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HUSTLE Defense Accelerator (Griffiss Institute)

Defense & Space · Run by Griffiss Institute · Rome, NY

Verified Sep 28, 2026Official websiteHow to apply

Every field is checked against a primary source where we can. How we verify.

The facts

All fields verified Sep 28, 2026
Terms model
Equity for cashInvests cash in your company and takes equity (an ownership stake) in return.
Investment
SAFE funding awarded at pitch day: Cohort 5 awards ranged from $45,000 to $155,000 from a $550,000 pool
Equity taken
Not publishedDefense tech accelerator run by the Griffiss Institute in Rome, New York, sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory, Empire State Development and National Grid, for pre-seed and seed startups with dual-use technology. Cohorts are organized around a posted problem set. Participants sign a SAFE with the Griffiss Institute under which $24,500 of in-kind programming, $7,500 per founder (up to $15,000) and any prize money won convert into equity; the valuation terms are in the SAFE, not on the page. Cohort 5 was an eight-week program starting in March 2026 with five startups; on April 30, 2026 it awarded $550,000 in SAFE funding, from $45,000 to $155,000 per company, and funded companies must show at least one year of corporate residency in New York State. Nationality, citizenship and residency restrictions can apply depending on each cohort's funding source. No next cohort has been posted.
Program length
8 weeks
Format
Not published
Location
Rome, NY
Cohorts per year
Not published
Cohort size
5 startups (Cohort 5)
Stage focus
pre-seed and seed
Sub-vertical
dual-use and defense technology (Air Force problem sets)
Demographic focus
Not published
Backers
Air Force Research Laboratory, Empire State Development, National Grid
Notable alumni
Not published

Terms notes: Defense tech accelerator run by the Griffiss Institute in Rome, New York, sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory, Empire State Development and National Grid, for pre-seed and seed startups with dual-use technology. Cohorts are organized around a posted problem set. Participants sign a SAFE with the Griffiss Institute under which $24,500 of in-kind programming, $7,500 per founder (up to $15,000) and any prize money won convert into equity; the valuation terms are in the SAFE, not on the page. Cohort 5 was an eight-week program starting in March 2026 with five startups; on April 30, 2026 it awarded $550,000 in SAFE funding, from $45,000 to $155,000 per company, and funded companies must show at least one year of corporate residency in New York State. Nationality, citizenship and residency restrictions can apply depending on each cohort's funding source. No next cohort has been posted.

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Terms in plain English

HUSTLE takes equity through a SAFE. By joining, a company grants the Griffiss Institute a SAFE covering the value of the program, stated as $24,500 of in-kind programming plus $7,500 per founder (up to $15,000), and any prize money it wins at pitch day converts under the same SAFE. In Cohort 5, five startups competed for $550,000, and awards ranged from $45,000 to $155,000. Companies that receive funding must show at least one year of corporate residency in New York State.

Who this is actually for

Pre-seed and seed startups with dual-use technology, ideally with one technical and one business founder, that want to learn to sell to the Air Force and other defense customers and to work with Air Force Research Laboratory experts. Check each cohort's problem set and residency rules, and be prepared to establish a New York presence if you win funding.

HUSTLE Defense Accelerator (Griffiss Institute) application deadlines

  • Next cohort, not yet announced (Cohort 5 ran eight weeks from March 2026): Timing expected, exact dates not yet confirmed.

    Verified Sep 28, 2026Source

Frequently asked questions

When is the next HUSTLE Defense Accelerator (Griffiss Institute) application deadline?
A specific application window for HUSTLE Defense Accelerator (Griffiss Institute) is not yet published. Timing is expected but not confirmed.
How much does HUSTLE Defense Accelerator (Griffiss Institute) invest?
HUSTLE Defense Accelerator (Griffiss Institute) lists an investment of SAFE funding awarded at pitch day: Cohort 5 awards ranged from $45,000 to $155,000 from a $550,000 pool.
How much equity does HUSTLE Defense Accelerator (Griffiss Institute) take?
HUSTLE Defense Accelerator (Griffiss Institute) does not publish the equity it takes, so we record it as not published.
Where is HUSTLE Defense Accelerator (Griffiss Institute) located and is it in person?
HUSTLE Defense Accelerator (Griffiss Institute) is based in Rome, NY.
Is HUSTLE Defense Accelerator (Griffiss Institute) still active?
As of our last check on Sep 28, 2026, HUSTLE Defense Accelerator (Griffiss Institute) is active.

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Sources

Everything above was checked against these, verified Sep 28, 2026.