HAX (SOSV): funding, terms & how to apply
The hard-tech factory — SOSV's hardware accelerator puts up to $550K and an in-house engineering team behind climate, industrial and robotics startups at pre-seed.
Investment
Up to $550K initial pre-seed from SOSV
Equity
SOSV invests for equity; standard % not published
Program length
6 months (residency)
Format
In person
Deadlines
Rolling applications year-round
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 HAX (SOSV) actually is
HAX is the hardware arm of SOSV's deep-tech platform: pre-seed checks up to $550K, a 6-month residency at its Newark headquarters, and — the real differentiator — staff engineers in Newark, Pune and Shenzhen who work directly on your prototype, supply chain and design-for-manufacture. The current thesis centers on industrial decarbonization, robotics, and hard tech with climate leverage.
Applications are rolling rather than batch-deadline driven. HAX suits scientist- and engineer-founders pre-product: the program exists to compress the lab-to-manufacturable gap that kills most hardware startups.
What they look for
The bar you need to clear before the application is worth sending.
Hard tech with defensible engineering — robotics, climate, industrial, health devices.
Founding teams that include the technical inventors themselves.
Pre-seed stage; a working proof-of-concept helps but polished product isn't expected.
Willingness to relocate to Newark for the residency.
Before you apply
Most rejections happen before the interview — in the application itself
Every question HAX (SOSV) 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
How much does HAX invest?
Up to $550K in initial pre-seed funding from SOSV, typically staged, in exchange for equity; the exact standard percentage isn't published and is set per deal.
What makes HAX different from a software accelerator?
In-house engineering: HAX employs mechanical, electrical and manufacturing engineers in Newark, Pune and Shenzhen who work hands-on with portfolio prototypes and supply chains.
When are applications due?
There's no fixed deadline — HAX reviews applications on a rolling basis year-round through SOSV's application portal.
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