup playbooks amid a thriving investment environment. Industry leaders highlight the importance of earnestness and adaptability among founders as key factors for success in this evolving landscape.
Everyone thinks Y Combinator is the world's most selective startup program. But this new European fellowship makes YC look easy. With €12B+ in founder exits and a 0.1% acceptance rate, EWOR just redefined the accelerator model. Inside Europe's most elite founder factory 🧵: https://t.co/tE6OIBw0k1
It’s amazing that people see this and still say YC is an index or spray and pray approach. There’s soooo many other accelerators and programs out there that are just a big fat 0%. YC has built a giant magnet that attracts great founders and then selects them. Chapeau! https://t.co/QJbsFnV49f
Tens of thousands of startup founders apply to Y Combinator, but only a handful get a chance at the famously brief 10-minute interview. How can YC make a decision so quickly? President Garry Tan explains why those crucial few minutes are actually more than enough: https://t.co/JXRzlfuKsg