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Fellowship Communities at Activate

A closer look at how each community powers hard tech for good.

Our Communities

What all our Communities offer

Discover What Makes Each Community Unique

Activate Anywhere

Flexibility Without Relocation

  • Fellows can build their companies from anywhere in the U.S., making this community ideal for those outside traditional innovation hubs.
  • Quarterly in-person trips to Activate locations (New York, Boston, Berkeley, and Houston) provide opportunities to connect with local fellows, tour labs, and engage in peer learning.

National Community and Support

  • Fellows gain access to a diverse network of founders, mentors, and advisors across the country, fostering collaboration and shared learning.
  • The program emphasizes peer-to-peer advice, shared contacts, and a collaborative spirit, creating a strong sense of community even in a virtual-first model.

Empowering Underserved Regions

  • Designed to support talent and innovation from areas without strong entrepreneurial ecosystems, Activate Anywhere helps bridge the gap for scientists and engineers in less-resourced regions.

 

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Andrés Ochoa

Managing Director, Anywhere

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Sahar Shamsi

Fellowship Manager, Anywhere

Now Hiring Square

Fellowship Associate, Anywhere

Activate Berkeley

In partnership with LEEP's Cyclotron Road program

 

Proximity to World-Class Research

  • Fellows benefit from access to Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and its cutting-edge facilities, including the Molecular Foundry, Flex Lab, and Advanced Bioprocessing and Development Unit (ABPDU).
  • The program leverages the scientific expertise and resources of one of the world’s leading research institutions.

UC Berkeley Ecosystem

  • Strong connections to UC Berkeley provide opportunities for talent recruitment, advisory board building, and safe lab setup.
  • Fellows can tap into the university’s extensive network of researchers, students, and industry partners.

Bay Area Innovation Hub

  • Located in a region with a dense cluster of industry leaders, startups, and investors, Berkeley offers unparalleled opportunities for collaboration and growth.
  • Historically rooted in microelectronics and bio-related technologies, the community supports a broad range of high-impact tech.

 

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Jill Fuss

Managing Director, Berkeley

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Abbey Thompson

Fellowship Manager, Berkeley

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Caroline Kushel

Sr. Fellowship Associate, Berkeley

Activate Boston

Location and Ecosystem

  • The Boston Fellowship is located in Kendall Square, Cambridge, a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.
  • Fellows benefit from proximity to world-class universities like MIT and Harvard, as well as a dense network of startups, incubators, and research institutions.
  • Boston offers a close-knit community feel despite being a major city, with easy access to outdoor spaces, the ocean, and cultural activities.

Partnerships and Resources

  • Formal partnerships with organizations like The Engine and Greentown Labs provide fellows with memberships, event access, and additional resources.
  • Fellows also receive memberships to CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center), a coworking space that fosters collaboration and innovation.

Diverse Technology Focus

  • While Boston was initially founded as a microelectronics hub in partnership with DARPA, it now supports a wide range of technologies, including bio, climate, agriculture, and microelectronics.
  • The fellowship is open to high-impact technologies across various fields, reflecting the diversity of Boston's innovation ecosystem.


 

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Dan Recht

Managing Director, Boston

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Emily Wilson

Fellowship Manager, Boston

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Lauren Morimoto

Fellowship Associate, Boston

Activate Houston

Energy and Industry Hub

  • Houston is home to many Fortune 100 and 500 companies, making it a prime location for solving large-scale industrial challenges.
  • The city boasts the largest concentration of engineers in the U.S., providing a rich talent pool for hard tech innovation.

Access to Greentown Labs

  • Fellows benefit from office and lab space at Greentown Labs, a leading incubator for climate and energy startups.
  • The Houston community is deeply connected to the city’s burgeoning hard tech ecosystem, with strong support from local industry leaders.

Broad Technology Scope

  • Houston’s community supports a wide range of technologies, including chemicals, materials, and energy, without technical limitations.
  • As the newest Activate community, Houston offers fellows the unique opportunity to shape and grow the city’s hard tech space.
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Jeremy Pitts

Managing Director, Houston

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Nernwon Kargou

Fellowship Manager, Houston

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Rosemary Hernandez

Fellowship Associate, Houston

Activate New York

NYC Ecosystem

  • Located in the heart of New York City, fellows have access to a vibrant startup scene, local investors, and industry leaders.
  • The community is well-connected to key players in the city’s innovation ecosystem, providing unique opportunities for growth and collaboration.

Dedicated Workspaces

  • Fellows have access to office space in Manhattan, complete with meeting rooms and phone booths, available five days a week.
  • Two free years of basic membership at Newlab in Brooklyn

Key Partnerships

  • Collaborations with organizations like NENY, NYSERDA and Con Edison provide additional resources and support for fellows.
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Etosha Cave

Interim Managing Director, New York

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Natasha Feshbach

Fellowship Manager, New York

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Hailey Faust

Fellowship Associate, New York

Our Ecosystems Team

Connecting Fellows to Opportunity

The Ecosystems Team plays a pivotal role in empowering Activate Fellows by building bridges to the resources they need to succeed. From facilitating connections with seasoned mentors and industry experts to introducing fellows to venture capitalists and strategic partners, the team ensures every fellow has access to a robust network of support. By fostering these critical relationships, the Ecosystems Team helps fellows navigate the complexities of hard tech commercialization, accelerate their growth, and maximize their impact.

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Kevin See

Head of Ecosystem

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Calvin Cupini

Investment Director

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Eva Greene

Investment Manager

Bridging science with entrepreneurship

Where hard tech is transformed into real world impact