All crypto startups will benefit from the program, regardless of their stage.

Your accelerator and mentorship experience might differ slightly, however, depending on whether you're an early-stage or later-stage team.

We assist early-stage teams with navigating customer development and refining their product strategy. These teams are often working on large markets but need to figure out how to best capture the opportunity.

For later-stage teams with a solid product thesis, our value-add comes from deep domain expertise in crypto-native areas like token economics, regulations, and go-to-market.

In addition, both early and later-stage founders typically tell us that Alliance helped them expand their crypto network and connect with other top-tier builders, leading to direct impact in sales, user testing, partnership, and fundraising efforts.

Yes. We've always backed startups with varying degrees of crypto involvement – including fintechs, payment APIs, SaaS for crypto startups, AI products and more.

We view startups as existing along a spectrum within crypto. Some are deeply crypto-native, while others are less so. We don’t mind where you fall on that spectrum.

Our mission is to partner with the most exceptional founders in the world – regardless of the specific product you're building today.

Yes, of course.

While Alliance is most known for its crypto breakout startups, during recent cohorts we've had 1/4 or so of our cohorts be pure AI startups that don't use crypto at all.

In fact, our most common advice to these startups is not to 'force' crypto within their product and just make sure to solve the user's problem as well as they can.

Alliance mentors also have deep domain expertise in AI and keep up on a daily basis with the newest developments.

We run 3 cohorts a year. For each cohort, there's both an “Early Admission” and a “Regular” deadline.

We strongly encourage teams to submit applications as early as possible, as it maximizes your chances of selection.

Since most teams apply close to the deadline, applying early gives us much more time to review your application.

ALL16, our next cohort, starts on January 12, 2026.

We make interview decisions within two weeks of receiving an application, all year round. Once you’re accepted, we start working with you right away.

The official cohort start dates are mainly for logistical purposes and have minimal impact on your actual acceleration experience.

Nothing, the program is entirely free.

We only require a $500k investment in your company (at unparalleled, founder-friendly terms). We've learned that our best performing teams actually do want us to have skin-in-the-game. And our investment further aligns us with your success.

Besides this, founders' only obligation is to ensure they have the time and energy to attend sessions and work with mentors. We expect full commitment during the program's 3 months.

Yes, we offer $500k in funding to all admitted startups.

Alliance invests at a $5M post-money valuation via SAFE with a 1:1.5 token side letter.

If you'd like to take advantage of Alliance's funding but your fundraise timeline doesn't match the next cohort, don't worry. We've often supported startups by funding them before they're accelerated.

Just submit your application as you normally would. We review applications all year long and will invite you to an early interview if your startup meets Alliance's criteria.

Yes, Alliance startups get tens of thousands of dollars in OpenAI API, Anthropic, Gemini and Fal credits, among others.

Once you’re accepted into the program, we immediately start the investment and KYC process. For most teams, this takes less than a week.

After paperwork is signed, KYC is completed, and payment details are verified, we wire funds. This typically takes 1 to 2 weeks and happens before the program starts.

The program relies on 4 core activities: lectures, 1:1 mentorship, weekly check-ins and Demo Day.

• Lectures: We run weekly sessions where successful founders from our community share their stories and learnings as crypto operators, followed by a Q&A.
  
  
• 1:1 Mentorship: Startups receive 1:1 mentorship from Alliance mentors. Discussions often revolve around product, go-to-market and fundraising. At times, mentors may also intro founders to experts within our network depending on the problem at hand.
  
  
• Weekly Check-ins: Founders share accomplishments and challenges with mentors every week to maintain accountability, momentum and gain insight on how to overcome potential blockers.
  
  
• Demo Day: 6 weeks into the program companies start working on their narrative and pitch. Then, on week 10, startups meet select angels and VCs at Demo Day – both in-person, at the Alliance HQ in NYC, and online – and graduate from the program.

Each startup in our latest cohort received an average of over 50 intro requests after Demo Day from crypto's most value-add angels or funds, such as Paradigm, Multicoin and Dragonfly. Most startups also receive significant interest from clients or potential partners.

After you apply to the program, mentors will start reviewing your application. This process takes up to 2 weeks.

Our admissions team will then invite ad hoc the most promising teams for an interview over Zoom. This will consist of a 20 minute fast-paced conversation with Alliance mentors (with guidelines shared before the interview).

Final decisions are then communicated over email within 1 to 2 days.

Note that due to the sheer number of applications and interviews, mentors are unfortunately not able to give personalized feedback to teams that are not selected.