The Halcyon EquityTech Fellowship is an innovative program designed to support early-stage social enterprises led by diverse founders who are addressing systemic inequities through technology. Launched by the Halcyon Foundation, which is known for its commitment to social entrepreneurship and impact-driven ventures, the EquityTech Fellowship aims to empower entrepreneurs who are creating solutions to bridge gaps in access, opportunity, and resources across various sectors.
One of the key features of the Halcyon EquityTech Fellowship is its comprehensive support structure, which includes a residency program, seed funding, and tailored mentorship. Fellows are provided with residential accommodations in Washington, D.C., where they can immerse themselves in an environment conducive to innovation and collaboration. This residency period allows fellows to focus intensively on developing their ventures while benefiting from a community of like-minded entrepreneurs and experts.
In addition to the residency, the fellowship offers seed funding to help entrepreneurs scale their initiatives and bring their technological solutions to market. This financial support is critical in the early stages of a social enterprise, enabling founders to invest in product development, market research, and other essential activities. The funding is complemented by access to a network of mentors and advisors who provide strategic guidance, industry insights, and professional connections.
The Halcyon EquityTech Fellowship also emphasizes capacity building through workshops, seminars, and training sessions that cover a wide range of topics relevant to social entrepreneurship. These educational components are designed to equip fellows with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the challenges of building and sustaining a tech-driven social enterprise. Topics may include business model development, impact measurement, fundraising strategies, and leadership development.
Another distinguishing aspect of the EquityTech Fellowship is its focus on fostering a diverse and inclusive cohort of entrepreneurs. The program actively seeks out founders from underrepresented backgrounds, recognizing that diverse perspectives are crucial for driving innovation and addressing complex social issues. By supporting entrepreneurs who have lived experiences of the challenges they aim to solve, the fellowship ensures that the solutions developed are both relevant and impactful.
This fellowship empowers entrepreneurs across the United States and the globe leveraging technology to increase social and financial inclusion and close equity gaps in wealth, education, and accessibility.The EquityTech Fellowship is run with support from Capital One, Deloitte, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Arnold & Porter.
Solutions leveraging technology to increase social and financial inclusion and closing equity gaps in wealth, education, and accessibility. Subsectors include but are not limited to:
- FinTech
- Future of Work
- Assistive Tech
- EdTech
Benefits
Each program includes specific benefits to fellows. Fellows accepted into this program will receive the following:
- A $10,000 USD per venture equity-free stipend to use toward travel expenses to attend the residencies
- Eight week residency at Halcyon’s facilities in Georgetown, Washington, DC
- Bespoke training on:
- Investment readiness
- Product-Market Fit
- Leadership
- Pro bono legal support
- Pro bono consulting services from Deloitte
- Leadership coaching from certified coach
- $10,000 USD in Amazon Cloud credits
- A community of over 500+ impact-driven entrepren
Requirements For The Halcyon EquityTech Fellowship
We’re looking for (for-profit) EquityTech ventures based anywhere in the world.
- Stage: Must have a Minimum Viable Product that has the potential to scale
- Team:
- May apply with up to one co-founder
- Applicant must be the CEO and/or hold primary decision-making power
- Must be fluent in English
- Must be at least 21 years of age by the start of the program
- Program Engagement: Must be able to participate in all activities and programming sessions
- Impact: Must be developing a product and venture which contributes towards one or more of the UN’s 17 SDGs
In addition to eligibility, Halcyon scores each application based on four criteria: Impact, Scalability, Innovation, and Talent.
Selection Process
Program is delivered through:
- One virtual program kickoff meeting
- An eight week in-person residency in Washington, DC
Selection Criteria
- Impact: To what extent will the solution, if scaled, have a meaningful impact on society and/or the environment?
- Scalability: Could this venture scale to reach hundreds of thousands or millions of users in a 5-10 year time horizon?
- Innovation: Is the solution a novel approach to tackling the issue in their context?
- Talent: Is the team uniquely qualified to tackle the challenges they’ve identified?
Timeline:
- May 31, 2024: Application closes
- July 2024: Finalists invited to virtual pitch with Selection Committee
- July 2024: Selected fellows will be notified
- September 6: Virtual program kickoff (tentative date)
- September 23 – November 15, 2024: In-person residency in Washington, DC
Method of Application
Visit The Official Website to Apply
Application Deadline: May 31, 2024.
For More Information,