No, we are not a traditional incubator that nurtures a business idea. We only work with companies that have an established product and/or service with customers.
Target Accelerators does not invest in companies. We do provide a $5,000 stipend to cover program expenses.
We offer 3 programs annually: Target Takeoff, Target Forward Founders and Target Accelerator Program India. Each program conducts 3 – 4 cohorts per year. Visit each program's page to learn more and see the latest schedule.
Please see our Program page for a quick comparison.
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1. Any company is eligible to apply, so long as [1] they are an established legal entity (LLC, S-Corp, B-Corp or C-Corp) and [2] they have proof of initial traction (social media engagement, revenue growth or growing customer base). See our Programs page for more details on which program might be right for you.
2. Founders must be at least 18 years of age to apply.
3. Each company must have at least one founder participate in the program. One co-founder or team member may also participate.
Yes! All Target Accelerators programs are open to businesses across the globe.
Target Takeoff and Target Forward Founders accept physical products only. Our Target Accelerator Program India accepts technology-driven products and solutions. Please visit each program page for more details on their criteria.
Yes. Please see our Programs page to determine which program fits you best.
Unfortunately, we may not have a program for your product category this year. We invite you to sign up for emails to be notified about future programs that fit your business.
It is mandatory for at least one participant per company to attend every session.
Yes. To be considered for both programs, you will need to fill out the applications for each individual program. We recommend reading the criteria to understand which program makes the most sense for your company.
Yes.
Please visit the program page, Target Takeoff, Target Forward Founders or Target Accelerator Program India, for more category details specific to the program you’re interested in.
Target Forward Founders currently accepts 30 companies per cohort and Target Takeoff currently accepts 10 companies per cohort.
Our application is hosted on Submittable. We recommend that you reach out to their customer service team.
You will receive a notification from Submittable that our team has received your application.
Please give our team about two months from the application close date to review your application. We will contact you with next steps after that point.
See the Target Forward Founders, Target Takeoff and Target Accelerator Program India pages for an annual schedule. You can also sign up for emails to get notified about program dates and reminders to apply.
No, your idea is yours to keep. We’re just here to help you along your journey toward growth and success.
Yes, our expectation is that at least one founder from your company would participate for the full duration of the program.
Two people can participate and one must be the founder.
Not necessarily. By applying and/or participating in any Target Accelerators program, it’s not guaranteed that Target will carry your product, service or technology. Viability for Target stores will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
No. We’ve intentionally designed the program to be flexible enough to let you participate without disrupting your business operations at your home base. This program will be 100% virtual.
It’s possible. We’re looking for promising founders and businesses across many categories and like any other retailer, Target carries an assortment of competitive brands to tailor to our guests’ unique, ever-changing needs. We’ll always protect your proprietary, private and confidential information. We’ll never force you to share information with the other members of the cohort.
The Target Forward Founders program is designed to be after most working hours and flexible to your schedule. The Target Takeoff program has sessions Monday – Thursday between 10am – 1pm CST
Throughout the Target Forward Founders program, you’ll have the opportunity to meet Target thought leaders, including buyers from within and outside your category. In the Target Takeoff program, you’ll have the opportunity to meet with your category buyer for a line review during the final week of the program.
