BOSTON, Aug. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — MassChallenge has been ranked No. 2 in the United States on TIME’s list of America’s Best Incubators & Accelerators 2026. This recognition is presented in collaboration with Statista, the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. The list was announced on August 18, 2026, and is available on TIME.com.
The America’s Best Incubators & Accelerators 2026 ranking evaluates the top 80 incubators and accelerators across the United States based on three key dimensions:
- Alumni Evaluations: Feedback from more than 2,000 founders who participated in incubator and accelerator programs between 2020 and 2025. Alumni rated their overall experience through a general recommendation and assessed six key aspects, including mentoring and training, infrastructure, legal assistance, funding opportunities, networking and business development advice.
- Track Record: An evaluation of each incubator’s and accelerator’s measurable founder outcomes, based on the top five startups they reported from their programs. These startups were assessed using information provided by the organizations, complemented by Statista’s desk research drawing on publicly available sources such as official websites, presentations and media coverage.
- Expert Recommendations: Endorsements from startup investors and seasoned entrepreneurs, who recommended the incubators and accelerators they know and regard most highly.
Based on the study results, MassChallenge ranked No. 2 nationally. MassChallenge is built for founders working where complexity is high, and the path to market is hardest: healthcare & life sciences, security & resiliency, global financial systems and sustainable food systems.
Statista publishes hundreds of worldwide industry rankings and company listings with high-profile media partners. This research and analysis service is based on the success of statista.com, the leading data and business intelligence portal that provides statistics, relevant business data and various market and consumer studies and surveys.
“Being named the No. 2 accelerator on the TIME list is a David and Goliath moment, and we could not be more proud. Our model has been different by design since day one: focused on the hardest problems, built for commercialization over valuation, and run on a network that behaves more like open source than a traditional accelerator — shared, collaborative and built to compound,” said Cait Brumme, CEO of MassChallenge. “But what excites me most is what it means for our founders, who now carry that credibility into every room they walk into next. This is a credit to our founders, to the MassChallenge team and the extraordinary network of more than 3,000 experts that power MassChallenge.”
MassChallenge runs 10 to 15 highly selective accelerator programs a year. If you’re a founder building in healthcare & life sciences, security & resiliency, global financial systems or sustainable food systems, complete the MC Program interest form to learn when new programs open. If you’re an organization looking to connect with high-potential startups or advance your own innovation initiatives, contact the MC partnerships team. If you are interested in joining our expert and investor network, contact [email protected].
About MassChallenge
MassChallenge is a global institution that backs startups building solutions to systems-critical challenges, where complexity is high and the path to market is hardest. Founded in Boston, Massachusetts, with offices in Texas, Israel, Switzerland and the UK, MassChallenge connects startups with the partners, programs and capital needed to accelerate commercialization and real-world impact for no cost and no equity. Since 2009, MassChallenge has supported more than 5,000 startups that have raised over $27 billion in funding. Learn more at masschallenge.org.
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SOURCE MassChallenge
