OpenAI has unveiled Grove, a new programme aimed at individuals at the very earliest stage of building AI-driven companies even before they have a fully formed idea. Grove is not a standard accelerator; instead, it’s built to provide mentorship, peer community, and early access to OpenAI tools and models to help shape concepts and experiment.

The first cohort will run from October 20 to November 21, 2025. The program includes five weeks of content, with the first and last weeks held in person at OpenAI’s San Francisco headquarters. The weeks in between involve 4-6 hours per week of asynchronous work. Around 15 participants will be selected. Applicants from all backgrounds and experience levels including teams or solo aspiring founders are encouraged to apply by September 24, 2025.

Participants will get access to in-person workshops, weekly office hours, mentorship from OpenAI technical leaders, and the chance to try out OpenAI’s tools/models before they’re publicly released. After the program ends, there will be pathways to explore raising capital or other opportunities either inside or outside OpenAI.