An accelerator by Gutter Capital · Chinatown, NYC
A small-batch, founder-led accelerator for founders doing their life's work. Building over pitching, from day one.
Applications close July 31, 2026 · Fund III just closed at $75M
Why we built it
A different kind of accelerator.
Elbow Grease is built for founders doing their life's work — not for founders perfecting a pitch. This is not a finishing school to teach you how to fundraise.
Ten weeks, in one room, on Canal Street. Success is measured in hires made, customers closed, and products launched — real, measurable results in ten weeks. Not the polish of a deck.
It is what it looks like when your investors roll up their sleeves.
Dan & James
Dan Teran & James Gettinger · Gutter Capital
The deal
“Two or three brawny Fellows in a Corner, with mere Ink and Elbow-grease, do more Harm than an Hundred systematical Divines with their sweaty Preaching.”
The check
$300K on a YC SAFE
The equity
9% post-money
The shape
10 weeks · 10–15 companies
The deadline
July 31, 2026
Sept 15 – Nov 19, 2026 · Gutter HQ on Canal Street · minimum 5 days a week on-site · no fees, no additional equity · follow-on aim of $1–2M pre-seed on milestones. Apply if you’ve raised and burned less than $2M — and if you’re here for building over pitching, from day one.
By the numbers
Investment
$300K
On a post-money YC SAFE
Equity
9%
No fees, no more
Program
10
Weeks, one room
Cohort
10–15
Companies, max
One workshop a week, capped at four hours. Founders should expect to work a minimum of 60 hours — the other 56 are yours, to build. Our goal is to make you successful enough to warrant a $1–2M pre-seed from Gutter Capital.
What you get
You work directly with Gutter’s partners — operators who built and sold companies (Managed by Q → WeWork), not passive check-writers. One partner is matched to you for the whole program.
Matched with a founder who has raised through Series B or navigated a successful exit — people who’ve been exactly where you are. Past mentors include the founders of Bikky, Opus, Forerunner, Electric and Order.co.
Richard Hughes (Head of Talent) has hired 100+ across the portfolio at 80% retention. Vince Li (Head of Design) leads product craft. And direct access to Agatha Kluk, Partner at Orrick, as in-house counsel throughout.
Every week closes with a private, candid fireside — a technology leader, founders only. And Elbow Grease companies are welcome to keep working out of Gutter HQ for as long as they like.
Straight answers
Any founding team — so long as you’ve found a problem worth devoting your career to solving. We won’t fund companies that are competitive with each other at the time we invest.
$300,000 for 9% ownership, on a post-money YC SAFE. No fees, no additional equity, ever.
Yes — you need to work out of Gutter HQ on Canal Street at least five days a week during the program. Special circumstance? We’re happy to discuss. Housing isn’t provided; the investment funds salaries and relocation.
Yes. We’re open to solo founders, and in some cases can help you recruit a co-founder if that’s what you’re looking for.
Anyone is welcome to apply, at any stage. But we’re unlikely to seriously consider teams that have raised and burned more than $2M.
Yes. Our goal is for you to be successful enough at Elbow Grease to warrant a pre-seed investment from Gutter Capital of $1–2M.
Ready?
“This is not a finishing school. This is where you come to build a business.”