From zero to one.

Today’s innovation ecosystem does not adequately support scientists in creating transformative products.

The US government spends $70B every year on research, with the lion’s share going to universities and national labs, while private investors put upwards of $130B toward scaling early businesses.

Activate works between government and the private sector, transforming scientists into high-impact entrepreneurs through a fellowship experience that guides them along every step of the journey.

In doing so, we are often the difference between our fellows having a real shot at scaling their idea or not getting started at all. We help them go from zero to one.

Breakthrough Scientists

We find those promising individuals whose research has the potential to transform the world’s physical infrastructure and industries and who are driven to bring that research to market. Through our two-year fellowship, they develop as leaders, mature their ideas, and learn what it takes to build a viable, scalable business. With our support, nearly all of them achieve first financing and product milestones to set them on that path.

More than 2,500 scientists from all over the world have applied for the Activate Fellowship since 2015. Our Cohort 2023 pipeline included applicants from 33 countries and 45 U.S. states.

From this pool, we have selected and supported 188 Activate Fellows to date, representing a 7.24 percent acceptance rate.

The strength of our pipeline validates the demand for support at this critical early stage of the science-to-product journey. It defines our ability to improve the world, both through the products our fellows envision and through our efforts to empower a diverse community of future technology leaders.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We are committed to making the Activate Fellowship more representative of our nation’s race and gender diversity. Every year we set diversity goals to focus our outreach to candidates from underrepresented backgrounds. In our applicant pool for Cohort 2023, we were proud to meet or exceed many of our goals.

53% 

OF 2023 APPLICANTS

were BIPOC founders, 7.3% more than 2022 applicants.

21%

OF 2023 APPLICANTS

were women founders, a 19.5% increase over 2022 applicants.

7.8%

OF 2023 APPLICANTS

were Black or African American founders, a 59.1% increase from 2022 applicants.

The final representation of the Cohort 2023 Activate Fellows is our most racially and gender diverse cohort to date. However, our failure to meet all of our goals in recruiting Cohort 2023 applicants from underrepresented and historically excluded communities reinforce our need to continue cultivating a more just and equitable pipeline.

A note on our metrics:

Demographic information was provided by applicants who had the opportunity to opt out. Metrics were derived from a total of 832 applicants. Applicants could select multiple choices from the following race/ethnicity options.

BIPOC Applicants:

• Includes: Asian, Black, African American, Latino/Latina/Latinx, Hispanic, Middle Eastern/North African, Multiracial, Other, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, American Indian or Native American and those with Two or More Races

• Does not include: White or Caucasian as only race, Prefer not to self-identify

Value Generated

We help Activate Fellows launch U.S.-based companies and raise their first funding. We believe this is the ultimate indicator of the zero-to-one transformation we hope to achieve during the Activate Fellowship.

Our fellows begin their journey with an academic concept and limited entrepreneurial experience. With our support, nearly all of them achieve their first financing from some of the leading funders across government and the private sector. Crucially, this first funding gives our fellows the opportunity to bring a product to market that would not otherwise exist.

Jobs Created

1.9K

U.S. JOBS CREATED

by Activate Fellow companies

Activate cohort companies have created thousands of U.S.-based high-tech jobs. Activate Fellows and alumni are currently hiring for hundreds of positions across the country.