Activate Fellowship (incl. Cyclotron Road)
Climate & Energy · Run by Activate (nonprofit; Cyclotron Road partnered with Berkeley Lab) · Berkeley, CA
Every field is checked against a primary source where we can. How we verify.
The facts
All fields verified Aug 26, 2026- Terms model
- Non-dilutiveGives money that does not take equity: grants, prizes, or credits. Your ownership is untouched.
- Investment
- more than $300,000 over two years (living stipend, R&D, and expenses); $100,000 research funding per project
- Equity taken
- Not publishedTwo-year fellowship funding founders full-time; no equity and no fees (confirmed on FAQ). Fellowship page states 'More than $300K over two years to provide an annual living stipend, R&D, and other common living expenses'; FAQ separately states $100,000 in research funding per project. Exact annual stipend amount still not published. Communities: Berkeley, Boston, New York, Houston, Anywhere; relocation required except for Anywhere. Cohort 2027 applications open September 15, 2026; close date not yet posted.
- Program length
- 104 weeks
- Format
- Hybrid
- Location
- Berkeley, CA
- Cohorts per year
- 1
- Cohort size
- ~50 fellows (Cohort 2026)
- Stage focus
- pre-seed science founders (<$2M raised)
- Sub-vertical
- hard tech: energy, carbon capture, materials, sustainable infrastructure (16 verticals)
- Demographic focus
- Not published
- Backers
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Cyclotron Road), DOE, philanthropic funders
- Notable alumni
- Twelve, Lilac Solutions
Terms notes: Two-year fellowship funding founders full-time; no equity and no fees (confirmed on FAQ). Fellowship page states 'More than $300K over two years to provide an annual living stipend, R&D, and other common living expenses'; FAQ separately states $100,000 in research funding per project. Exact annual stipend amount still not published. Communities: Berkeley, Boston, New York, Houston, Anywhere; relocation required except for Anywhere. Cohort 2027 applications open September 15, 2026; close date not yet posted.
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Terms in plain English
Activate is a two-year fellowship that pays science founders to work on their companies full time, for zero equity and zero fees. Activate states fellows receive more than $300,000 over two years covering an annual living stipend, R&D, and common living expenses, and that it provides $100,000 in research funding to each project; the exact annual stipend amount is not published. Fellows must commit full time, and every community except Activate Anywhere requires relocation to its city (Berkeley, Boston, New York, or Houston), with a relocation stipend available if you move more than 70 miles.
Who this is actually for
First-time hard-tech founders with a bachelor's degree plus at least four years of post-baccalaureate research, engineering, or technology development experience, whose project has raised less than $2M in non-governmental funding at the application deadline. It fits scientists and engineers ready to leave a job or lab and lead commercialization full time, in one of the four host cities or through Activate Anywhere.
Activate Fellowship (incl. Cyclotron Road) application deadlines
Cohort 2027: Confirmed window, exact date pending.
Verified Jul 22, 2026Source
Frequently asked questions
- When is the next Activate Fellowship (incl. Cyclotron Road) application deadline?
- No upcoming application window is published for Activate Fellowship (incl. Cyclotron Road). We last verified this on Aug 26, 2026.
- How much does Activate Fellowship (incl. Cyclotron Road) invest?
- Activate Fellowship (incl. Cyclotron Road) lists an investment of more than $300,000 over two years (living stipend, R&D, and expenses); $100,000 research funding per project.
- How much equity does Activate Fellowship (incl. Cyclotron Road) take?
- Activate Fellowship (incl. Cyclotron Road) does not publish the equity it takes, so we record it as not published.
- Where is Activate Fellowship (incl. Cyclotron Road) located and is it in person?
- Activate Fellowship (incl. Cyclotron Road) is based in Berkeley, CA and runs a hybrid program.
- Is Activate Fellowship (incl. Cyclotron Road) still active?
- As of our last check on Aug 26, 2026, Activate Fellowship (incl. Cyclotron Road) is active.
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Sources
Everything above was checked against these, verified Aug 26, 2026.