Deadline: October 28, 2025
The Activate Fellowship 2026 is now open for applications! This prestigious two-year program empowers scientists and engineers to transform cutting-edge research into market-ready innovations. Through world-class mentorship, funding, and network access, Activate equips early-stage innovators to reinvent industries with breakthrough “hard tech” solutions.
Activate Fellowship 2026 offers scientists and engineers the opportunity to develop their ideas without financial barriers — the program charges no fees and takes no equity in fellows’ companies. Its nonprofit mission focuses on helping you find the optimal path for your technology to reach the market.
Benefits of the Activate Fellowship 2026
- $100,000 in research funding per project or company to access laboratory space and technical resources.
- Comprehensive mentorship and business guidance from a network of scientists, engineers, investors, and industry partners.
- Community support among Activate’s fellows and alumni dedicated to hard-tech innovation.
Eligibility Criteria
Fellows’ Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Hold at least a bachelor’s degree and have 4+ years of post-baccalaureate experience in scientific research, engineering, or technology development.
- Be leading the commercial development of a hardware-based innovation for the first time.
- Commit full-time to the proposed project or company if selected.
- Be legally eligible to work in the U.S. for the duration of the fellowship.
- Demonstrate proficiency in English.
Project Eligibility
Projects must:
- Be based in the physical or biological sciences or a related engineering discipline.
- Be under development and not yet ready for full-scale product sales.
- Have raised less than $2 million in debt or equity funding from non-government sources at the time of application.
How to Apply
Interested candidates are encouraged to apply before the deadline.
Contact us for proposal drafting, refining, and review.
