“Two or three brawny Fellows in a Corner, with mere Ink and Elbow-grease, do more Harm than an Hundred systematical Divines with their sweaty Preaching.”
- Andrew Marvell (1672)
Elbow Grease is a hardworking accelerator by Gutter Capital. This is not a finishing school to teach you how to fundraise, this is where you come to build a business with people who've done it before. We embed with a small group of founders to recruit the team, deliver the product, close customers and otherwise do whatever it takes to build a company of consequence.
Small by design
10-15 teams
First-check
$300k
Follow-on opportunity
On location
10 weeks
Chinatown
NYC
Your Team
Partner
Mentor
Start
15 Sep
NOV 19
Graduation
Sponsors
About Elbow Grease
A different kind of accelerator, built for founders doing their life's work.
“We jumped at the opportunity to join Elbow Grease, not for the monetary aspect, but because Dan and James were some of the greatest operators that we knew from venture, who’ve actually executed on their businesses.”
Rohan Kumar
CEO of QUICKSECURE
MENTORS
A team that works for you
The Elbow Grease team is an experienced community of former founders who will work to understand your vision, and partner with you to turn it into a reality. You will work directly with Gutter partners Dan and James, and be matched 1:1 with a mentor who has either raised through Series B or navigated to a successful exit.
You will have access to the Gutter Capital bench of Operating Partners for help with recruiting, design, go-to-market, and more.
PAIRED
1 partner
1 MENTOR
Why Dan and James?
What it looks like when your investors roll up their sleeves.
How do I work with my mentor?
Founders who've been exactly where you are, here to help.
“Dan is our investor, but because he was once a founder, he has that founder mindset, and can really see things from our perspective and give us advice like he's in our shoes.”
Skylar Chen
CTO of JOYWORK
WORKSHOPS
A crash course in
pitching
company building
Attend workshops and office hours led by elite startup operators from the Gutter network, built to deliver immediate, practical value for early stage teams. Founders leave Elbow Grease with real results. Hire a lead engineer, launch a rebrand, close your first customers. If teams hit critical milestones, we often show up with a term sheet before you put together a deck. Building over pitching from day one.
WEEKLY
1 workshop
How much support?
A network that is tactical, hands-on, and there when it counts.
What can I expect to achieve?
Not a pitch deck. Real, measurable results in 10 weeks.
"Coming here, you have people that are experts in their fields, that are immediately extensions of your team, that are able to help you with all the different facets of starting an early stage company."
Blake Robertson
CEO of KEEPER SYSTEMS
SPEAKERS
Off-the-record conversations with industry insiders
Every week closes with a private, candid conversation with a technology leader in Gutter’s network. Hear the real stories of building fast-growing businesses from the perspectives of founders, operators, and investors and expand your network to industry luminaries in an intimate setting.
FIRESIDE chats
FOUNDERS ONLY
GUTTER HQ
10 weeks in the heart of NYC
Elbow Grease founders join the Gutter community at the center of New York City's thriving tech scene. You will work alongside 80+ founders and operators at Gutter HQ on Canal Street in Chinatown. You can expect the unexpected at Elbow Grease, from after hours access to New York's storied cultural institutions to a private tour of City Hall. After 10 weeks of Elbow Grease, you'll feel like a New Yorker for life.
Start
15 Sep
NOV 19
GRADUATION
Why build in New York City?
Everything the office and city have to offer new companies.
"When I hired our first engineer, I told him, drop what you're doing. You have to move to New York. You have to come join this program with me, because it is something special to be around all these other startups that are building the future."
Taylor Sandusky
CEO of PUNCH
ABOUT GUTTER
Backing exceptional founders tackling tough problems
Elbow Grease is an accelerator by Gutter Capital. Gutter Capital was founded in 2021 to help mission-driven founders build companies of consequence. We are small by design. We make a few investments each year to give us the time and space to work closely with founders.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Who should apply?
How much do you invest?
What are the terms of your investment?
Do you charge fees or take additional equity?
Do I need to have a co-founder to apply?
Can I apply if I’ve already raised capital?
How many companies will you select?
Who will I work with on your team?
Do I need to be in New York City to apply?
What are the program dates?
Do you provide housing?
What is the time commitment?
Do you fund competitive companies?
Do you provide follow-on capital after the accelerator?
MADE BY HUMAN ARTISTS IN NYC
Mickey Lee: oil on canvas papeR
Casey KelbAugh: Photography
ANDREW EINHORN, XYNN TII: VIDEO
