Zero AI Developer Cohort
An incubator built to put the next generation of builders at the center of the AI era
Zero is a cohort-based incubator for technologists building the next generation of artificial intelligence, and over time, the wider frontier of emerging technology. We pair talented builders with the mentorship, compute, capital access, and community they need to turn ideas into shipped products and funded companies.
Representation in AI isn't a talent gap. It's an access gap.
Too many talented developers, researchers, and founders are locked out of AI, not for lack of ability, but for lack of access to mentorship, capital, compute, and rooms where decisions get made. Zero exists to close that gap directly.
- Three stage-based tracksfrom first idea to funded company
- $25 a semesterto join the member community
- 0% equitytaken from participants
You have the idea. That's rarely the hard part.
Maybe you have an idea but don't know how to build it. Maybe you built something but don't know how to get it in front of people. Maybe you have a concept and no idea what to do next.
AI can answer a lot of those questions today, but not all of them, and not the ones that need a real person: honest feedback on your specific idea, an introduction to the right person, accountability, or someone who's actually done it before. That's what Zero is for.
You have an idea, not a way to build it
Mentorship and hands-on help turning a concept into something real, not just another AI chat that stops at advice.
You built it, but no one knows it exists
Guidance on positioning, storytelling, and getting a finished product or project in front of the people who'd actually use it.
You have a concept and no next step
A community and mentors who'll give you real, specific feedback on your idea, not a generic answer.
Built for creators, builders, and backers
Zero isn't just for engineers. It's for anyone with an idea or a concept who's building something new with technology: artists, filmmakers, designers, developers, researchers, and everyone in between.
Creators across every discipline
Artists, filmmakers, designers, developers, researchers, and anyone else with an idea, a concept, or something already built who wants help building it, sharpening it, or getting it in front of the right people. You don't need to already be technical. You need something you're trying to bring into the world with new technology.
Partners, funders, and employers
If you want to back new talent in AI through funding, compute credits, mentorship, or hiring, Zero gives you a direct, structured way to do that.
A quick note on fit
Zero is focused on new technology and innovation, not general small-business fundraising. If your work doesn't involve building or integrating new technology, for example, raising capital for a traditional local business like a barbershop, this likely isn't the right fit, unless new technology is part of what you're building.
Builders, in the room
A quick look at the kind of people and energy Zero is built around: builders learning, collaborating, and shipping with AI tools in hand.
Meet the people in Zero
Developers building with AI, and investors backing them.
AI developers
AI investors
Concentrated on AI right now, built to expand
The first cohorts are deliberately narrow: artificial intelligence, because that's where the current wave of opportunity, and the current wave of exclusion, is happening fastest. The incubator is designed to grow into a broader home for future technology as the community matures.
Applied AI and ML
Model fine-tuning, agents, applied ML products, and AI-native tooling for real-world use cases.
AI infrastructure
Data pipelines, evaluation, safety tooling, and the picks-and-shovels layer of the AI stack.
Future technology
A longer-term track for robotics, hardware, and other deep-tech frontiers as the cohort grows.
- LLM agents
- Computer vision
- MLOps
- AI safety and evaluation
- Robotics
- Data engineering
- Founder mentorship
- Investor access
A staged path from first idea to funded company
Like established tech incubators, Zero organizes support into stages that match where a builder actually is, rather than a single one-size-fits-all track. No equity is taken. The goal is unlocking access, not owning a piece of what you build.
Educate. For people early in AI.
Learn the fundamentals, explore an idea, and build the skills and network to go further.
Accelerate. For builders with a working product.
Move toward real users and product-market fit, with hands-on mentorship and compute access.
Signature. For high-potential companies ready to scale.
Dedicated coaching, direct investor introductions, and corporate partnerships.
Curriculum built with Anthropic
Zero's AI curriculum and training content are developed in collaboration with Anthropic, the company behind Claude, so participants learn from real, responsible AI practices as they build, not just theory.
A small membership, kept intentionally low
Core programs stay free to keep the barrier to entry low. A simple membership covers the ongoing community: online events, training, and resources, so it can keep running and growing between cohorts.
$25 / semester
Billed twice a year. Cancel anytime. Open to people 18 and older.
- Access to all online events and workshops
- Training sessions on AI tools, skills, and career paths
- Member community and peer network
- Early access to cohort applications
- Access to future member benefits as they launch
Frequently asked questions
The quick answers to what people ask most about membership, the program tracks, and how Zero runs.
Who can join Zero?
Zero is open to people who are 18 or older. You confirm this when you sign up.
What does the $25/semester membership actually include?
Membership covers everything outside the core cohort programs: live online events, recurring training sessions on AI tools and career skills, access to the member community, and early access whenever cohort applications open. New benefits get added here as they launch.
Does the membership fee apply to the Educate, Accelerate, or Signature tracks?
No. The core program tracks stay free and equity-free for accepted participants. The membership is a separate, optional way to stay connected to the community and its events between and alongside cohorts.
Is Zero remote, in person, or both?
Zero runs remote-first so people anywhere can take part in training and events, with periodic in-person meetups and a demo day for each cohort.
How are cohorts selected?
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and matched to a stage, Educate, Accelerate, or Signature, based on where a builder is right now. New cohorts open a few times a year.
Can I cancel my membership?
Yes. Membership is billed twice a year and can be cancelled at any time before the next billing cycle.
Is what's discussed at meetings confidential?
Yes. Everyone who joins Zero agrees to an NDA covering what's discussed in meetings and sessions, so other people's ideas stay in the room. The one exception is your own idea: you're always free to talk about, share, or pitch that wherever you want.
Want to learn more?
This site is an early, informational look at Zero. There's no application yet. Reach out directly and we'll keep you posted as the program takes shape.