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185 organizations · 686 published requirements · 1115 sources Independent: no organization pays for its ranking or its eligibility analysis Every figure carries its source and the date it was verified

On Deck · Requirements

On Deck membership requirements

Every criterion On Deck publishes, with its source, the date it was verified and how confident we are in it — plus superseded figures, so you can see how the tests have moved.

Read a requirement as the organization's published floor, not as a promise. A revenue test may have alternative versions for different business types, chapters can set stricter local tests, and invitation-only bodies publish criteria that describe members rather than admit them.

Current published criteria

5 rows
CriterionPublished requirementNoteProvenance
Other criterion "A track record of shipping impressive things" Stated on the admissions FAQ as the principal screen; it is not measured against a published standard. Verified September 2026High confidenceSource ↗
Other criterion "100% committed (or soon committing) to starting a company" Full-time commitment is required; part-time or side-project founders are screened out. Verified September 2026High confidenceSource ↗
Minimum capital raised Must not have raised beyond pre-seed This is an upper bound, not a floor: the FAQ says the programme is not suitable for founders who have already raised beyond pre-seed. Verified September 2026High confidenceSource ↗
Geographic restriction Target customers must be in the United States; attendance in San Francisco for five business days is required The FAQ lists non-US target customers as a disqualifier and requires the "full SF sprint (five business days)". Verified September 2026High confidenceSource ↗
Other criterion Business must be capable of reaching venture scale; applicants who already have a team are screened out Both are listed as disqualifiers on the admissions FAQ. Verified September 2026High confidenceSource ↗

How admission works

Application process
The published sequence is: apply through an online form, then an optional asynchronous video, then an interview, then an optional second interview, with a decision stated at roughly 36 hours. Admission is to a specific numbered cohort rather than to open-ended membership.
Invitation required
No
Sponsor required
No
Selectivity
Not publicly disclosed. Cohort size is published at 80 to 100 people, but no application volume or acceptance rate is given.
Membership term
Admission is to a single cohort; the site describes year-round community access afterwards without stating a renewal term.
Primary audience
Pre-seed and pre-idea technology founders in or willing to travel to San Francisco, building for United States customers, who are committed full-time to starting a company.
Typical member
ODF states that cohorts run 80 to 100 people and that more than half have technical backgrounds. The published eligibility screen excludes founders who have raised beyond pre-seed, who already have a team, whose business cannot reach venture scale, or whose target customers are outside the United States. Named alumni companies include Cal.com, Luma and Partiful.

Do you appear to meet them?

The qualification tool reads these rows against a profile you give in ranges and explains which criteria appear met, unclear or unmet. Check your profile

If not: alternatives to On Deck — South Park Commons, Founders Network, Hampton, Founders Forum.

Last verified: 6 September 2026 Report an error on this page

Sources

  1. On Deck (redirects to joinodf.com), On Deck. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 1
  2. ODF - On Deck Founders, ODF / nZero Labs, Inc.. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 1
  3. ODF Top Companies, ODF. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 1
  4. Solo Founders Program, Solo Founders. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 1
  5. ODF Admissions FAQ, ODF. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 2
  6. On Deck tried to do it all. Now, it's trying to do less, better, TechCrunch, September 2022. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 6
  7. On Deck cuts 25% of staff, scales back accelerator, TechCrunch, May 2022. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 6
  8. On Deck lays off a third of staff after cutting a quarter just months prior, TechCrunch, August 2022. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 6

Source tiers follow the published hierarchy: 1 official site · 2 official membership materials · 3 application documents · 4 annual reports · 5 government filings · 6 reliable business publications · 7 credible interviews · 8 other reputable secondary sources. Sources and data policy.