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Experiencing Climate Solutions in New York City
After living through the hottest summer on record, leaders from across sectors and the world will gather at Climate Week NYC from September 17–24 to accelerate climate action. Activate is hosting or sponsoring a series of thought-leadership-driven gatherings during the week, including a showcase of Activate Fellow technologies followed by a fireside chat between Evelyn Wang, Director of ARPA-E, and climate journalist and former Marketplace Tech host Molly Wood.
One Activate Fellow’s Journey From Scientist to Founder to Venture Capitalist
Josué López (Cohort 2020) is modeling a new kind of success story as the first Activate Fellow alum to become a venture capitalist. An MIT-trained electrical engineer and nanoscientist, López founded Kyber Photonics, a chip-scale semiconductor company building sensors for autonomy, which he led for two-and-a-half years. Now he’s enriching the innovation ecosystem in a new way, bringing his experience as a technologist, science entrepreneur, and diversity and equity leader to venture capital.
Meet Dan Recht, Activate Boston’s New Managing Director
We are excited to welcome Dan Recht as managing director of the Activate Boston Community, where he will use his technical and business expertise to mentor fellows.
How to Really Invest in Founders’ Success
The Journey to Well-Being: A series on mental health and the unique demands of entrepreneurship
Paramedics. Social workers. Soldiers. Those are the kinds of roles you might associate with workplace trauma. But as we’ve explored in parts one and two in this “Journey to Well-being” series, being a founder comes with a significant emotional weight that should not be ignored.
Meet the 46 New Activate Fellows Whose Innovations Can Decarbonize Industries and Build a Cleaner, Safer Society
Following a record number of applications, we are thrilled to introduce Activate Cohort 2023, the largest cohort in our almost 10-year history.
Grief & Anxiety About Climate Change–Renée Lertzman Offers Help
Climate change is impacting more than weather, biodiversity, and travel. It’s impacting our humanity.
How Three Co-Founders' Intimate Experiences with Suicide Shape the Cultural DNA of Their Deep Tech Company
The co-founders of SoloPulse Corp share one very dark and formative experience—they have endured the painful loss of a family member or loved one to suicide. As the team observes Mental Health Awareness Month, co-founder and COO Victoria Rische reflects on how the company’s leaders use these tragic scars to shape the culture of the company through three fundamental cultural values: compassion, open dialogue, and support.
Four Crucial Reframes for Fundraising in Deep Tech
The pathway for deep-tech founders is different. Here’s what they should consider when raising capital—straight from experts in VC and climate tech.
Activate Anywhere is Nurturing Talent Across the U.S.
Activate Anywhere is disrupting innovation with its distributed model—and building a strong community of innovators across the United States.
States Step up to Fund Innovation and the Transition to a Sustainable Future
In pursuing our mission of empowering brilliant minds to solve some of the biggest challenges in our collective history, Activate works with various entities, including the U.S. government, private funders, philanthropies, and state governments to achieve these goals. We are proud and grateful to note that all of our geographic communities in Berkeley, Boston, and New York (not including our recently announced Houston location) now receive support from state governments that provide funding for scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs at the local level to drive climate-tech innovation.
Mentoring from the World's Most Powerful Women at the Forbes 30/50 Summit
Kezi Cheng (Cohort 2021, FLO Materials) and Yajing Zhao (Cohort 2022, Mesophase) attended the Forbes 30/50 Summit in Abu Dhabi, a one-of-a-kind event bringing together legendary women icons and Forbes 30 Under 30 and 50 Over 50 “listers” for cross-generational mentorship. Find out what advice the world’s most powerful women had for the next generation of innovators.
The Practice of Self-Care
The Journey to Well-Being: A series on mental health and the unique demands of entrepreneurship
Many successful entrepreneurs are creative thinkers who can maintain intense, seemingly inexhaustible focus on their mission. They are willing to operate without assurances—and in fact seem to thrive despite uncertainty. But the traits that make these entrepreneurs extraordinary can also make them vulnerable.
Women in Science Entrepreneurship, “Follow your passion and find the support you need to succeed”
The struggles of women in science are particularly acute for those who wish to pursue entrepreneurship, as they often face additional obstacles in launching and growing successful ventures. Despite these difficulties, women are increasingly breaking through barriers to make significant contributions to their fields, and inspiring future generations of women to do the same. We asked some Activate Fellows about their inspiring personal stories.
Activate Celebrates Its New Community With New Friends and Old at the ARPA-E Innovation Summit
After a day of presentations at the ARPA-E Innovation Summit on topics including grid storage and federal policy for energy startups, along with a collection of tech demos, Activate welcomed approximately 120 old and new friends to a local pub for a reception, our Houston expansion announcement, and a panel talk, followed by two hours of networking, food, and conversation.