You could skip every accelerator out there and still build the next big thing
Use the resources, skip the program, and build. We created a private group for the top ReaktorX applicants
The 2026 ReaktorX selection process is officially over.
And I need every early-stage founder out there to understand something: you do NOT need ReaktorX, or any other program, to make it.
If anything, we need you.
Your best next move, regardless of the result, is to check out the resources I sent over, use them to the maximum, and just build.
And if you’re wondering about the private group - head to your inbox and see if the invitation is already waiting for you.
P.S. If it’s not there yet, stick around. There’s still a way in, and we’ll get to that in a bit.
In any case…
You've already won more than you think just by applying
Here's something most of you don't know.
Your profile wasn’t just seen by me.
You were evaluated by some of the most exceptional people in the startup space: engineers, mentors, and people working at top VC funds around the world.
There are literally a number of VCs that reached out to me personally and asked to introduce some of you to them.
So here’s the takeaway: don't take a rejection at face value.
The real win is the fact that your profile was seen, evaluated, and remembered by people who matter.
Which is why this couldn't end with just a rejection in your inbox
Meeting the vast majority of you across 15 Central and Eastern European countries was genuinely one of the highlights of this process.
Yet, like any other process, it has its flaws.
For one, it optimizes for who writes the best application, not necessarily for who is the most talented, the most technical, or the most capable of building something great.
The fact that we have limited spots for this batch doesn’t mean your skills, your potential, and what you’re capable of building went unnoticed.
And that’s exactly why we created the private group.
The strongest applicants from this year’s selection have already received an invitation.
The Top Applicants From This Year Are Already in a Private Channel
Think of it as the pipeline before the pipeline.
The closer you stay to ReaktorX, the better positioned you are for next year’s selection.
Here’s what’s in it for you:
A channel full of the strongest builders from 15 CEE countries.
Your network is your net worth - and you’ll be surrounded by some of the most brilliant minds in the region.
Direct access to me.
Ask me anything about your startup, your idea, the industry, or the selection process. I'll respond way more quickly than if you just send me a DM.Real-time resources and recommendations.
When I come across something useful, you’ll hear about it first.Job opportunities from the ReaktorX portfolio.
When someone asks me for a referral, the first people I’ll think of are in this group.A path to SF - even without being selected.
Through our network, we receive internship and job requests from SF startups. If you want to come here, work, build your network, and come back next year even more prepared, this is the way you can make that happen.
In essence, being in this group means you’re not waiting for next year’s selection from the outside.
Now, the Part You’ve Been Waiting For: How to Still Get In
Leave a comment below and make your case by answering one question:
Which of these benefits matters most to you - and how would you take most advantage of them in the next year?
Be specific. Tell me where you are in your journey, what you’re building, and what being in this group would actually change for you.
P.S. If you’re already in the group, I have a self-reflection exercise for you too.
Why do you think you got in?
Think about it seriously and leave your answer in the comments. It will help you understand what made you stand out, and that’s worth knowing;)
Until next week, keep building!
Luca S.
Hi, I'm Ioana (Jhoana). At the moment, the ones that matter most to me are the valuable community and the real-time resources. When I received the email, I was glad to see resources that I could dive into. As a first time founder, these are really useful and important to me in the decision-making process. Moreover, when building a start-up that is going globally, it is important to be connected with people from all over the world.
Hi everyone Bruno from Sonder here.
The two that matter most to us are definitely access to top founders and the SF and US market.
We're building Sonder, a connection mobile app and we started with students and young founders. Young people usually have the ambition, the skills and the qualities, but not the network to actually use them. On Sonder you make your interests, skills and qualities visible, and it matches you with people who fit your goals. Seamlessly through Sonder AI chat. Sometimes you find them, sometimes they find you because you have exactly what they were looking for. Minimizing the lost opportunities because the person you were looking for is already seating two rows behind you on some class but you just didn't know anything about them except their looks or maybe name.
So the people in this group are exactly who we build for. I'd bring the best founders on and connect them with each other, the same way we're already doing it with students from day one. With founders like that already on Sonder, every new student or user who joins can connect with quality people from the start and actually find help. That grows our user base with the right people and builds our credibility, and SF and the US is where we want to go next, so being close to it would matter a lot.