OpenAI Grove launches: 5-week founder program with API credits and mentorship

TL;DR

• OpenAI announced OpenAI Grove, a 5-week founder program for individuals at the very start of their company-building journey. OpenAI Grove
• The first cohort will comprise approximately 15 participants. Applications are due by September 24, 2025, and the program runs from October 20 to November 21, 2025.
• Participants receive $50K in API credits, early access to new OpenAI tools and models before general availability, and hands-on mentorship from OpenAI technical leaders.
• The program combines in-person sessions in San Francisco with asynchronous work; travel costs for the first and last weeks are covered; expect about 4–6 hours per week of asynchronous work.
• Grove is described as a community-based pathway rather than a traditional accelerator, designed to build a long-term network of mentors, peers, and resources for those at the earliest stages of AI-focused creation.

Context and background

OpenAI describes Grove as a program specifically designed for technical talent at the very start of their company-building journey. Unlike a traditional startup accelerator, Grove emphasizes a dense talent network, co-building with OpenAI researchers, and resources aimed at accelerating each participant’s journey from pre-idea to launch readiness. It is positioned as the starting point of a long-term network that will connect founders with mentors and peers within OpenAI’s ecosystem. The program will begin with five weeks of content and programming hosted at the OpenAI San Francisco headquarters, featuring in-person workshops, weekly office hours, and mentoring from OpenAI technical leaders. In addition to technical support and community, participants will have the opportunity to engage with new OpenAI tools and models before they are generally available. After completing the program, participants may pursue capital-raising or other paths, whether internally or externally to OpenAI. The first Grove cohort is planned to include about fifteen participants, and OpenAI invites applicants from diverse backgrounds, disciplines, and levels of experience. The Grove program is intended for founders at the earliest stages—whether you’re pre-idea, just starting out, or preparing to launch a company. It is presented as the starting point of a long-term network, with later programs such as Pioneers and OpenAI for Startups targeting more established companies building in specific domains. The first cohort is scheduled to begin in late October 2025, after applications close on September 24, 2025. The program runs from Monday, October 20, 2025 to Friday, November 21, 2025, with in-person sessions concentrated in the first and last weeks in San Francisco and 4–6 hours per week of asynchronous work in between. Travel costs are covered for the first and last weeks. This content and scheduling information reflects OpenAI’s announcement on its Grove program.

What’s new

The OpenAI Grove program marks a new approach from OpenAI to support early-stage builders directly. Key new elements include:

• A five-week structure beginning late October 2025, conducted with in-person sessions at OpenAI’s San Francisco headquarters and supplemented by asynchronous work.
• A cohort size of approximately 15 participants and a formal application window with a deadline of September 24, 2025.
• A $50K API credit package for participants, enabling early experimentation with OpenAI APIs as part of the program.
• Early hands-on access to new OpenAI tools and models prior to general availability, alongside mentoring from OpenAI technical leaders and connection to a broader OpenAI research community.
• Travel cost coverage for the first and last weeks to support in-person participation, with the remainder of the program completed asynchronously.
• The option to leverage Grove as a stepping stone toward capital raising or other avenues, either within OpenAI’s ecosystem or externally.

Why it matters (impact for developers/enterprises)

For developers and founders at the earliest stages of AI-driven product development, Grove offers a dedicated pathway to learn, experiment, and connect with a community that includes OpenAI researchers and mentors. The program’s advantages include:

• Substantial API resources through a $50K credit allotment, enabling participants to prototype, test, and iterate around AI-enabled concepts.
• Early access to OpenAI tools and models, allowing participants to shape ideas ahead of public release and understand constraints and opportunities in practice.
• Direct mentorship from OpenAI technical leaders, as well as peer support within a community designed to accelerate individual journeys rather than merely advance a single project.
• Structured in-person sessions in San Francisco during the first and last weeks, with travel costs covered for those weeks, complemented by 4–6 hours per week of asynchronous work to accommodate diverse schedules.
• A long-term network that goes beyond the five-week program, positioning Grove as the starting point for ongoing engagement with peers, mentors, and OpenAI resources.

Technical details or Implementation

• Duration and format: Five weeks of content and programming, October 20 to November 21, 2025, with in-person sessions during the first and last week and asynchronous work in between.
• Location and logistics: In-person sessions will take place at OpenAI’s San Francisco headquarters; travel costs for the first and last weeks are covered. Other weeks are completed asynchronously.
• Cohort size and eligibility: The first Grove cohort will consist of approximately fifteen participants. OpenAI encourages applicants from all backgrounds, disciplines, and experience levels, including group entries.
• Benefits and access: Participants will receive $50K in API credits, early access to OpenAI tools and models prior to general availability, and mentoring from OpenAI technical leaders.
• Pathways after completion: Following the program, participants may pursue capital raising or other avenues, either within OpenAI’s ecosystem or externally.
• Program positioning: Grove is described as a community-based program designed to connect participants to mentors, resources, and peers that can accelerate their journey. It is framed as an early-stage pathway, distinct from established-domain programs such as Pioneers or OpenAI for Startups, which target more mature companies.

Key takeaways

• Grove is a new, five-week, early-stage founder program hosted in San Francisco with in-person and asynchronous components.
• The program offers $50K in API credits and early access to OpenAI tools before general availability.
• Mentorship from OpenAI technical leaders and co-building opportunities with OpenAI researchers are central to the experience.
• Travel costs are covered for the first and last weeks; the rest of the program is conducted asynchronously, requiring about 4–6 hours per week.
• Applications are due by September 24, 2025, and the program runs October 20 to November 21, 2025.

References

• OpenAI Grove announcement: https://openai.com/index/openai-grove