Highwise Business
San Francisco

EWOR Appointed New San Francisco Leadership Team

The startup fellowship expanded its local presence to support a 237% increase in U.S. applications.

Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Startups

Isometric editorial illustration of a modern urban corporate building with clean geometric volumes, representing professional expansion in San Francisco.
Startup fellowship provider EWOR has appointed three new leaders to its San Francisco office to manage a 237% increase in U.S. applications. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Would you prefer a founder fellowship over traditional venture capital funding for a new business?

EWOR, an organization that provides up to $600,000 in capital to startup founders, has appointed Charles Ferguson, Katie Madding, and Gigi Brett to its San Francisco leadership team. The expansion follows a 237% surge in U.S.-based fellowship applications over the past year.

Why it matters

The firm is scaling its domestic presence to better manage a growing applicant pool and provide regional support for a virtual-first fellowship model. The move aims to close opportunity gaps for founders, regardless of their location, as the organization maintains a non-relocation requirement.

EWOR fellows have raised an average of $10 million this year, with 25% of recent participants achieving nine-figure valuations in the past 6 months. The fellowship maintains a highly competitive 0.1% acceptance rate for its program.

The players

EWOR

An organization that operates a startup fellowship providing up to $600,000 in capital and virtual mentorship.

Charles Ferguson

A member of the new San Francisco leadership team who previously founded FrontPage.

Katie Madding

A member of the new San Francisco leadership team focused on managing domestic fellowship growth.

Gigi Brett

A member of the new San Francisco leadership team transitioning from an operational role in Cape Town.

The details

The organization provides founders with a talent and customer network alongside weekly 1:1 mentorship, utilizing a virtual-first support structure tailored to individual founder journeys. By avoiding relocation requirements, the fellowship allows founders to operate in their home markets while accessing capital. The leadership team will now oversee these operations from San Francisco to accommodate the increased volume of domestic applicants.

Timeline

  1. • 1996: Charles Ferguson sold FrontPage to Microsoft.

  2. • 2008: The global financial crisis occurred.

  3. • 2021: AppLovin purchased Adjust for $1 billion.

  4. • Past 6 months: 25% of joiners raised capital at nine-figure valuations.

  5. • Past 12 months: U.S. applications to EWOR rose 237%.

Market Landscape

EWOR follows a broader industry trend of decentralizing startup support away from traditional geographic hubs. This shift allows capital providers to capture talent by offering virtual-first support that competes with incumbent, location-dependent accelerator models.

Founders should note the organization's non-relocation policy and the potential for equity-dilutive capital rounds. Monitor the program's outcomes if you are evaluating venture partners for early-stage development.

The takeaway

The firm's decision to establish a dedicated U.S. leadership team reflects the competitive pressure to secure high-growth founders before they commit to other platforms. Operators should track how the organization's 0.1% acceptance rate and $10 million average funding figures evolve as an industry benchmark.

Further reading

For more on the local venture landscape, visit Startups.

Live Poll

Would you prefer a founder fellowship over traditional venture capital funding for a new business?