How TIME and Statista Determined America's Best Incubators and Accelerators of 2026

In 2026, TIME and Statista released the inaugural America’s Best Incubators and Accelerators list. This ranking identifies the most exceptional U.S. hubs offering incubator and accelerator programs, determined through a multi-faceted research approach.

The process commenced with an application stage between January and April 2026, where TIME promoted the call for entries through an announcement article and social media channels, with Statista independently compiling a list of over 300 potential candidates from databases and public sources. To qualify, incubators and accelerators must be physically based in the U.S., offer at least one incubation or acceleration program, and have operated since at least 2022.

During registration, organizations submitted basic details like employee count and startup alumni numbers per cohort, along with contact info. Following registration, alumni were contacted for feedback; more than 2,000 alumni participated, rating their experience on a 0-10 scale and six specific aspects on a 1-5 scale (Mentoring & Training, Infrastructure, Legal Assistance, Funding Opportunities, Networking Opportunities, and Business Development Advice).

They also commented on the application process, funding, and post-program support, with Statista cross-referencing publicly available data on each incubator/accelerator's top five successful alumni startups.

The gathered data was analyzed to create four separate scores: a 40% general alumni recommendation, 45% weighted subcriteria scores (covering the six aspects), 10% based on provided information about top alumni startups, and 5% based on expert recommendations from investors and entrepreneurs. The final ranking represents a weighted average of these components, primarily reflecting alumni experience while considering measurable outcomes and community influence.