NASHVILLE Entrepreneur Center has extended the deadline for application to its Fall 2025 accelerator programs until end of day July 11, and will sweeten the pot for three competitively ranked applicants with non-dilutive grants of from $5K to $25K.

The NEC website says, "Non-dilutive grants for Fall accelerator founders: $25,000 (1st), $10,000 (2nd), $5,000 (3rd). Keep 100% of your equity. From validating an idea to preparing for scale, our accelerators are designed to meet you where you are--and take you further."

All cohort selections will be made by August 1, followed by on-boarding. All cohort programs begin just after Labor Day.

Davidson

NEC CEO Sam Davidson told VNC this morning he believes his nonprofit 501(c)(3) was already "on-pace" to match the roughly 200 applicants the NEC received for its Spring 2025 cohort.

However, he and his team believe many highly qualified applicants have been grappling in recent months with business and economic uncertainties that have harassed many entrepreneurs and investors, both new and seasoned.

Full details are listed at this page for all six Fall 2025 accelerators: Project Healthcare, Project Fintech, Twende, Inflight, Takeoff and PreFlight.

Across all programs, every Accelerator cohort member receives added benefits:

• Competition for Impact Grants
• Free NEC CoWork+ and Membership
• Pitch or Table at Nashville Entrepreneur Day
• Discount ticket to LaunchTN 3686 Festival

Davidson said that the new non-dilutive grants were approved by the NEC board of directors, with funds derived through proceeds from the NEC endowment.

VNC's earlier NEC coverage is here. VNC

. last edited 1404 1 July 2025