Robin Hood’s Innovation Lab Launches Application Process to Identify its 10th Cohort of Impact Ventures

NEW YORK – Robin Hood, the largest local poverty-fighting philanthropy in New York City, announced today that its in-house innovation studio, Blue Ridge Labs, opened the application process for its accelerator program, Catalyst.  The focused 5-month accelerator will launch its 10th cohort in February 2026, continuing its mission to support early-stage social impact ventures addressing economic mobility in urban communities.

The program targets entrepreneurs building scalable technology solutions in six key areas: education, financial access, health, housing, hunger, and jobs. Selected ventures must demonstrate a strong connection to New York City and potential impact on low-income New Yorkers, though founders are not required to be based locally.

“We all understand that technology is transforming our lives in fundamental ways. The best technology should exist to solve problems, making our lives better. But who decides what problems should be solved, or whose lives should be improved?” said Richard R. Buery, Jr., CEO of Robin Hood. “Through Catalyst, we’re looking for best-in-class solutions that are effectively responding to obstacles standing between low-income Americans and a better future. Investing in these solutions is more urgent than ever, as the policy and funding landscape for safety net programs shifts and dwindles.”

Program Structure and Investment

Every startup selected for the 10th Catalyst cohort will receive a $100,000 investment for a 5.5% stake in a participant’s venture; for non-profit ventures, this investment will be provided as a grant. Participants also receive tailored coaching in finance, product, sales, and marketing, and engineering, and will also gain access to Robin Hood’s Design Insight Group—a community of 5,000 New Yorkers with lived experience to help inform and hone participants’ solutions.

Eligibility and Application Process

Catalyst seeks pre-seed stage companies that have developed and tested a minimum viable product with real users. The program is open to both for-profit and nonprofit ventures that have not exceeded $200,000 in total revenue within any 12-month period or raised more than $500,000 in funding (excluding grants).

Eligible applicants range from seasoned entrepreneurs to newcomers with backgrounds in engineering, product management, policy, and community leadership, united by their commitment to developing scalable solutions that address the most pressing social issues facing low-income communities.

Track Record of Success

Over its nine-year history, Catalyst alumni have achieved significant milestones, including Echoing Green Fellowships, participation in Y Combinator, venture capital funding rounds, and major philanthropic grants. Alumni companies have been featured in prominent publications, including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Fast Company.

The program’s impact extends beyond individual company success: Catalyst alumni have collectively raised over $200 million and partnered with 300 of Robin Hood’s partner grantees.

Applications for the 10th cohort close on Friday, November 21, 2025.

About Robin Hood
We are NYC’s largest local poverty-fighting philanthropy and since 1988, we have invested nearly $3 billion to elevate and fuel New Yorkers’ permanent escapes from poverty. In 2024, through $129.5 million in grantmaking with 285 community partners, we created pathways to opportunities out of poverty through our strategic partnerships on childcare, child poverty, jobs, living wages, and more. We are scaling impact at a population level for the 2 million New Yorkers living in poverty. At Robin Hood, we believe your starting point in life should not define where you end up. To learn more about our work and impact, follow us on X @RobinHoodNYC or go to robinhood.org.

Media Contact

Jasmine Baker Taddeo, Digital Communications, Robin Hood, press@robinhood.org