The World Needs Scientists Now, More Than Ever

Our Fellows

What drives our work

We empower scientists to reinvent the world by bringing their research to market. We believe scientists are key to reinventing our economy to be sustainable, resilient, and equitable. But without the right support and resources, many of them never pursue entrepreneurship to bring their groundbreaking discoveries to market.

We support them at the outset of their entrepreneurial journey by providing personalized expertise, tools, and resources that may otherwise be inaccessible. By doing so, we are an engine for shared prosperity, creating an unprecedented community of technology leaders whose innovations are building a better future for all.

These scientists will change how we power our lives, how we make things, how our buildings work, how we move around the world, and how we use resources to nourish our society. Scientists deserve a fair shot at changing the world. And we give it to them.

Who we are

Founded in 2015, Activate Global Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that partners with U.S.-based funders and research institutions to support our fellows. Activate’s entrepreneurial fellowship model originated at Cyclotron Road, a program of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and founding Activate partner.

Today we support a growing network of Activate Fellows and alumni across the United States. We plan to expand to 100 new fellows each year, across the U.S.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging

Activate exists to create a better future, for all. In service of this purpose, we actively promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) across our business, including in our operations, our fellowship, our partnerships, and our brand. As part of this ongoing effort, we must:

  • Strive to create an inclusive environment that celebrates diversity and prioritizes psychological safety and well-being for our employees and fellows.

  • Recognize and openly acknowledge our own past and present complicities, challenges, and failures with respect to DEIB.

  • Embrace an attitude of continual learning and growth at an individual and organizational level.

  • Devote resources and time to expanding our DEIB awareness and strategy.

  • Proactively engage with our partners and the broader community to promote DEIB and elevate marginalized voices.

The world is hungry for both new technologies and a more just, equitable economy. As a champion of science innovation and a training ground for future science, technology, and business leaders, Activate can have an outsized impact on these interconnected goals.

Of 2023 applicants

included BIPOC co-founders, exceeding our target of 50 percent and a 7.3 percent increase over 2022.

Of 2023 applicant teams

included women as leads or co-founders, a 19.5 percent increase over 2022 applicants

Of 2023 applicants

who identify as Black or African American, a 59 percent increase over 2022.

Washington DC Activate Community

Thank you to our partners and sponsors

Through strategic partnerships and donations of time, money, equipment, or services, our partners and sponsors allow us to advance our mission while furthering our aligned strategic priorities.

Interested in partnering? We’d love to hear from you.