Deadline: November 20, 2025
The Halcyon EquityTech Fellowship 2026 is a global programme designed for founders who are developing technology-based ventures focused on education (EdTech) and the future of work. The fellowship supports ventures that drive social and financial inclusion by closing equity gaps in education, workforce access and accessibility.
Throughout the programme, fellows receive tailored training, resources, and immersive experiences to accelerate their venture’s growth and impact.
Programme Focus Areas
The Halcyon EquityTech Fellowship 2026 supports ventures within two primary domains:
- EdTech: Innovative solutions leveraging digital tools and technology to improve teaching and learning outcomes, enhance accessibility and educational access, and remove financial barriers to education. These span K-12, higher education, corporate training and lifelong learning.
- Future of Work: Technology or business-models that expand job market access for all communities, and enable individuals of all abilities to thrive in the workplace. This includes upskilling/reskilling platforms, workforce analytics, automation tools, collaboration platforms, and other innovations in work-tech.
Benefits
Selected ventures in the Halcyon EquityTech Fellowship 2026 receive a robust package of benefits, including:
- Equity-free stipend of USD $10,000 per venture.
- USD $10,000 in Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud credits to support technology infrastructure.
- Access to professional advisors, coaches and mentors in leadership, investment readiness and product-market fit.
- Workshops on key startup competencies: product-market fit, leadership, capital strategy, scaling.
- Immersion in a high-impact founder community: networking opportunities with investors, global peers, stakeholders.
- Inclusion in Halcyon’s global founder community of hundreds of entrepreneurs.
Programme Structure & Timeline
While full dates for the 2026 cohort will be confirmed on Halcyon’s website, the previous 2025 cycle gives a good indication and the structure may follow a similar pattern. For example:
- Eligibility application window (e.g., late 2025)
- Invitational application deadline (early 2026)
- Virtual kickoff session
- Residency Week #1: In-person in Washington, DC.
- Virtual sessions over subsequent months.
- Residency Week #2: In-person (previously Pittsburgh, PA).
The cohort typically comprises a small number of ventures (e.g., up to 8) selected globally to participate fully in the in-person and virtual programme.
Eligibility Criteria
The fellowship expects ventures and founders to meet the following:
- Global: Founders from around the world (including Nigeria and other African countries) may apply.
- Stage: The venture must have a working Minimum Viable Product (MVP) or equivalent, and be commercially validated (via pilot, LOI, early revenue, etc).
- Team & Founder: The applicant must act as CEO or primary decision-maker of the venture, up to one co-founder allowed. Fluent in English. Minimum 21 years old by programme start.
- Commitment: Must be able to fully engage in all residencies (in-person) and virtual sessions.
- Impact: The venture must contribute meaningfully to one or more of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Selection criteria: Applications evaluated on Impact, Scalability, Innovation and Talent of the team.
Why This Matters for You (Oluwole Omojofodun / GrantsDatabase)
As CEO & Head of Innovation at GrantsDatabase, based in Lagos, Nigeria, the Halcyon EquityTech Fellowship 2026 could be a very relevant opportunity:
- It is open globally.
- If your venture is focused on EdTech or workforce inclusion in Africa, this fellowship provides global exposure, resources and network to scale.
- The stipend and AWS credits could support technology build-out or cloud infrastructure needs for your venture.
- Participation in the residencies in the US will require travel, planning, and organisational readiness (visa, time away, operations in Lagos to continue).
- You’ll need to demonstrate a working MVP and evidence of early traction. If your venture is ready, this is a strategic fit.
Next Steps
Here’s a suggested roadmap to prepare a strong application for the Halcyon EquityTech Fellowship 2026:
- Assess fit – Does the venture have an MVP? Has it demonstrated pilot results, LOIs, or early revenue? Is it focused on education or the future of work, and aligned with closing equity gaps?
- Download/collect official details – Verify full eligibility, timeline, application link and supporting materials on Halcyon’s website.
- Set internal timeline – Mark deadlines for eligibility form, full application, pitch rounds, selection announcement. Allocate time for drafting, reviewing and refining your application narrative.
- Develop application materials – Create or refine:
- A strong executive summary of venture, impact, scalability and team.
- Pitch deck (typically 10-15 slides) emphasising technology, market, traction, team, business model, impact.
- Video (if permitted) introducing founder and venture.
- Clear articulation of how the venture aligns with one or more SDGs, and how your technology advances equity in education or work.
- Plan for logistics – If selected, you’ll need to attend in-person residencies in the US. Start considering visa application, travel budget, how your Lagos-based operations will be managed during your time away.
- Tailor your narrative for your region – As a Nigerian/African founder you can emphasise underserved communities, African markets, local relevance of your innovation, and how scaling globally can work from your base. That regional lens can strengthen the “impact + scalability” dimension of your application.
Final Thoughts
The Halcyon EquityTech Fellowship 2026 is a premier opportunity for founders leveraging technology to close equity gaps in education and workforce globally. If your venture is aligned and you meet the eligibility, it is well worth pursuing.
Contact us for proposal drafting, refining and review.
