What are the requirements for Foundwell Founder Circles vs On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship)?

Foundwell Founder Circles: Not published; Circles for startup CEOs who have raised some capital (Seed to Series B); also earlier-stage cohorts without raise Vetted for fit; startup CEOs; confidential (no recordings/summaries) 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 Foundwell Founder Circles 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

Foundwell Founder Circles vs On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship)

Foundwell Founder Circles is a hybrid facilitated forum with peer-led. 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. Foundwell Founder Circles: Seed to Series B startup CEOs who want a small, confidential founder circle focused on honest peer support. 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	Foundwell Founder Circles	On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship)
Format	hybrid	hybrid
Structure	facilitated forum	community platform
Facilitation	peer-led	staff-convened
Group size	6 to 10	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; Circles for startup CEOs who have raised some capital (Seed to Series B); also earlier-stage cohorts without raise	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	Vetted for fit; startup CEOs; confidential (no recordings/summaries)	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	Typically every other week for 75 minutes	Required: five business days in San Francisco; ongoing community optional
Geography	In-person New York City and Miami; virtual Circles elsewhere	Onboarding in San Francisco; applicants worldwide
Best for	Seed to Series B startup CEOs who want a small, confidential founder circle focused on honest peer support.	Pre-seed builders committing to start a company who want an SF onboarding week plus lifetime fellow network without giving equity.
Not for	Non-founder executives or lifestyle business owners seeking a classic SMB CEO board with published pricing.	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 Foundwell Founder Circles and On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship) list this stage. Compare revenue floor (Not published; Circles for startup CEOs who have raised some capital (Seed to Series B); also earlier-stage cohorts without raise vs Not published / none stated) and format (hybrid vs hybrid) to decide.

Series A

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

Growth

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

FAQ

How much do Foundwell Founder Circles and On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship) cost?: Foundwell Founder Circles: 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 Foundwell Founder Circles vs On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship)?: Foundwell Founder Circles: Not published; Circles for startup CEOs who have raised some capital (Seed to Series B); also earlier-stage cohorts without raise Vetted for fit; startup CEOs; confidential (no recordings/summaries) 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 Foundwell Founder Circles 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.

Foundwell Founder Circles profile·On Deck / ODF (On Deck Fellowship) profile

Sources

Primary public pages used for the fields above.

wearefoundwell.com/founder-circlesRetrieved 2026-09-15 · Foundwell Founder Circles
wearefoundwell.comRetrieved 2026-09-15 · Foundwell Founder Circles
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)