Press Release: Fast Forward Announces 2026 Accelerator Cohort

FAST FORWARD ANNOUNCES 2026 ACCELERATOR COHORT

Ten Accelerator organizations join Fast Forward’s network of 100+ nonprofits using tech and AI to solve humanity’s greatest challenges

SAN FRANCISCO, March 5, 2026 — Fast Forward welcomes ten tech and AI-powered nonprofits to its 13th annual flagship Accelerator, a three-month intensive program designed for tech nonprofit founders to scale their product, grow their impact, and perfect their fundraising pitch.

The make up of the 2026 cohort is diverse in geography, issue area, and lived experience. Organizations are based in the United States, India, France, and Mexico, working on economic empowerment, civic engagement, workforce development, education, climate, and health. Of the cohort’s tech nonprofit founders, 80% are proximate founders who have lived experience with the problem they’re trying to solve.

The majority of the cohort — seven out of ten organizations — are AI-powered, meaning they developed a core AI solution to achieve impact. Over the past two years, the share of AI-powered nonprofit applicants to Fast Forward’s Accelerator skyrocketed, from 5% of applicants for the 2024 Accelerator to nearly 50% of applicants for the 2026 Accelerator.

The Accelerator is fueled by generous support from Google.org; Bloomberg; Okta; Twilio.org; Lemnis; Arrow Impact; Splunk, a Cisco Company; The Solid Foundation; and more.

The organizations in this year’s cohort include:

• Ambition Angels: Virtual internship app building professional skills and career pathways for low-income teens.
• Bright Saver: Plug-in solar panel systems combining hardware and policy change to democratize clean energy access.
• Culturally Relevant Science: Culturally relevant STEM resources improving student learning outcomes.
• Health Access Innovation: Machine learning systems enabling patients to challenge wrongful insurance denials.
• Muevetex: Mobility data platform mapping informal public transport in cities often left behind.
• MyCapitol: AI-powered policy intelligence platform revealing legislative insights and influence for civil society advocates.
• Pyronear: Open-source early wildfire detection protecting communities and ecosystems.
• SimPPL: Cross-platform AI copilot combating digital harms to rebuild trust on the internet.
• Student Basic Needs Coalition: AI-powered benefits navigation platform helping college students access public benefits.
• SubjectToClimate: Resource hub supporting teachers in integrating climate education into all subjects and grade levels.

“All around us, AI is accelerating faster than anything we have ever seen. This year’s impressive group of tech and AI-powered nonprofits is putting new technology to work to serve humanity,” said Kevin Barenblat, Co-Founder and President of Fast Forward. “We are thrilled to welcome the 2026 cohort into the Fast Forward portfolio.”

“For nearly a decade, Bloomberg has proudly supported Fast Forward’s Accelerator organizations from kick-off through Demo Day and beyond. We have seen founders turn bold ideas into scalable solutions that deliver real results for people and families, and the 2026 Accelerator cohort reflects that same creativity and drive. By investing in leaders who are harnessing technology and AI for good, we can help accelerate solutions that expand opportunity and strengthen communities around the world,” said Malia Simonds, Bloomberg, Corporate Philanthropy for the Americas.

The 2026 Accelerator organizations will showcase their work at Fast Forward's annual Demo Day on May 28 in San Francisco.

To learn more about supporting Fast Forward, visit ffwd.org/partners.