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Fellowship · United States

Activate Fellowship

A two-year, equity-free fellowship for first-time hard tech founders in the US. Each fellow gets a US$100k living stipend a year, and each project gets US$100k in R&D support.

Open · closes 30 Oct 2026 Run by Activate

Apply on the programme's site Programme website

Verified 18 October 2026 · From the programme's own pages

Terms

Funding
US$100,000 US$100k in R&D support per project, plus a US$100k living stipend per fellow each year
Instrument
Grant
Equity taken
None (equity-free)
Programme fee
No fee Activate charges no fees and takes no equity
Duration
not published
Cohort size
not published
Cohorts
not published
Delivery
Hybrid
Stages
Idea, pre-seed
Sectors
Deep tech
Open to founders from
United States
Perks
not published

Two-year fellowship. Fellows join one of five communities: Anywhere (virtual, for US-based fellows at least 70 miles from a hub), Berkeley, Boston, Houston or New York.

Application dates

Open · closes 30 Oct 2026U.S. Fellowship Cohort 2027

Usual timing: The fellowship begins on 1 July each year.

Who can apply

  • First-time hard tech founders with a bachelor's degree and 4+ years of post-baccalaureate research or engineering experience
  • Fellows work full time on the project and can work legally in the US for the whole fellowship
  • Projects in the physical or biological sciences or engineering, not yet ready for full-scale sales
  • No more than US$2M raised from non-governmental debt or equity
  • Stage: idea, pre-seed

What founders should check

  1. The programme says it takes no equity. Still read the agreement for warrants, revenue shares or rights in a later round.
  2. It charges no programme fee.
  3. It mixes remote and in-person sessions. Ask how much time on site it expects.
  4. Applications are open until 30 October 2026. That is less than a month away, so start the form now.

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