The Cohort Experience
10 days that change the trajectory of your company.
An intensive in-person residency in El Segundo — daily sessions with unicorn founders, investor office hours, peer accountability, and a Demo Day in front of 100+ investors.
Example day
What a day looks like inside the Cohort.
The most productive 10 days of your company's life.
How it works
From day one to Demo Day and beyond.
Why El Segundo
The new center of gravity for American hard tech.
El Segundo is home to a growing cluster of defense, aerospace, and deep tech companies. The Cohort plugs founders directly into this physical ecosystem — the actual people and buildings where the work is happening.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions.
We welcome founders in the early stages of building or seriously exploring building hard tech and software for the national interest. We seek individuals driven by a unique set of values that motivates them to solve the West's hardest problems and attracts them to the culture of El Segundo. We've worked with student founders, full-time founders, and those balancing full-time jobs, so we don't exclude any particular persona.
The in-person part of the program runs for two fully paid weeks in El Segundo, CA, with attendance required for the entire duration. Other programming will be provided both before and after the Cohort. Founders will also be invited to yearly retreats with other founders.
No, you just need to take two weeks off for the program. However, we look for founders who are interested in pursuing their ventures full-time or already doing so.
No, it isn't.
No, only one team member needs to complete the application.
No, it isn't.
Yes, we welcome international applicants. However, please note that the in-person program requires travel to El Segundo, CA for two weeks.