How much do Foundations and On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship) cost?

Foundations: Not published (verified 2026-09-15). On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship): Pay-what-you-can; suggested contribution $1,000 USD (verified 2026-09-15). Prices are shown verbatim from public sources; nothing is estimated.

What are the requirements for Foundations vs On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship)?

Foundations: Not published Invite-only application; Member acceptance requires strong track record of building/scaling startups; FIR path for earlier founders; Seattle or SF/Bay based options On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship): Not published / none stated Great fit: track record of shipping; committed (or soon) to starting a company. Not a fit: past pre-seed/PMF, already have a full team, primary customers outside US. Must attend full SF sprint. Non-dilutive.

Which is better for venture-backed founders?

Both Foundations and On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship) are venture-specific. Compare stage fit (Pre-seed and seed, Series A vs Pre-seed and seed) and format.

Last verified 2026-09-15

Foundations vs On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship)

Foundations is a hybrid community platform with staff-convened. On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship) is a hybrid community platform with staff-convened. This page compares cost, requirements, format, and stage fit using verified public data. Foundations: Seattle technical founders who want an invite-only in-person community, space, mentors, and peer accountability around early company building. On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship): Pre-seed builders committing to start a company who want an SF onboarding week plus lifetime fellow network without giving equity.

Side-by-side

Field	Foundations	On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship)
Format	hybrid	hybrid
Structure	community platform	community platform
Facilitation	staff-convened	staff-convened
Group size	Not published for peer subsets	Onboarding week: 80–100; community platform: 3,000+
Stage fit	Pre-seed and seed, Series A	Pre-seed and seed
Revenue / capital floor	Not published	Not published / none stated
Annual cost	Not published	Pay-what-you-can; suggested contribution $1,000 USD
Application model	application	application
Venture-specific	Yes	Yes
Other requirements	Invite-only application; Member acceptance requires strong track record of building/scaling startups; FIR path for earlier founders; Seattle or SF/Bay based options	Great fit: track record of shipping; committed (or soon) to starting a company. Not a fit: past pre-seed/PMF, already have a full team, primary customers outside US. Must attend full SF sprint. Non-dilutive.
Time commitment	FIR: 6-month residency with space as full-time office; Members: visit as third space up to a couple times/week plus weekly events	Required: five business days in San Francisco; ongoing community optional
Geography	Seattle (Capitol Hill) and San Francisco (South FiDi)	Onboarding in San Francisco; applicants worldwide
Best for	Seattle technical founders who want an invite-only in-person community, space, mentors, and peer accountability around early company building.	Pre-seed builders committing to start a company who want an SF onboarding week plus lifetime fellow network without giving equity.
Not for	Operators seeking a classic confidential CEO peer board with published dues and a fixed monthly half-day forum.	Founders past pre-seed/PMF, or builders whose primary market will stay outside the US.
Last verified	2026-09-15	2026-09-15

Verdict by stage

Pre-seed and seed

At Pre-seed and seed, both Foundations and On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship) list this stage. Compare revenue floor (Not published vs Not published / none stated) and format (hybrid vs hybrid) to decide.

Series A

At Series A, Foundations lists this stage. On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship) does not. The fit is Foundations for this stage band.

Growth

At Growth, neither group lists this stage as a primary fit. Foundations targets Pre-seed and seed, Series A. On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship) targets Pre-seed and seed.

Late stage

At Late stage, neither group lists this stage as a primary fit. Foundations targets Pre-seed and seed, Series A. On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship) targets Pre-seed and seed.

FAQ

How much do Foundations and On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship) cost?: Foundations: Not published (verified 2026-09-15). On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship): Pay-what-you-can; suggested contribution $1,000 USD (verified 2026-09-15). Prices are shown verbatim from public sources; nothing is estimated.
What are the requirements for Foundations vs On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship)?: Foundations: Not published Invite-only application; Member acceptance requires strong track record of building/scaling startups; FIR path for earlier founders; Seattle or SF/Bay based options On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship): Not published / none stated Great fit: track record of shipping; committed (or soon) to starting a company. Not a fit: past pre-seed/PMF, already have a full team, primary customers outside US. Must attend full SF sprint. Non-dilutive.
Which is better for venture-backed founders?: Both Foundations and On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship) are venture-specific. Compare stage fit (Pre-seed and seed, Series A vs Pre-seed and seed) and format.

Foundations profile·On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship) profile

Sources

Primary public pages used for the fields above.

fndtns.orgRetrieved 2026-09-15 · Foundations
fndtns.org/membershipRetrieved 2026-09-15 · Foundations
admissions.joinodf.comRetrieved 2026-09-15 · On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship)
joinodf.comRetrieved 2026-09-15 · On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship)
beondeck.comRetrieved 2026-09-15 · On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship)