Skip to content
Applications for Cohort 2026 are now open. Apply Here!

Fellowship Communities at Activate

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

Our Communities

What all our Communities offer

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.

See_Kevin_Staff

Kevin See

Head of Ecosystem

Cupini_Calvin_Staff

Calvin Cupini

Investment Director

Greene_Eva_Staff

Eva Greene

Investment Manager

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.

 

Now Hiring Square

Managing Director, Anywhere

sahar

Sahar Shamsi

Fellowship Manager, Anywhere

Now Hiring Square

Fellowship Associate, Anywhere

Activate Berkeley

In partnership with LEEP's Cyclotron Road program
 
Access to Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
  • With a shared application process, fellows apply to both Activate and the Cyclotron Road program, leveraging the scientific expertise and resources of one of the world’s leading research institutions.
  • Cyclotron Road program participants 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).
Proximity to World-Class Research
  • 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.
  • As Activate’s oldest community, Berkeley Fellows are able to tap into a robust alumni network at varying stages of company development.
  • Historically rooted in energy and microelectronics, the community supports a broad range of high-impact tech.

 

Fuss 3

Jill Fuss

Managing Director, Berkeley

Thompson 4

Abbey Thompson

Fellowship Manager, Berkeley

Kushel_Caroline_Staff

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.


 

Recht_Dan_Staff

Dan Recht

Managing Director, Boston

emily wilson

Emily Wilson

Fellowship Manager, Boston

lauren morimoto

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.
Pitts_Jeremy_Staff

Jeremy Pitts

Managing Director, Houston

Kargou_Nernwon_Staff

Nernwon Kargou

Fellowship Manager, Houston

rosemary hernandez

Rosemary Hernandez

Fellowship Associate, Houston

Activate New York

Greater NY 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 seven days a week.
  • Two free years of basic membership at Newlab in Brooklyn.

Key Partnerships

  • Collaborations with organizations like NENY, NYSERDA, CUNY, NYU, Newlab, NYEDC provide additional resources and support for fellows.
Etosha Cave at Web Summit

Etosha Cave

Interim Managing Director, New York

Feshbach_Natasha_Staff

Natasha Feshbach

Fellowship Manager, New York

Faust 2

Hailey Faust

Fellowship Associate, New York

Bridging science with entrepreneurship

Where hard tech is transformed into real world impact