Leap Venture Studio provides mentorship from industry experts, customized programming, a tailored services project with top-tier designers and consultants, and a $200K venture capital investment.

Leap Venture Studio is our flagship 12 week accelerator program which includes a $200K venture capital investment and is focused on companies that have some traction and in market learnings. Leap Venture Academy includes our 1 week fellowship programs which do not include a venture capital investment and are focused on supporting companies that may be a bit earlier in stage, as well as supporting underrepresented founders. We often see companies who go through our academy program go on to apply for our studio program.

Leap Venture Studio is a 12-week accelerator program. The first and last weeks of the program are often held in person, with weeks 2-10 of the program being held virtually. The time commitment of the program ranges from 30-40 hours a week during in-person weeks, to 8-10 hours a week during virtual weeks. 

Leap Venture Studio companies receive a $200K venture capital investment.

Leap Venture Studio looks at companies globally ranging from Pre-Seed through Series A. Important factors we consider include traction, product-market fit,  in-market learnings, team size, and social impact.

Applications for future programs have not yet been released. Please sign up for our newsletter or follow us on social media to remain up-to-date on future opportunities. Applications are reviewed internally by our team, top candidates are invited to pitch live virtually to the selection committee, following pitches, final diligence and review is completed, and offers are extended to selected companies.

Due to the large volume of interest we receive During open application season, we host live Q&A sessions. If your question is not answered here in our FAQ, you can email us at leapventurestudio@gmail.com.

Leap Venture Studio is a flagship 12-week hybrid accelerator program which includes a $200K USD venture capital investment, an opportunity to get expert feedback on pressing business roadblocks, reach milestones with the help of industry experts, and network and learn from other pet care founders and leaders. So far, there have been 9 Cohorts of the Leap Venture Studio program and we’re expecting to open for Cohort 10 at the start of January 2026.

Leap Venture Academy is designed to support earlier-stage startups in the pet care industry through non-equity funding programs. The Leap Venture Academy includes a one-week fellowship program and pitch competitions. Several companies, who go through Leap Venture Academy have gone on to apply for the Leap Venture Studio program.

Leap Venture Studio cohort companies receive a $200K USD venture capital investment, equity varies and is dependent upon several factors including stage and type of business. As of 2023, Leap offers an impact seat within a cohort as well.

An investment seat is a funded place in the Leap Venture Studio, where selected pet care startups receive a $200K venture capital investment. It’s designed for companies that already have some traction and early in-market learnings.

An impact seat is reserved for a company that is best measured by their positive impact on the pet care ecosystem. This opportunity is open to various business models, including non-profits and for-profits that are impact-focused. Available as of 2023, the impact seat was dedicated to BestyBnB in Cohort 8 and Petcademy in Cohort 9.

Leap Venture Studio is focused on supporting and investing in seed-stage startups that have some traction and in-market learnings. So far, there have been 9 Cohorts of the Leap Venture Studio program and we’re expecting to open the application process for Cohort 10 on January 7th, 2026.

Applications go through review among the Leap Venture Studio team. Top candidates are invited to pitch to the selection committee. Following pitches, final diligence and review are completed and offers are extended to selected companies.

The application will be open on January 7th, 2026 through the Leap Venture Studio & Academy website (https://leap.dojo-stage.com/) and social media channels (https://www.linkedin.com/company/leapventurestudio/). The application will close March 29th, 2026 at 11:59pm PT.