How TIME and Statista Determined America’s Best Incubators and Accelerators of 2026

Following the registration phase, all eligible incubators and accelerators were asked to reach out to their alumni who had participated in programs between 2020 and 2025. More than 2,000 alumni responded and evaluated their experience. Each alumnus provided a general recommendation on a scale from 0 to 10 and rated six specific aspects on a scale from 1 to 5, with an additional “not relevant” option. These aspects covered Mentoring & Training, Infrastructure, Legal Assistance, Funding Opportunities, Networking Opportunities, and Business Development Advice. Furthermore, alumni answered questions about the application process, funding, and post-program support.

Statista also reviewed publicly available information and data on the track record of incubators and accelerators, that were evaluated by their alumni, specifically with regard to the five most successful startups that had participated in one of their programs. This information was collected through desk research using official and publicly available sources, including organization websites, public presentations, and online media articles. Where justified by the available data, these organizations were also included in the ranking.