Activate Fellowship Welcomes 62 New Innovators in Its Largest Cohort Ever
July 01 2024 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
Activate introduces a new cohort of early-stage
science entrepreneurs driving meaningful change toward a
sustainable and equitable society.
Activate, a nonprofit organization that helps scientists and
engineers launch startups to bring their innovations to market,
accepts its largest cohort to date, a record number of 62 new
fellows with 50 groundbreaking companies, into its fellowship
program. Chosen from a pool of 1,040 applicants, the Cohort 2024
Activate Fellows have been selected for their pioneering work
across a range of critical sectors, including energy,
transportation, manufacturing, agriculture, and national security.
Their innovations encompass a variety of cutting-edge technologies
aimed at reducing carbon emissions, enhancing energy-efficiency,
creating sustainable alternatives to conventional industrial
processes, and bolstering our country’s national security.
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Activate welcomes its 2024 cohort of
innovative scientists and engineers. (Photo: Business Wire)
Cohort 2024 also marks the launch of Activate’s fifth and newest
community of fellows in Houston, Texas. This community joins the
established in-residence communities in Berkeley, Boston, and New
York and its nationwide virtual program, Anywhere, which supports
innovators across 15 states. The new Activate Houston Community is
part of a rapidly expanding innovation ecosystem, enhancing the
region's leadership in energy, materials, life sciences, space, and
other sectors.
Cohort 2024 joins a community of 249 Activate Fellows and alumni
who have collectively raised more than $2.3B in follow-on funding
from public and private sources since Activate’s founding in 2015—a
nearly 38X leverage on every dollar spent to support
fellowships.
“People, not ideas alone, move the world forward. It is through
the drive and determination of brilliant scientists and engineers
that we are witnessing true progress,” says Activate CEO Cyrus
Wadia. “Our current Activate Fellows and alumni are already
pioneering innovative solutions that make a measurable difference.
We’re thrilled to support the next 62 visionaries who will lead the
charge in addressing our most urgent issues through groundbreaking
science and technology.”
Activate prioritizes the development of people as the catalyst
for change, adhering to the position that science entrepreneurship
is a key component in solving the world’s biggest challenges. These
science entrepreneurs journey through a two-year program that
empowers them to elaborate products and solutions that will address
the world’s most critical issues.
"At Activate, we believe diversity in science cultivates a rich
tapestry of perspectives that are crucial to solving society’s most
complex problems,” says Brenna Teigler, Activate’s Chief Fellowship
Officer. “We continue to prioritize diversity of people and ideas
in our fellowship cohorts. We saw an uptick in founders of color
since last year, jumping from 43 percent to 52 percent. This year,
24 percent of Cohort 2024 are women, and we are working toward
increasing the number of female science entrepreneurs in years to
come.”
Beyond technological innovation, the Activate Fellowship
emphasizes building a sustainable and equitable society. Fellows
receive comprehensive support, including funding, mentorship, and
access to Activate’s extensive network of industry leaders,
investors, and partners. This holistic approach ensures that
fellows can effectively scale their innovations and drive
meaningful change.
ABOUT ACTIVATE:
Founded in 2015, Activate empowers scientists to reinvent the
world by launching startups to address climate change and other
global challenges. Working between government, philanthropy,
universities, and the private sector, Activate transforms
scientists into high-impact entrepreneurs through the Activate
Fellowship, a two-year immersive experience that equips science
entrepreneurs with the skills, networks, infrastructure, and
funding they need to quickly and effectively bring their
groundbreaking research to market. Activate is a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit and does not charge any fee nor equity for fellows to
participate. Activate’s entrepreneurial fellowship model originated
at Cyclotron Road, founding Activate partner and the first U.S.
Department of Energy's Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program (LEEP)
started at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Activate supports
fellows in communities across the United States: Activate Berkeley,
Activate Boston, Activate New York, Activate Houston, and Activate
Anywhere. Learn more at Activate.org.
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
- For more information about Activate and details about how to
apply for the fellowship, visit Activate.org
- For media requests, contact: Chris Thomas, Activate VP,
Engagement and Strategic Communications,
chris.thomas@activate.org
- For occasional updates about Activate, sign up for our
newsletter
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Chris Thomas, chris.thomas@activate.org