Activate Fellowship (U.S. Cohort 2027)

The Activate Fellowship empowers scientists and engineers to transform hard-tech innovations into scalable businesses. Open to first-time hard-tech founders based in the physical or biological sciences or related engineering disciplines, the fellowship offers comprehensive financial and developmental support. Fellows receive a $100,000 yearly living stipend, $100,000 in R&D support, $12,000 annually for travel and professional development, health insurance stipends, and relocation allowances. Over the two-year program, participants benefit from bi-weekly community sessions, dedicated mentorship with a Managing Director, quarterly advisory meetings, and entrepreneurship education tailored for scientist-founders. Eligible applicants must hold a bachelor's degree with at least four years of post-baccalaureate scientific research, engineering, or technology development experience, commit full-time to their project, and be legally authorized to work in the United States. Projects must still be in development, cannot be purely healthcare-focused requiring traditional pharma or FDA pathways, and must not have raised more than $2M in non-governmental debt or equity.

Complete the application interest form on the Activate website to receive the application link. Applicants then submit a blinded one-page resume, community selection ranking, a 3-page technical vision document, and a 3-4 slide technical reality deck.