OpenAI launches ‘Grove’ to nurture early-stage AI entrepreneurs
New program offers talent network, mentorship, and early access to cutting-edge tools for pre-idea founders.
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OpenAI has announced the launch of OpenAI Grove, a new initiative designed to support individuals at the very beginning of their entrepreneurial journey in artificial intelligence. Unlike a traditional startup accelerator, Grove is built to help those who may not yet have a concrete business idea but are deeply curious about building in AI.
According to the San Francisco-based AI research and deployment company's blog, published on September 12, the program promises participants access to a dense talent network, opportunities for co-building with OpenAI researchers, and early exposure to OpenAI’s latest tools and models. Participants will also benefit from tailored guidance through in-person workshops, weekly office hours, and mentorship sessions with OpenAI’s technical leaders.
The inaugural Grove cohort, limited to around 15 participants, will take part in a five-week program hosted at OpenAI’s headquarters in San Francisco. The experience is designed to serve as the foundation for a long-term community of builders. Beyond the structured sessions, participants will have the chance to explore different pathways, including raising capital or pursuing roles internally or externally within the broader AI ecosystem.
Encouraging diversity of thought and background, OpenAI has opened applications to individuals from all disciplines and experience levels, emphasizing curiosity and ambition over existing startup experience. Applications for the first cohort close on September 24, 2025.
With Grove, OpenAI positions itself not just as a developer of AI models, but as a catalyst for the next generation of AI founders- a move that could shape the landscape of early-stage innovation in the field.
