GitHub Accelerator starts the 2nd round

GitHub once again supports the open source community: 10 open source AI projects receive funding, mentoring and access to Microsoft resources.

The GitHub Accelerator program is entering its second round, and GitHub has announced that it will support ten selected open source AI projects with $40,000 each. The funding includes not only financial support, but also marketing assistance and mentoring to strengthen open source GenAI projects worldwide. The funded projects will also receive free access to GitHub Copilot and other GitHub tools, a consultation with M12, Microsoft's venture capital arm, and up to $350,000 in Azure AI infrastructure.

The Accelerator

The GitHub Accelerator is part of the GitHub Fund 2024, which is backed by M12 and supports open source start-ups with resources and networking opportunities. The overarching goal is to strengthen the open source ecosystem, create financial sustainability for projects and promote innovation. To date, GitHub Sponsors has helped developers and projects secure more than 40 million US dollars in funding.

The Accelerator program was created to foster careers and companies in the open source space. It provides financial support, mentoring, networking, training and visibility to help participants take the next step in their open source journey - whether that's securing funding, launching a product or turning an idea into an invention.

AI open source in focus

This year's cohort of the Accelerator program will focus on new technologies, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence. The theme for 2024 is: The complex task of open-sourcing advances in artificial intelligence.

AI is rapidly changing the way we work and live, and open collaboration is at the core of AI innovation. Developers worldwide are using GitHub to innovate and openly share at all levels of the AI stack, from training frameworks to models to responsible AI and evaluation tools.

However, the challenges of building a successful AI business in the open source space are significant. In addition to the already known obstacles in open source, such as time and funding, the increased expenses as well as ethical, security and legal considerations are a hurdle. The GitHub Accelerator will focus on supporting people and projects developing AI solutions under open source licenses to make the world a better place.

Program starts on April 22

The 10-week Accelerator program starts on April 22 and includes 1-on-1 sessions, group work, mentoring and project activities. Participants will receive $40,000 per project in non-dilutive funding, 5-10 hours per week of live instruction, workshops and homework, as well as access to GitHub products and Azure AI infrastructure credits. The program ends with a virtual demo day where projects can share their progress.

Application process

The GitHub Accelerator program is aimed at early-stage open source projects through to seed-stage startups. Applicants should have a clear open source license, a clear governance strategy, a focus on AI, machine learning and AI infrastructure, and a commitment from core leadership to participate in the program.

The application is free and requires some details about the project, a link to the repository and website, a list of all founders and an email address. Interested parties can apply until March 5 and will be selected based on an ongoing evaluation. For more information and to apply, FAQs are available on the official GitHub website.