Sponsored by Activate
Activate empowers scientists to reinvent the world by bringing their research to market. The two-year Activate Fellowship is the most immersive, supportive, and comprehensive program for early-stage hard-tech science entrepreneurs to access the funding, education, community, and time they need at the outset of their entrepreneurial journeys. Activate does not charge any fees or equity to participate.
Key Features:
- Regular meetings with your managing director and advisors.
- Entrepreneurial “bootcamp” program.
- Weekly programming to connect and learn from members of the entrepreneurial and funding ecosystem.
- Interactions are curated between fellows and the many investors, technologists, policy experts, and service providers that comprise Activate’s network.
- Community social gatherings and support from people who have been there before.
Impact:
- 249 fellows and 196 fellow companies supported since 2015.
- Nearly $2.3B in follow-on funding for fellow companies.
- More than 2,000 U.S. jobs were created by fellow companies.
Program Benefits
Activate Fellows receive:
- A yearly living stipend of $100K + health insurance stipend and travel allowance. Each project also receives $100K in research support at a host laboratory and access to at least $75K in additional flexible capital
- Access to research facilities in Berkeley, CA; Boston, MA; Houston, TX; New York, NY; or other qualified host laboratories across the United States through the Activate Anywhere Community
- Intensive entrepreneurial training, mentorship, and networking
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must be:
- Holding a bachelor’s degree and 4+ years post-baccalaureate scientific research, engineering, or technology development experience;
- Leading the commercial development of a hardware-based technology innovation for the first time if awarded the fellowship i.e., not a repeat hard tech founder;
- Committed full-time to the proposed project or company if awarded the fellowship;
- Legally able to work in the U.S. for the duration of the fellowship;
- Able to communicate proficiently in English.
Also, your proposed project or company must be:
- Based in the physical or biological sciences or related engineering disciplines;
- In development and not yet ready for full-scale product sales at the time of the application deadline; and
- Must not have raised more than $2M in debt or equity funding from non-governmental sources at the time of the application deadline.
Nominate a Fellow!
Know someone who would be a great fit for the Activate Fellowship? Nominate them.
How to Apply
- The application will ask for information about yourself, your project, and your vision for the future.
- Candidates who pass an initial internal and external review will be invited to participate in a video interview, and finalists will present a short pitch to subject matter experts and members of the Activate community.
- Each community accepts about ten new Fellows per year.
Application Deadline
Applications will close on October 30, 2024.
Not ready to apply this year? Bookmark the Activate Fellowship to your ProFellow account.
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