Quick answer
The best startup communities for founders in 2027 are Funded & Fundraising Founders (for connecting with other fundraising and funded founders), then by stage: Y Combinator Startup School and Antler for idea-stage founders, Founder Institute at pre-seed, Indie Hackers and Product Hunt for bootstrapping and launching, Startup Grind for local events, and Founders Network, Hampton and Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) for founders who have scaled.
Startup communities compared by stage and cost
| # | Community | Stage | Cost to join |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Funded & Fundraising Founders | Preparing to raise, raising or funded | Private membership, by application |
| 02 | Y Combinator Startup School | Idea | Free |
| 03 | Antler | Idea to pre-seed | Antler invests in exchange for equity |
| 04 | Founder Institute | Pre-seed | Entry fee plus an equity pledge |
| 05 | Indie Hackers | Any stage, if you are bootstrapping | Free, with an optional paid tier |
| 06 | Product Hunt | Launch | Free |
| 07 | Startup Grind | Any | Varies by chapter and event |
| 08 | Founders Network | Idea stage to $1M+ revenue, in three tiers | Annual dues by stage, no equity |
| 09 | Hampton | $3M+ revenue or raised, or a $10M+ exit | Annual membership dues |
| 10 | Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) | $1M+ annual revenue | Membership dues |
How we ranked them
We looked at the communities founders around the world are actually using heading into 2027, and judged each on how active it is, how useful it is at the stage it serves, and how easy it is to get involved. After number one, the list runs in order of the stage each community suits best, from idea to scale. Programs, requirements, costs and member numbers come from each community's own website at the time of writing, so check before you sign up.
Disclosure: Scale Thesis runs Funded & Fundraising Founders, number one on this list. We have ranked it first because it is built specifically for founders who want to connect with other fundraising and funded founders, which is who this guide is written for. It is a peer community for founders and does not connect founders with investors. We have no commercial relationship with any other community listed.
1. Funded & Fundraising Founders
Our community- Best for
- Connecting with other fundraising and funded founders
- Stage
- Preparing to raise, raising or funded
- Cost to join
- Private membership, by application
Funded & Fundraising Founders is the place for founders anywhere in the world to connect with other founders who are raising, about to raise, or have already raised. It is run by Fletcher Roberts, co-founder of Web3 security firm Hashlock, and built for founders from a first round to a repeat one.
Raising is the stage most founders go through with the least support around them. This community fixes that by putting you alongside founders going through the same thing, who can share what worked, what they would change and what comes next. It is a peer community for founders. It does not connect founders with investors, make introductions to investors or arrange investment.
What members get
- Connect with founders who are raising now, and founders who have recently closed a round
- Peer feedback on your deck and story from founders who have been through it
- Weekly breakdowns of real funding rounds: who raised, and why
- Templates for pitch decks, data rooms and investor updates
- Live founder Q&As on SAFEs, term sheets and cap tables
- Accountability threads where founders keep each other on track
2. Y Combinator Startup School
- Best for
- Learning the fundamentals and finding a co-founder
- Stage
- Idea
- Cost to join
- Free
If you are at the very start, this is the obvious first stop. Y Combinator's Startup School is a free, self-paced online course, roughly seven weeks at an hour or two a week, covering how to plan an MVP, get your first users, lead a team and understand how startup funding works.
It also includes YC's co-founder matching platform, which YC describes as the largest in the world with more than 100,000 matches made. Build a profile, browse suggested matches and reach out to the people who fit.
3. Antler
- Best for
- Operators who want a co-founder and early backing
- Stage
- Idea to pre-seed
- Cost to join
- Antler invests in exchange for equity
Antler is built for capable people who have not locked in a team or an idea yet. Its residencies, run in around 30 locations worldwide, help you meet a co-founder, test ideas and get to a company worth backing, with pre-seed investment from Antler for the teams that come out of it.
Its portfolio now spans more than 2,000 companies, with a founder community of over 12,000.
4. Founder Institute
- Best for
- Structure and accountability at pre-seed
- Stage
- Pre-seed
- Cost to join
- Entry fee plus an equity pledge
Founder Institute runs a structured pre-seed program through local chapters in more than 200 cities, plus online cohorts. More than 9,000 companies have come through it since 2009, and its alumni have raised over $2 billion.
It is not free. There is an entry fee, and an equity pledge that only activates when your company raises a qualified round. Terms differ by chapter, so check yours before you apply.
5. Indie Hackers
- Best for
- Bootstrapped founders and solo builders
- Stage
- Any stage, if you are bootstrapping
- Cost to join
- Free, with an optional paid tier
Not every founder wants to raise. Indie Hackers is where founders building profitable businesses on their own terms share revenue numbers, launches and lessons in public.
Alongside the forum there are databases of case studies, products and ideas from founders who have done it. Joining is free, with a paid tier for extra content.
6. Product Hunt
- Best for
- Launching a product and meeting other makers
- Stage
- Launch
- Cost to join
- Free
Product Hunt is where new tech products launch. Makers post their product, the community upvotes and comments, and products compete on the daily leaderboard for Product of the Day.
It is free to use, and launch day doubles as one of the best ways to meet other makers, get early feedback and find your first users. You can relaunch after major updates.
7. Startup Grind
- Best for
- Meeting founders in your own city
- Stage
- Any
- Cost to join
- Varies by chapter and event
Startup Grind is a global founder events network with more than 300 chapters across 100+ countries, and a community it says reaches over 5 million entrepreneurs. Local chapters run regular events, and the annual conference is held in Silicon Valley.
It is the easiest way on this list to meet founders face to face without signing up to a program. Chapters vary, so look at your local one's recent events first.
8. Founders Network
- Best for
- A vetted peer group of tech founders
- Stage
- Idea stage to $1M+ revenue, in three tiers
- Cost to join
- Annual dues by stage, no equity
Founders Network is an invite-only peer mentoring community for tech founders, running since 2011. Members are grouped into three tiers by stage, so a founder pre-revenue and a founder past $1M in revenue each get peers facing the same problems.
Membership includes a private forum with over a decade of archived discussions, 100+ events a year and peer advisory boards. Dues depend on your stage, and it takes no equity.
9. Hampton
- Best for
- A monthly peer board for scaling founders
- Stage
- $3M+ revenue or raised, or a $10M+ exit
- Cost to join
- Annual membership dues
Once a company is scaling, the useful peers are founders carrying the same weight. Hampton is an invite-only network for founders and CEOs of fast-growing tech and digital companies with $3M+ in annual revenue, $3M+ raised, or a prior exit above $10M.
Members meet monthly in a moderated, in-person group of around 10 founders. There are more than 1,000 members across 18 chapter cities.
10. Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)
- Best for
- Established founders and business owners
- Stage
- $1M+ annual revenue
- Cost to join
- Membership dues
EO has the widest reach on this list: more than 17,900 members in 78 countries and 223 chapters, running since 1987. Members need at least $1M in annual revenue, or for venture-backed companies, $2M+ in private funding and at least 10 employees.
Its core is Forum, a small, confidential peer group that meets every month. It suits founders running an established business more than early-stage startups.
Honourable mentions
A few more worth knowing, depending on where you are and what you are building.
- Best Australian startup communitiesBuilding in Australia? Our separate ranked list covers Startmate, Stone & Chalk, Blackbird Giants and seven more.
- Techstars Startup Weekend54-hour weekend events in cities worldwide where you pitch an idea, form a team and build a prototype. A low-risk way to try working with a potential co-founder.
- r/startupsReddit's main startup community. Useful for quick questions and honest opinions, with strict rules on self-promotion.
- Lenny's Newsletter communityA paid Slack community attached to Lenny Rachitsky's newsletter, focused on product and growth.
- VistageLong-running CEO peer advisory groups, better suited to established companies than early-stage startups.
Which founder community fits your stage?
The right community changes as the company does. Here is where to start at each stage:
- Idea stage
- Start with Y Combinator Startup School to learn the fundamentals for free. A Techstars Startup Weekend is a fast way to test an idea, and a potential co-founder, in a weekend.
- Looking for a co-founder
- Use YC's co-founder matching, or apply to Antler if you also want pre-seed backing.
- Pre-seed
- Founder Institute if you want structure and deadlines. Antler if you are still forming the team.
- Bootstrapping or launching
- Indie Hackers for peers building profitable businesses, and Product Hunt when you are ready to launch.
- Preparing to raise, raising or funded
- Funded & Fundraising Founders, to connect with other founders going through the same thing.
- Scaling with revenue or funding
- Founders Network for a vetted peer group, then Hampton or EO once you meet their revenue or funding thresholds.
Whatever your stage, pick one or two communities and show up properly. Check how active a community is before joining, and count the full cost: membership fees, equity and the hours you will put in.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best startup community for founders?
It depends on your stage. For idea-stage founders, Y Combinator Startup School is free and includes co-founder matching. For bootstrapped founders, Indie Hackers is the go-to. For connecting with other founders who are raising or have raised, Funded & Fundraising Founders is built for exactly that. For founders with real revenue or funding, Hampton and EO offer structured peer groups.
Are there free startup communities for founders?
Yes. Y Combinator Startup School and Product Hunt are free, Indie Hackers is free to join with an optional paid tier, and Reddit's r/startups is free. Startup Grind's local chapters are also an easy way to meet founders in your city.
What is the best community for founders who are raising capital?
The most useful community when you are raising is one full of founders going through the same thing. Funded & Fundraising Founders is built for that: a place to connect with founders who are raising, preparing to raise or have raised before, with weekly breakdowns of real rounds and deck and data room templates. It is a peer community for founders and does not connect founders with investors. Founders Network and Hampton also group members by stage, including founders who have already raised.
Where can I find a co-founder?
Y Combinator's co-founder matching is the largest platform for it, with more than 100,000 matches made. Antler is built for founders without a co-founder yet, and a Techstars Startup Weekend lets you test working with someone over a single weekend before committing.
Which founder communities are best for later-stage founders?
Hampton requires $3M+ in revenue, $3M+ raised or a prior exit over $10M, and EO requires at least $1M in annual revenue. Founders Network's top tier is for founders with $1M+ in revenue or $3M+ raised. All three are built around small, confidential peer groups.
Apply to Funded & Fundraising Founders.
Connect with founders around the world who are raising now and founders who have recently closed, with weekly round breakdowns and deck templates along the way.