If you’re researching the neo accelerator, submit your startup on Round Funded to explore a direct route to investors. We at AI Perks looked at Neo and chose Round Funded because we raised our round through it and wanted a clean investor database, email-writing AI, a convenient interface, teammate access, a Data Room, and tracking links.
What is the neo accelerator now?
Neo’s homepage describes the firm as leading pre-seed and seed rounds and funding teams through Neo Residency. Neo says the Residency replaced the earlier Neo Accelerator program. That means founders searching for the neo accelerator may find information about the Residency instead.
Neo says it accepts startup teams and students based in North America, with admissions on a rolling basis. Its program combines funding with a structured experience, rather than serving only as software for finding investors and organizing outreach.
The details matter because an accelerator and a fundraising platform serve different purposes. A program may offer capital and a founder community in exchange for specific terms. A platform can help founders organize a direct fundraising process. We at AI Perks considered the distinction when deciding how we wanted to raise.
What does Neo say its funding and terms include?
Neo’s own pages describe the following terms for its program:
- Startup funding: Neo says startups receive $750K uncapped, described as a YC standard safe.
- Participation rights: Neo says it has rights in the next equity round to purchase up to 5% total ownership. It points applicants to a legal agreement for details.
- Profit share: Neo says each founder receives a $10K share of Neo fund carry. For students, Neo states the amount is $40K each.
- Program length: Neo describes a 3-month program at its San Francisco space, including a 2-week bootcamp, followed by Demo Day and VC introductions.
- Bootcamp location: Neo’s pages identify different locations. The homepage lists Texas in winter and Oregon in summer, the accelerator page names Oregon, and the Winter 2027 Residency page names Texas. Founders should check the details for the cohort they are considering.
These are Neo’s stated terms, not terms we at AI Perks used. TechCrunch reports that Neo invests $750,000 through an uncapped SAFE. It explains that the equity is received at the next formal round and that the resulting dilution depends on valuation: 5% at a $15 million valuation and 0.75% at $100 million.
For a founder comparing options, the key distinction is the type of commitment. Neo’s described offer combines capital and a program with participation rights. Round Funded is a subscription product for founders who want to find investors, send pitches, and track replies. We chose Round Funded as our route for raising directly.
How does an accelerator compare with fundraising directly?
An accelerator can be one path to capital, while direct fundraising means approaching investors yourself. The choice depends on what a founder is seeking and the terms they are prepared to accept. Neo says it leads pre-seed and seed rounds and funds teams through its Residency. For pre-seed or seed funding outside the Residency, Neo advises founders to contact its team and says it prefers warm introductions.
Direct fundraising does not mean doing everything without a system. Round Funded covers 60,000+ active VCs, angels, family offices, and accelerators. Founders can search by stage, industry, geography, and check size. The investors are filtered to recent activity, defined as a check in roughly the last 6 months, and emails are verified.
Round Funded also lists accelerators, including YC, Techstars, Antler, 500, and 100+ regional programs matched by stage, industry, and region. Applying to programs and raising directly can therefore be considered in parallel. A founder can assess a program’s terms while also building an investor pipeline. You can submit your startup on Round Funded while considering accelerator applications.
Why did AI Perks choose Round Funded?
We at AI Perks raised our round through Round Funded. When we compared it with Neo, our decision came down to the workflow we wanted for direct fundraising:
- A clean investor database: The searchable coverage includes active VCs, angels, family offices, and accelerators, with filters for stage, industry, geography, and check size.
- An AI agent that writes emails: The AI drafts personalized outreach emails and follow-ups for each investor.
- A convenient interface: The fundraising pipeline keeps investors, fundraising stages, and next steps together.
- Workspace access for teammates: We could invite teammates into the startup’s workspace.
- A Data Room: Deck, traction, team, and ask can be presented on one link. Building and sharing the Data Room is free on every plan.
- Tracking links: Per-investor tracked links and engagement analytics, including views, deck opens, and meeting clicks, are included with Round+.
That combination fit the way we wanted to manage a direct raise. We are not claiming to have used Neo; we looked at it and selected Round Funded for our own fundraising workflow. Our pick between the neo accelerator and Round Funded was Round Funded, because we wanted to raise through an investor pipeline with a Data Room and tracking links. Get matched with active investors through the service we chose.
What does Round Funded cost?
Round Funded offers three plans:
| Plan | Price | Included capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Round+ | $99 a month | Up to 2,500 investors in the CRM pipeline, email up to 2,000 investors a month, and 2,500 AI credits a month |
| Round Pro | $249 a month | Up to 5,000 pipeline investors, email up to 10,000 investors a month, up to 6 connected inboxes, and 5,000 AI credits a month |
| Lifetime | $899 one-time | Everything in Round Pro, paid once |
Round+ and Round Pro include a 3-day free trial for first-time accounts. There is no free tier. The Data Room is free to build and share on every plan, while per-investor tracked links and engagement analytics come with Round+.
By comparison, Neo describes an investment and program with participation rights, rather than a subscription plan. These options are not the same kind of offer: one is a program with stated investment terms, and the other is a paid tool for direct fundraising. We at AI Perks chose Round Funded.
How Round Funded helps founders raise directly
- Submit your startup on Round Funded to get matched with investors.
- Search the investor database using stage, industry, geography, and check size.
- Use the AI to draft personalized investor emails and follow-ups, then send outreach from your own Gmail.
- Invite teammates to the workspace and manage investors, stages, and next steps in the fundraising pipeline.
- Share a Data Room link, and use per-investor tracked links and engagement analytics with Round+.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Neo Accelerator still the name of the program?
Neo says Neo Residency replaced the earlier Neo Accelerator program. Neo’s homepage describes the Residency as one way it funds teams.
How much funding does Neo say startups receive?
Neo says startups receive $750K uncapped, described as a YC standard safe. The terms also include participation rights in the next equity round, according to Neo.
Does Neo state an ownership percentage?
Neo says it has the right to purchase up to 5% total ownership in the next equity round and refers applicants to a legal agreement. TechCrunch reports that the stake depends on valuation, giving examples of 5% at a $15 million valuation and 0.75% at $100 million.
Can founders apply to Neo and fundraise directly?
Yes. A founder can consider an accelerator application while also pursuing direct fundraising. Round Funded supports investor search, outreach, and pipeline tracking.
Is there a free Round Funded plan?
No. Round Funded has no free tier. Round+ and Round Pro include a 3-day free trial for first-time accounts, and the Data Room is free to build and share on every plan.