Forum Ventures, the early-stage B2B venture studio, accelerator, and pre-seed fund that has backed over 550 companies since 2014, released performance data from its most recent accelerator cohort on June 26, 2026. The data provides a detailed look at revenue outcomes, founder backgrounds, and team composition, offering insights that challenge long-held assumptions in early-stage funding.
Across the cohort, three key findings stand out: 64.1% of founders reached early revenue during the 16-week program, 58.3% are first-time founders, and 25.6% are solo-founder led. These independent data points reflect different dimensions of the cohort's composition and achievements, and are not presented as causally linked.
The narrative around early-stage funding has long assumed that the safest bets are repeat founders, co-founding teams, and companies with demonstrated traction before a program begins. Forum's 2026 cohort data offers a different perspective on each of these assumptions. Solo founders, who made up a quarter of the cohort, delivered results despite the widespread industry perception that they are higher risk. Forum's approach pairs each company with a dedicated Managing Director who works one-on-one weekly, providing the operational support and accountability that a co-founder would typically provide.
First-time founders, comprising nearly 60% of the cohort, also performed well. Although prior startup experience is often favored by investors and accelerators, the cohort's revenue and follow-on outcomes are consistent with Forum's three-year averages, including a 65% fund-through rate and an 80+ Net Promoter Score across the portfolio. Forum provides structured, hands-on support—15 hours minimum of one-on-one Managing Director time and 40+ investor introductions per showcase—which helps first-time founders succeed.
Revenue during the program is a critical benchmark. The Forum model, focused on go-to-market, customer traction, and fundraise readiness from week one, is designed to produce early revenue regardless of what traction a founder had when joining. As Kory Kelly, founder of Legal Karma (raised $6.8M to date), noted, “The $100k is nice... but the real value comes from having the MDs on your team. Their perspective, energy, and introductions as you grow are worth the investment. Especially for first-time founders who need someone to walk the journey with.”
Forum Ventures' accelerator is a 16-week program investing $100,000 for 7.5% equity via post-money SAFE. Each company receives a dedicated Managing Director—a former founder or operator—who works with them weekly. The program is best suited for founders who have raised less than $500,000 and are pre- or post-MVP. Applications are reviewed individually, and Forum answers every pitch.
Forum Ventures, founded in 2014 and headquartered in New York City with offices in San Francisco and Toronto, partners with a small number of founders at a time to co-build, validate, and scale B2B software businesses across North America. The firm has backed over 550 portfolio companies and 1,000+ founders, with $1B+ in follow-on funding raised across the portfolio. Its three investment strategies—the AI Venture Studio ($250K at formation), the Accelerator ($100K, 16 weeks), and the Pre-Seed Fund ($250K-$1M)—make it the only early-stage firm investing from pre-idea through early growth. Learn more at forumvc.com.
