faq
faq.
dates, cost, who gets in, and how the house actually runs.
basics
what is invention noveltyhq?
a 30-day founder hacker house in bangalore. 12 to 16 builders live in one villa and ship full-time.
what is a hacker house?
builders living together while they work. not coworking with a bunk bed. not a conference stretched over a month.
is this a startup residency?
yes. fixed dates, one city, selected people, and a bias toward shipped work.
where is it located?
bangalore. the exact villa is shared with people we take.
what happened in the first cohort?
cohort 1 ran june 16 – july 15, 2026. 16 builders lived in one villa, shipped in public, and demoed on july 15, 2026. that is why cohort 2 exists.
eligibility
who should apply?
people who already ship. founders, engineers, designers, researchers, students. a live url beats a story about potential.
do students qualify?
yes, if the work is real. age is not the filter. output is.
do i need funding?
no.
do i need a startup idea?
you need something you are actually building. a category is not a product.
format
how long is the residency?
30 days. cohort 1 was june 16 – july 15, 2026. cohort 2 is winter 2026–27. exact days get locked with people we take.
what is the daily schedule?
mostly deep work. dinner together. no bootcamp calendar.
is there a curriculum?
no. no workshops. no pitch theatre.
what happens at the end?
a public demo of what shipped, what broke, and what changed.
work setup
is accommodation included?
yes. shared villa. details go to people we take.
will there be internet and work space?
yes. fast internet and actual desks. not a luxury listing.
what is provided?
villa, internet, work areas, dinner, diet coke, domains, ai credits.
can remote teammates visit?
ask after you are in. the cohort comes first.
bangalore
why bangalore?
the density. engineers, founders, early users. the first house proved the city works for this format.
is this for bangalore residents only?
no. you just have to be here for the full 30 days.
what areas in bangalore are best for founders?
indiranagar, koramangala, hsr, bellandur, whitefield. the villa picks for focus, not for a pin on a tourist map.
pricing
is the residency free?
no. it is a paid program. we do not sell it as a free coliving stunt.
how much does it cost?
Invention NoveltyHQ is a paid founder residency, not a grant, subsidy, or free stay. Tuition goes to the villa, workspaces, internet, dinner, and running the 30-day cohort. exact tuition, taxes, payment schedule, refunds, and what is included are shared after review.
what does the fee cover?
the villa, workspaces, internet, dinner rhythm, and running the cohort. the packet after review lists what is in and what is not.
application
how do i apply?
the form on /apply. email, website, x, what you are building, whether it is yours, what we can click, how far along it is, and why a house. we read on a rolling basis.
what matters in the application?
shipped work we can click, and honest answers. a clone of a yc company dressed up as a vision is an easy no. a small real product is not.
when do applications open?
they are open now for cohort 2. cohort 1 is over. if you applied last round, apply again with newer work.