Why Join Next Wave?
NextWave Startup Lab is an immersive, multi-day, hands-on startup education program designed to help early-stage founders and innovators move from idea to action. The program provides a practical crash course in building high-impact startups through interactive workshops, real-time mentor feedback, and peer collaboration.
Learn how to craft a powerful digital presence that includes website and social media for your business
Receive mentorship from business, finance and go to market experts
Access to Mentors and resources to grow and scale your business
FAQ's
Who can participate?
We’re looking for startup founders who are ready to scale a high-impact business and deepen their connection to the community. Our program is open to founders of all gender identities, cultures, and backgrounds who align with our mission.
To be eligible, you must be 18 years or older, have a registered business that’s at least one year old, hold majority ownership of that business, and demonstrate traction—such as revenue, user growth, or partnerships. Most importantly, you should be committed to building within and for your community.
What industries do you support?
We are industry agnostic. That means we support founders across a wide range of sectors. Some of the industries we commonly work with include consumer packaged goods (CPG), food and beverage, hardware, software, climate tech, transportation and mobility, the built environment, and sports or outdoor innovation. If you’re building something bold, innovative, and ready to scale—we want to hear from you.
What are the selection criteria?
We evaluate applicants based on several key factors. These include the potential of your startup to scale, the current development stage of your product or service, the market potential and demand for what you’re offering, and how feasible it is to meet real needs in the market. We also look at any current or potential traction and assess the relevant experience of you and your team.
We’re not looking for perfection—we’re looking for vision, determination, and founders ready to grow.
Do I need to be located in a specific region?
Next Wave Web Edition is designed primarily for founders based in Oregon, but we welcome applicants from across the United States. If you align with our mission and can participate fully in the program, we encourage you to apply regardless of location.
What kind of support will I receive?
Founders accepted into the Next Wave Web Edition will receive a fully developed website and digital presence on social media to expand their business footprint. You’ll also get personalized, one-on-one mentorship from experienced founders and industry experts. Beyond that, we’ll connect you with partners, and ecosystem leaders to help you grow your business and expand your network.
You’ll also have access to our Latino Founders Hub, a creative space for entrepreneurs that includes coworking areas, a podcast studio, and a photography studio designed to support you as you scale.