A cohort-based program runs a fixed group of participants through the same experience simultaneously. Unlike self-paced courses (where you learn alone, at your own pace) or open communities (where anyone can join at any time), a cohort program creates synchronised progress: everyone is at the same stage, working on the same challenges, at the same time. This structure produces peer accountability that self-paced formats cannot replicate.
The completion rate for self-paced online courses is under 10%. Cohort programs consistently see rates of 70–90%. The difference is social: when you know others in your cohort are moving forward, falling behind has a social cost. That pressure — gentle but real — is what gets people to actually finish things.
The most effective cohort programs are small — 10 to 30 people. Small enough that facilitators know everyone's project. Small enough that peer relationships are real, not superficial. Small enough that your work is visible. The Hub Bengaluru keeps cohort sizes small deliberately, to maintain the quality of both mentorship and peer interaction.
A fixed end date — Demo Day, a final presentation, a ship deadline — changes how people work in the days before it. Knowing there's a specific moment when you have to show what you made produces a quality of focus that open-ended programs rarely generate.
All THB programs are cohort-based. Summer Camp runs in small, focused groups from Day 1 to Demo Day on Day 5. The 111-Day Residency has a cohort of residents living and working together for the program duration. Cohort sizes are intentionally kept small to maintain mentorship quality.
A cohort-based program runs a fixed group of participants through the same experience at the same time. This creates peer accountability, synchronised progress, and social pressure to complete — which dramatically increases completion rates vs self-paced formats.
Yes. Summer Camp at THB runs in small, focused cohorts. The 111-Day Residency has a resident cohort. Cohort sizes are kept small to maintain the quality of mentorship and peer accountability.