This study investigates the resource preferences of 21,541 founding teams across 407 accelerator programs in 177 countries between 2013 and 2019, with a focus on resource-constrained founders, including women, first-time entrepreneurs, and immigrants, who face substantial barriers in venture development. Using principal component factor analysis and multilevel modeling, we identify distinct benefit clusters, revealing network development, investor access, and mentorship as the most sought-after resources. Our analysis shows that founder and venture-specific characteristics, such as the team’s composition and venture’s stage of development, rather than program or industry factors, predominantly influence these preferences, accounting for 94-99% of the variance. Resource-constrained founders are particularly inclined to prioritize building business capabilities, mentorship, and building credibility. These findings challenge the conventional one-size-fits-all approach to accelerator design, highlighting the necessity for tailored, inclusive programs that better address the diverse needs of founding teams and enhance the impact of accelerators and entrepreneurship programs on venture success.