Experiential Learning Accelerator
Apply for the Spring 2026 Cohort before March 31st.
Remote Startup Accelerator Program
Where passion meets purpose and profit.
You have the vision. We give you the structure, accountability, and the confidence you need to build momentum and scale.
The Experiential Learning Accelerator is a 12-week intensive program for educators, coaches, and facilitators who are disrupting higher education and building the next generation of learning experiences. We help you turn your expertise into a scalable business that attracts aligned learners, fills your programs consistently, and creates lasting transformation.
Traditional higher education is broken.
It’s expensive, slow to adapt, and built for a world that no longer exists. The people disrupting it are not institutions. They are independent educators, coaches, and facilitators who are building something better.
DIY Genius exists to support that disruption.
The Experiential Learning Accelerator is built for practitioners who are ready to move beyond trading time for money and build leveraged education models that impact more learners while creating sustainable income.
We integrate curriculum design, community architecture, and growth marketing into one cohesive system so you can build a business that works without you having to hustle constantly to fill it.
What do participants receive?
- 12-week intensive program with a cohort of social venture founders
- Weekly group coaching sessions with experienced mentors and founders
- Group workshops on positioning, customer discovery, fundraising, and scaling
- A proven Startup Growth Marketing System tailored to your business model
- Access to a network of investors and partners who believe in mission-driven ventures
- Accountability structures designed for creative brains
- Demo Day pitch event to present to investors and partners
- Lifetime access to the Social Entrepreneurship alumni community and resource library
Whether you’re just starting out or scaling to the next level, we’re here to support your growth every step of the way.
We help you install a growth marketing system in your business
01
Attract
Brand story, a transformational offer, content strategy, editorial calendar, AI SEO, social media systems, email nurture sequences, and video production support.
02
Nurture
Engagement strategies, brand ambassador programs, user-generated content systems, live workshops, group coaching and event planning.
03
Convert
Email sequences, onboarding flows, retargeting ads, measurable sales funnel, appointment booking system and a CRM setup so your systems work even when your focus is elsewhere.
04
Scale
KPI tracking for both impact and revenue, and attribution modelling and AI conversion optimization for ads to scale up your growth so you can raise capital or bootstrap.
We work with founders building social enterprise ventures that solve specific problems and create specific results for their customers. Our three focus areas are health, education and tourism.
Health
- Mental health and wellness platforms
- Healthcare access for underserved communities
- Health education and lifestyle prevention programs
- Digital health tools, AI and telemedicine
- Wellness coaching and group programs
Education
- EdTech platforms improving access and outcomes
- Skills training, rapid skill acquisition and AI education
- Disruptive higher education programs outside Universities
- Independent teacher support and curriculum tools
- Alternative credentialing and coaching programs
Tourism
- Community-based tourism and group experiences
- Sustainable and regenerative travel platforms
- Conservation-focused and educational experiences
- Local economic development through tourism
- Wellness retreats and transformational travel
The fact is that given the challenges we face, education doesn’t need to be reformed — it needs to be transformed. The key to this transformation is not to standardize education, but to personalize it, to build achievement on discovering the individual talents of each person, to put students in an environment where they want to learn and where they can naturally discover their true passions.”
Huge market
$10T
The estimated global size of education industry by 2030 as traditional Universities decline and AI-powered experiential learning rises to fill the void.
AI disruption
75%
Of students use ChatGPT for most of their essays and assignments in University, diluting the value of the credential and signal of expertise.
Group flow
7
Social entrepreneurs in our Winter 2026 Cohort building projects in health, education and tourism that incorporate experiential learning by doing.
Testimonials
Community
S
“There’s a difference between delivering information and engineering change. I didn’t know that distinction before this program. The curriculum design frameworks they gave us completely rewired how I build content. My course ratings went from 4.1 to 4.9 stars, and my refund rate dropped by 70%.
Tom Whitfield
Course Creator
M
“The accelerator helped me transform my self-paced course into a live cohort experience with built-in accountability loops. My next launch did $47K. My students are actually getting results now, and they’re telling their friends. Word-of-mouth has become my biggest acquisition channel.”
Danielle Reyes
Copywriter
G
“I’d been building in circles for two years with great curriculum, terrible retention, no clear monetization path. Within 90 days of graduating, we hit $40K MRR and our completion rates jumped from 18% to 61%.”
Marcus Osei
EdTech Founder
Learning by doing
The future of learning is not in lecture halls or behind paywalls. It's being built by independent educators, coaches, and facilitators who are willing to think and do things differently. If you're ready to move beyond trading time for money, build a program that fills consistently, and create transformation at scale, we'd love to hear from you.
What Types of Ventures Qualify?
We work with founders who are building businesses that help people get a specific result and solve a very specific problem.
This might look like:
- Group experiences, workshops, and retreats
- Group coaching or online membership communities
- A product or service with a clear, measurable outcome for customers
- A community or movement built around a shared mission
- An app, platform, or tool that transforms how people learn, heal, or explore
Your venture should be rooted in one of our three focus sectors: health, education, or tourism.
What Stage of Company Do We Accept?
Ideal candidates have:
- A validated problem and an initial solution or concept
- Early traction: an MVP, prototype, pilot customers, initial users, or a waitlist
- A committed founding team (solo founders with strong advisors are welcome)
- A clear vision for the social or personal impact their venture creates
- A business model with real potential to scale
We do not accept:
- Pure ideas without any validation or early traction
- Established companies beyond early-stage growth
- Traditional nonprofits without an earned revenue model
The Growth Marketing System
Every participant gets access to our proven Growth Marketing System, adapted for socially conscious founders and mission-driven businesses.
The accelerator program covers:
- Lean startup methodology for continual building, testing and improving
- Detailed brand personas, brand story canvas and visual transformation map.
- Validated offers co-created with mentors and community members.
- Complete community architecture for peer learning and support.
- Live workshops and group coaching calls for weekly support.
- Automated email sequences, appointment booking and evergreen enrolment funnels.
- Live ad campaigns and a 30-day content calendar for growth.
- Standard operating procedures for scaling impact with ads.
- Reduced founder burnout through leveraged business models.
Spring 2026 Cohort
March 2026
Applications open. Early applicants receive priority review. Application deadline is the last day of the month.
01
April 2026
Interviews and final selections. Cohort announced in the first week of April.
02
Mid-April to Mid-June 2026
12-week intensive program with weekly group coaching, office hours and support from our team.
03
June 2026
Demo Day. Review your quarterly growth metrics. Present your venture to investors and partners.
04
Frequently asked questions
What is the Experiential Learning Startup Accelerator?
A startup accelerator is a time-limited, cohort-based program designed to rapidly scale early-stage companies.
The Experiential Learning Startup Accelerator is a 12-week cohort-based program for social entrepreneurs who are building ventures in health, education, and tourism. We combine coaching, workshops, community, and a proven startup growth system to help you build a business that scales without burnout.
What is the necessary time commitment?
The time investment required is 10-12 hours per week including calls and implementation. We prefer founders working full-time on their ventures or ready to go all in on their vision.
What stage should my startup be?
We work with early-stage founders who have a validated problem and some form of early traction. You don’t need to be generating revenue, but you should have more than just an idea.
Is there a cost to apply or participate?
There is no fee to apply. Program participation details, including any investment terms, are shared with accepted founders during the interview process.
Can I participate remotely?
Yes. The core program is delivered virtually. Optional in-person components may be available depending on your location.
How do I apply for the Spring Cohort?
Click the Apply Now button below and complete the online application. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so the sooner you apply, the better.
The application process is straightforward and designed to be respectful of your time and your brain.
Step 1: Submit Your Application
Complete the online application form. Tell us about your vision, your market, and why you’re building this. We’ll ask about your personal journey and how it shapes your work as a founder.
Step 2: Submit a Short Video Pitch
Record a 2 to 3 minute video introducing yourself and your venture. No production value required. We want to hear from you, not a polished script.
Step 3: Interview
If your application resonates with us, we’ll schedule a 30-minute conversation to learn more about you and your venture.
Step 4: Decision
We’ll let you know within one week of your interview whether we’re moving forward together.
There is no fee to apply.
What happens after the 3 months?
You join the Social Entrepreneurs alumni community for life. You’ll have access to ongoing mentorship, investor introductions, updated resources, and quarterly events.
- Lifetime access to the Social Founders network and community
- Continued mentorship and coaching opportunities
- Investor introductions for follow-on funding rounds
- Discounts on tools, software, and services
- Priority consideration for future funding and partnerships
- Quarterly alumni events and check-ins
- Access to updated playbooks and resources as they are released