Deadline Date: April 24, 2026
The Georgia Startup Academy by 500 Global is a 12-month startup development program designed to support early-stage founders in building, validating, and scaling their business ideas into successful startups.
The program focuses on idea validation, MVP development, business model refinement, market entry preparation, international market exploration, structured startup acceleration, mentorship-based learning, and access to funding and investor networks through grant support and showcase opportunities.
The program also includes funding opportunities provided through Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency, where startups advancing to Stage 2 and Stage 3 can receive grants of GEL 50,000 and GEL 150,000 respectively, along with access to investor networks and opportunities to present at the final showcase.
The Georgia Startup Academy by 500 Global, part of GITA’s Innovative Startup Acceleration Program, is designed to support founders at the beginning of their entrepreneurial journey. The program helps participants transform early ideas into viable startups by guiding them through structured stages of development, from validation to market entry.
Over the course of 12 months, participants receive support to validate their ideas, build minimum viable products, and refine their business models. The program is structured to ensure founders gain practical experience in understanding markets and developing products that can compete both locally and internationally.
A key component of the program is hands-on mentorship and expert-led training, where founders learn directly from experienced professionals. This guidance is designed to strengthen entrepreneurial thinking while also helping participants build scalable and customer-focused products.
The program also emphasizes international market exploration by exposing founders to global perspectives and opportunities. This approach aims to prepare startups to expand beyond Georgia and operate in competitive international environments with stronger market readiness.
Learning within the program is structured across three stages, including founder-market fit, MVP development, and market entry. Each stage is designed to ensure that participants can immediately apply what they learn to their startup development process, making progress in real time rather than only gaining theoretical knowledge.
Startups that advance through later stages of the program become eligible for grant funding, with financial support provided by Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency. Selected participants may receive funding at different stages, along with opportunities to present their startups at a final showcase, connecting them with potential investors and industry stakeholders.
For more information, visit 500 Global.
