founder residency faq.

Invention NoveltyHQ is a 30-day founder hacker house in Bangalore where 12 - 16 builders live together and ship products full-time.

a hacker house is a residential environment where builders, founders, engineers, designers, and researchers live together while working intensely on projects or startups.

yes. it is a startup residency in India with a residential format, a fixed 30-day window, and a focus on shipping real work.

the first cohort is planned for Bangalore, India. the exact villa location will be shared with accepted applicants.

startup founders, indie hackers, engineers, product designers, researchers, students, and high-agency builders who have shipped real things should apply.

yes. students can apply if they have evidence of taste, shipping ability, and serious intent.

no. funding is not required. the selection bar is based on seriousness, output, and fit for the environment.

you should be actively building something or ready to commit to a serious project during the lock-in.

the first cohort runs from june 16 to july 15, 2026, with demo day on july 15.

the schedule is intentionally light. most of the day is deep work. the shared rhythm is shipping, user conversations, dinner, and house-level accountability.

no. invention noveltyhq is not a bootcamp. there are no mandatory workshops or pitch days.

the cohort ends with an internal demo focused on what shipped, what broke, and what each builder learned.

the residency is built around a shared villa in Bangalore. details are shared with accepted applicants.

yes. the house is planned around fast internet and practical work setup, not luxury coliving aesthetics.

the working plan includes the villa, fast internet, shared work areas, communal dinner rhythm, unlimited diet coke, domains, and AI credits.

guest policy will be shared with accepted applicants. the residency is designed around the selected cohort first.

Bangalore has dense technical talent, startup operators, founders, early users, and a culture that rewards building. it is the right first node for a serious founder house in India.

no. builders from anywhere can apply if they can be in Bangalore for the full 30 days.

indiranagar, koramangala, hsr, bellandur, whitefield, and nearby startup-dense areas all matter. the final house location will prioritize focus, access, and logistics.

No. Invention NoveltyHQ is a paid program. Builders cover tuition that funds the cohort experience—we do not market it as a free coliving stunt.

Invention NoveltyHQ is a paid founder residency—not a grant, subsidy, or free stay. Tuition contributes to accommodation, workspaces, connectivity, the communal meals rhythm, and operating the 30-day cohort. Exact tuition, taxes if applicable, payment schedule, refunds, and inclusions/exclusions are shared with applicants after review.

Broadly: the shared villa residency, workspaces, connectivity, communal dinner rhythm, and program logistics described elsewhere on the FAQ. Exact inclusions/exclusions are listed in the applicant packet after review.

applications for the June 16 - July 15, 2026 cohort are now closed. the apply page now carries the latest application status.

shipped work, clarity, taste, proof of intensity, and a project that can benefit from 30 days of focused proximity.

applications for the june 16 - july 15, 2026 cohort are now closed. follow the official updates for future cohort announcements.