Deadline Date: July 31, 2026
The Georgia Startup Academy by 500 Global is a 12-month program supporting early-stage founders in Georgia to validate ideas, build products, strengthen business models, and prepare for growth.
The focus areas of the program include problem validation, product development, minimum viable product (MVP) building, business model improvement, market understanding, product-market fit, local and international market growth, hands-on mentorship, expert-led training, customer and partner exposure, grant funding opportunities, founder-market fit, market entry, and access to funding and investor networks.
The program is part of GITA’s Innovative Startup Acceleration Program and is designed for early-stage founders, aspiring entrepreneurs, and university students with startup ambitions who are building technology-driven solutions in Georgia.
Through structured support, participants will receive guidance to transform early concepts into startups. The program provides a pathway to validate problems, understand markets, build MVPs, refine business models, and prepare products for local and international markets.
The program includes global mentorship, expert training, customer and partner exposure, and grant funding opportunities to help founders develop the knowledge and tools needed to grow their startups.
The program is open to Georgian and international founders who have a registered legal entity in Georgia or plan to establish one, have a problem to validate, need support in building or improving an MVP, seek to understand market needs, aim to launch a new product in Georgia, or want to explore markets beyond Georgia.
Startups progressing to Stage 2 and Stage 3 can receive grants of GEL 50,000 and GEL 150,000 respectively from Georgia’s Innovation & Technology Agency (GITA), along with opportunities to present at the final showcase.
For more information, visit 500 Global.
