Up to $1 million in equity-free grants.
For builders from day zero to pre-Series A.
✪ No equity ✪ no SAFE ✪ no excuses
// the panel
ryan hooverfounder, product hunt·
tim watsonco-founder & cto, intro·
taissa malehmd, 1752vc·
matt biilmannceo, netlify·
your build.
our backing.
Up to $1 million in equity-free grants across three cohorts.
three grant sizes. one application.
Every eligible application is considered for $10k, $50k or $100k.
Your stage doesn't cap your grant.
how many we award at each amount depends on the applications and the evaluation criteria. terms apply.
equity-free grants are just the start.
meet the experts.
Mentorship from founders and operators who have done it. Advice on getting customers. Introductions to VCs when you're ready to raise.
author, the lean startup & incorruptible
marketing expert in residence, first round
managing director, 1752vc
managing director, a hundred monkeys
co-founder, major league hacking
intro.co credits on us.
// credits are provided by third-party partners and subject to their own terms and eligibility.
it's all about
the build.
Just you, your build and where you see this going.
Applicants must be 18 or older and meet the location requirements. Check eligibility.
we didn't start backing
builders today.
the fund is just
the next step.
.tech has worked with founder communities for years.
The equity-free fund takes that commitment one step further.
startx stanford
a16z speedrun
c10 labs
antler vc
1752 vc
usc incubator// the fund is paid for entirely by .tech domains.
// partner listings do not imply endorsement of the fund. no partner has any influence on judging.
builders who shipped
& didn't give excuses.
They're live on their .tech domains,
and they're all in the running for a cut of the $1 million.
you chose .tech.
so did the ones to watch.
A .tech domain makes your tech-first identity unmissable for investors, users and the world.
straight answers.
We want more real companies running on .tech. Paying builders directly is a better use of the money than another ad.
We take no equity. No shares, no SAFE, no convertible, no board seat. The conditions and the tax side are in the official rules.
Yes. The product you submit must run on .tech, with its primary website on that domain. A redirect or standalone landing page doesn't qualify. If your product is already on another domain, it must meet this requirement before you submit. You can register before making the move.
By the time you submit, and no later than December 15, 2026.
Yes. Register now and submit a working build by Dec 15. You can start with an idea, but the final submission needs to run.
Yes. Existing products, customers and seed funding are welcome, subject to the eligibility rules. If you've raised a Series A, this one isn't for you. Your business must remain earlier than Series A when the award is confirmed, and a larger seed round may be treated as Series A equivalent.
Yes. Any eligible stage can receive any of the three grant amounts.
On the build and how far we think it can go. It's $10,000, $50,000 or $100,000, and your stage doesn't decide which.
Yes. You have to own what you submit. If an employer, client or university could claim rights in it, you'll need to tell us and provide written evidence those rights have been released before an award is confirmed. That can take weeks, so start it now rather than in January.
We assess eligible, complete submissions against the selection criteria. Shortlisted teams are contacted for verification that the build is real and that it's yours. Everyone hears on January 15, 2027. Payment follows within 60 days of completed verification.
Technical builders and startups from day zero to pre-series a, in eligible locations. The official rules have the full requirements.
Only if we ask. Verification may include read-only access to a private repository, limited to the project. We delete working copies within 30 days of the final decision.
you were going to
build it anyway.
Have something worth backing?
Submit your live build on .tech.
completed verification
// prize distribution
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