BUILD UP CPG is a hands-on readiness and validation program for early-stage consumer product founders who want to test demand, clarify their buyer, and build a strong product concept before spending money on production.
BUILD UP CPG 2026 is a four-week series of workshops in March 2026.This is where ideas become validated product concepts — not expensive mistakes. This program is designed for early-stage consumer product founders who want to test demand, clarify their buyer, and build a strong product concept before spending money on production.
👉 Apply to BUILD UP CPG 2026 by February 22, 2026
This program is for you if:
You do not need:
BUILD UP helps you build toward those things — with intention.
BUILD UP CPG is not about rushing to production.
It’s about making sure your product should exist.
In BUILD UP CPG, founders focus on:
This is the step before scaling, wholesale, or retail expansion.
By the end of BUILD UP CPG, most founders leave with:
This is real progress — not guesswork.
Theme: Getting Clear on Demand — Before You Build
This week helps you slow down and validate who your product is for and why they’d buy it.
Theme: Turning Insight Into a Product People Choose
This week focuses on shaping the product concept — not manufacturing yet.
Theme: Understanding How CPG Products Make Money
This week helps founders understand pricing, margins, and early sales — without spreadsheets overwhelm.
Theme: Tell the Story, Show the Validation, Plan What’s Next
This week prepares you to confidently step into pitch nights, Blueprint, or your next validation phase.
BUILD UP CPG centers:
No. Build in Tulsa is committed to giving you the tools you need for success. From workshops to mentors to networking activities, we will do our best to open doors for you. But it is up to you to walk through them. We will introduce you to partners, potential customers, and investors. But there are no guarantees. Again, you will get out of this program what you put into it. We will be cheering you on and monitoring your progress. Build in Tulsa does have a competitive process for post-accelerator support that includes free office space and extended housing stipends, but eligibility for this program will be determined based off of several factors including your participation in the program, economic viability, and commitment to Tulsa.
Yes, but we encourage you to spend as much time in Tulsa as you can. The founders who get the most out of their accelerator experiences are those who truly connect with the city, its people, and our partners. And to do that you have to be in Tulsa consistently.
While there may be some extracurricular/fun activities on the weekends, your weekends are mostly your own. We strongly encourage you to attend as many events as you can. You will get out of this experience what you put into it. The more you engage with the Build in Tulsa network the greater your chance of success.
W.E Build provides a housing stipend of $1,000 per month (for a total of $4,000) to help you make ends meet while you are in the program and focused on growing your business. Build in Tulsa does not provide housing to founders in the W.E. Build program. We can provide you with some recommendations on where to live, but housing is up to you.
We will host workshops every Wednesday from 10am-12pm featuring a variety of topics designed to help you grow and scale your business. The program will also offer financial literacy modules weekly. W.E. Builders will present weekly updates on their progress to their cohort and select mentors and advisors. There will also be office hours with mentors and investors as well as other fun activities offered throughout the 12-week program. We expect W.E. Builders to commit 30 hours a week to the program. While some extracurricular programming will occur outside of business hours and is often not required, we strongly encourage you to attend as many of these activities as your schedule allows. This will help build your social network and expose you to as many people as possible that can be helpful to your journey.
The W.E. Build program will begin in Tulsa, OK on Monday, July, 8th 2024. The program will end on Oct 16, 2024.
W.E. Build is designed as a comprehensive program designed to mitigate the barriers to your success. We provide stipends to help cover the cost of your housing and child care or health care while you are in the program. W.E. Builders will receive $1,000 a month for housing and $1,000 a month for child care or health care. You will receive the stipends monthly through our service provider, Plann.ly.
W.E. Builders will receive their award in three payments. On July 22, 2024, the first portion of the payment ($8,333) will be issued, and On Aug 29, 2024 , the second portion of the payment ($8,333) will be issued. The last installment ($8,334) will be paid on Oct 11, 2024.
It’s not ideal. We expect you to put in 30+ hours a week into this program. This is a big commitment and we fully expect you to give it your all, be present, and fully engaged.
Look, Sis, we can’t tell you what to do for you and your family. But we expect you to put in 30+ hours a week into this program. This is a big commitment and we fully expect you to give it your all, be present, and fully engaged. Again, the more you put into this experience the more you will get out of it.
Unfortunately, no. But we hope to enroll a second cohort. Please sign up for the Build in Tulsa newsletter to be alerted when the next cycle opens.
Please complete the application by Mar 16, 2024 at 11:59:59 pm (CST). Finalists will be interviewed twice. The first round will be in mid-March and the second round in mid May-April you will be notified by May 30th of our decision. We will have a founder orientation by July 8th and the program will begin on Jul 15, 2024.
W.E. Builders are high-growth companies that are hoping to be VC-backed by the end of the program. We are looking for companies that are tech, tech-enabled, operating in the beauty and wellness space, or high-growth professional services.
The deadline to apply for the program is March 16, 2024.
Yes, we are committed to building in Tulsa, the home of historic Black Wall Street. To be accepted into the W.E. Build program, you will have to move to Tulsa for the three months of the program.
No. Build in Tulsa doesn’t take any equity in your business. The $25,000 is a non-dilutive business award provided to help you grow your business.
We are looking for founders that have the ability to execute on strategic plans, are flexible and adaptable, learn and listen well, implement feedback, ready and willing to experiment with new strategies, and are open to change.
Yes. We do prefer founding teams, because it helps share the workload. That being said, we’re evaluating you, your business and your potential for success post-program.
