Playbook
How to apply for incubators
Incubators support early-stage companies with workspace, services and advice, often without taking equity; many are run by universities or public agencies. They look for a credible team and a clear plan more than for traction.
How these are won
- Check who the incubator serves (a university's students, a city's residents, a sector) and confirm you fit before writing anything.
- Describe the next six months concretely: what you will build, test or sell, and what you need from the incubator to do it.
- Have a short business plan or one-pager ready; many incubators ask for one and use it in the interview.
Materials checklist
- Pitch deckUpload yours, or let Onward Scout draft one from your profile for you to edit.
- Business planUpload yours, or let Onward Scout draft one from your profile for you to edit.
A preparation timeline
Counted back from the deadline. Each program guide puts real dates on it.
- 21 days before the deadlineUpdate deck and numbersRefresh the deck, key metrics and the one-sentence description of the company.
- 14 days before the deadlineDraft the answersAnswer every question plainly, with numbers you can verify.
- 7 days before the deadlineRecord and reviewRecord the video if one is asked for, and have someone outside the team read the answers.
- 2 days before the deadlineSubmitSubmit early; some programs review applications as they arrive.
Questions you will meet, answered honestly
What support do you need from us?
Two or three specific things, such as lab space, legal help or introductions in a sector, rather than “everything”.
What is your business model?
Who pays, how much and how often, as you understand it today. It is fine to say what you are still testing.
How Onward Scout helps
Onward Scout maps the official form field by field, fills it from your sourced profile and drafts the written answers; you review and tap to submit. If the form stops at a CAPTCHA, a login or a payment, you get a handoff with every field ready to paste.
Open now
- Apply by 30 November 2026Aerospace & Defence StrideCicada InnovationsCicada Innovations program backed by Investment NSW for startups developing non-lethal space, aerospace and dual-use defence technologies, with six months of workspace…6 months of dedicated workspace at the NSW Defence and Aerospace Hub · industry partner connectionsSydney, AustraliaDetails and how to apply
- Apply by 1 December 2026Cyberport Creative Micro Fund (CCMF) – Hong Kong ProgrammeHong Kong Cyberport Management CompanySix-month seed grant programme for idea-stage or MVP-stage digital tech projects in Hong Kong, with training, mentoring and a pathway into the Cyberport Incubation…HK$100,000 investmentHong Kong, Hong Kong SAR ChinaDetails and how to apply
- Apply by 1 December 2026Cyberport Incubation Programme (CIP)Hong Kong Cyberport Management CompanyTwo-year incubation for Hong Kong digital-tech startups at Cyberport, providing non-dilutive financial assistance, rent-free workspace, investor and enterprise networks…Up to HK$500,000 investmentHong Kong, Hong Kong SAR ChinaDetails and how to apply
- Apply by 6 December 2026Conception X Venture ProgrammeConception XNine-month part-time venture programme for PhD students and researchers at European universities to test whether their science can become a startup, in cohorts of about…9-month venture-building curriculum · mentors and investor exposureLondon, United Kingdom · remoteDetails and how to apply
- RollingB71 (BLOCK71 Singapore)NUS Enterprise (NUSX)National University of Singapore's startup community and incubation hub where founders build ventures alongside investors and corporates, with linked programmes in…incubation and workspace · access to NUS research and deep-tech ecosystemSingapore, Jakarta, Singapore, Indonesia, VietnamDetails and how to apply
- RollingDMZ IncubatorDMZ at Toronto Metropolitan UniversityToronto university-based incubator running small cohorts (max 10 companies) over 18 months, with coaching, investor access and more than $1M in tech credits.18-month program · cohorts of 10 or fewerToronto, Canada · remoteDetails and how to apply
Let Onward Scout prepare your incubators applications
Drop in the résumé, deck or portfolio you already have. Onward Scout builds a sourced profile, finds opportunities you can win and prepares each application for you to approve with a tap.
Nothing is submitted without your tap. Logins, CAPTCHAs, payments and interviews stay with you.