Creative Destruction Lab: funding, terms & how to apply
The objectives machine — a zero-cost, zero-equity 9-month program where scientist-founders set measurable objectives every 8 weeks in front of mentors who cut companies that miss.
Investment
Varies — check official site
Equity
No fees, no equity; mentors and investors may invest directly
Program length
~9 months (Oct–Jun, objectives every 8 weeks)
Format
Hybrid
Deadlines
One program year annually; applications open spring, close mid-summer
Acceptance rate
Not published
Facts last checked 2026-08-26. Deals and dates change — the official site is always the source of truth for the current application window.
What Creative Destruction Lab actually is
Creative Destruction Lab runs a unique objective-setting model: five sessions across nine months where each startup commits to three measurable objectives, reviewed by a room of scientists, economists and exited founders. Mentors vote with attention — companies that no mentor champions are cut mid-program. CDL takes no fees and no equity; capital flows instead through direct investment from mentors and the investor network attached to each of its 17 global sites.
The streams are science-heavy — AI, quantum, climate, health — anchored at business schools from Toronto to Oxford to Melbourne. It's the strongest zero-dilution option for research-grade deep tech.
What they look for
The bar you need to clear before the application is worth sending.
Science-based ventures with massively scalable potential — the streams are technical by design.
Founders who can survive blunt quarterly accountability from senior mentors.
Pre-seed/seed deep tech where credentialed validation unlocks capital.
Fit with a specific site and stream (AI, climate, quantum, health, space and more).
Before you apply
Most rejections happen before the interview — in the application itself
Every question Creative Destruction Lab asks — problem, traction, business model, team, market size — maps to work you can finish first. Build your startup profile in StartupKit, run the readiness score, and walk into the application with real answers instead of blank fields. Free, no card.
Build your startup profile freeApplication FAQ
Does CDL take equity or charge fees?
Neither. The program is free and equity-free; mentors and affiliated investors may invest directly in companies on normal terms, but that's separate from participation.
How does the cut system work?
Every 8 weeks each company sets three objectives before the mentor room; companies that fail to attract a mentor champion are not invited to continue. Roughly half of each cohort finishes.
When do applications open?
Once a year: applications open in spring and close in mid-summer for the program year starting in October.
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