Founder-Market Fit Program
Dare to Start
For founders with an idea or problem worth exploring.
Validate the problem, understand the customer and test your assumptions before you build.
12 Jan – 2 Mar 2027
Apply for Dare to StartAt a glance
- Program
- Founder-Market Fit Program
- Dates
- 12 Jan – 2 Mar 2027
- Format
- 2-month hybrid program
- Participants
- Approx. 40 founders, solo founders or teams
- Outcome
- Identify a relevant market opportunity
- Application status
- Applications open
- Application deadline
- 27 November 2026
- Next update
- You will hear from us the week of 7 December 2026
Who it is for
This program is for founders who are still testing whether the problem is real, whether the market is worth pursuing, and whether they are the right team to pursue it.
Good fit if you are:
- Exploring a startup idea
- Trying to define the customer problem more clearly
- Validating pain points through research and conversations
- Testing whether your solution direction makes sense
- Preparing to move from idea to MVP
What you will work on
01
Identify
Define the problem and the customer segment.
02
Validate the problem
Research the market and test whether the pain point is real.
03
Validate the solution direction
Use customer discovery to test whether your proposed solution is worth building.
What we look for
Applications are reviewed across five areas:
- Founder qualities
- Commitment, resilience and coachability.
- Problem clarity
- A clear definition of the problem and evidence that the pain is real.
- Market potential
- Relevance, scalability and potential market opportunity.
- Execution potential
- Steps already taken and fit between the team’s skills and the idea.
- Program fit
- Stage, motivation, collaboration and ability to register in Georgia.
Eligibility
General eligibility:
- Sector agnostic
- Tech-enabled
- Company must be registered in Georgia before joining
- Previous GITA grant recipients who received above GEL 100,000 are not eligible to apply
- The same founders may apply again only with a different company
Ready to validate your idea?
Applications are open.
Apply by 27 November 2026.
You will hear from us the week of 7 December 2026.
Not the right stage?
- Explore Dare to Build
MVP Program
- Explore Dare to Grow
Market Entry Program