Activate Updates: August 2025

Activate Updates

Aug 27

This summer, we are celebrating ten unbelievable years of growing our tight-knit community to a national scale, fellows rising to industry leadership, and putting people at the center of our work to change the world through hard tech.

This month, we expanded Activate programming beyond the fellowship: in partnership with The Engine, we launched a resource hub to help anyone who is hard-tech-curious take their first steps toward impact. And, next month, we’ll begin recruiting for Cohort 2026.

Read on for more!

Celebrating Ten Years of Supporting Hard-Tech Fellows

“Find awesome people and empower them to change the world.” This is what Activate’s co-founders set out to do ten years ago when they recognized that crucial talent was going untapped because of the lack of support for early-stage entrepreneurs in hard tech. Since then, Activate has supported 296 fellows—with 96 percent of fellow-led companies still active—and expanded to five communities across the United States. Looking back, Activate’s co-founders and community of fellows reflect on Activate’s first decade and how we stay true to our people-first mission.

Are You Hard-Tech-Curious? Introducing Tough Tech Fundamentals

In partnership with The Engine, we’re releasing something brand-new for scientist-innovators at the beginning of their journeys. Tough Tech Fundamentals is a practical guide offering tools, templates, and how-tos for the hard-tech-curious. We invite grad students, postdocs, and advisors to use and share this new tool so more and more scientists and engineers can get on the path to becoming high-impact entrepreneurs.

Explore

Navigating and Growing from Unexpected Pivots

Upon recently graduating from the Activate Fellowship, Gus Marquez (Cohort 2023) says the experience was nothing like what he originally expected. When the fellowship prompted him to dig deep into customer needs, he pivoted—and kept pivoting until he landed on his current venture in mining wastewater and critical minerals recovery. Ultimately, he says his non-linear journey helped him become a better entrepreneur.

Get Ready to Apply for Cohort 2026

Are you an emerging science entrepreneur, or do you know one? We’re looking for our next cohort of incredible Activate Fellows! Applications open on September 9. We’re hosting several recruitment events and virtual webinars throughout September and October to help you prepare your application. Attend “Application 101,” learn about specific communities, or get your questions answered live at a Q&A session.

Find Activate Fellows and Companies at NYCW 2025

New York Climate Week brings global leaders together to accelerate solutions, inspire action, and spotlight breakthrough innovations for a more sustainable future. For the fourth year in a row, Activate is a partner in multiple events throughout the week, highlighting the crucial role of deep-tech entrepreneurship in tackling the world’s most urgent challenges.

In Our Ecosystem

Upcoming events, relevant opportunities, and what we're reading.

Fellow News

Tyfast (GJ la O' & Haodong Liu, Cohort 2022) has been awarded a $100K
SuperBoost grant from the NSF Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York.

Brimstone (Cody Finke, Cohort 2019) signed a deal with Amazon to supply low-carbon cement from its forthcoming plant.
AeroShield Materials (Elise Strobach & Kyle Wilke, Cohort 2020) hosted Massachusetts officials to showcase its innovative thermal insulation technology.
Sublime Systems (Leah Ellis, Cohort 2020) partnered with STACK Infrastructure to pilot the first use of electrochemical low-carbon cement in data center construction.
Cypris Materials (Ryan Pearson & Matthew Ryan, Cohort 2019) completed the sale of its core structural color technology to a global coatings leader.
Oleo (Gabi Dweck & Kelly Redmond, Cohort 2024) was selected to work with International Airlines Group through its IAGi Accelerator program to demonstrate how its biomass-to-oil biomanufacturing platform can supply renewable feedstocks for HEFA-based sustainable aviation fuel.
Tensora (Rob Moak, Cohort 2022) was selected for Chevron Technology Ventures’ Catalyst Program, which supports early-stage companies transforming the energy landscape.
Elysia Creative Biology (Eli Hornstein, Cohort 2024) received an investment from Safar Partners.
Fervo Energy (Tim Latimer & Jack Norbeck, Cohort 2018) was featured in the Forbes article, “How Clean, Next-Gen Geothermal Could Power The World 140 Times Over.”
Applied Sciences CEO Sarah Placella (Cohort 2022) was named in USA Today’s “Leading Women Who Are Challenging The Status Quo in 2025.”
Standard Potential (Richard May & Andrew Wang, Cohort 2024) was featured in a CBS article on its Responsible Grid pilot using batteries to reduce power-grid stress.
Anthro Energy (David Mackanic, Cohort 2021) celebrated the grand opening of its new Alameda headquarters.
OsmoPure Technologies (Nadia Jorgenson, Cohort 2025) has been awarded the NSF SBIR Fast-Track.