Ignite Breakthroughs That Change the World
Your support turns ideas into impact.
Join Us in Powering Science for Impact
Real Change Takes a Network
By funding Activate, you’re not just supporting a fellowship—you’re enabling the transformation of bold scientific ideas into real-world solutions.
Your contributions empower scientists and engineers to overcome the barriers of early-stage innovation and bring their technologies to market, where they can create lasting impact.
.svg)
Turn Breakthroughs into Real-World Solutions
Your funding helps transform cutting-edge research into impactful technologies that solve critical challenges and drive progress.
Accelerate Innovation
Fellows receive the time, funding, mentorship, and resources they need to de-risk their ventures.
Lasting Impact
Support innovations that address critical issues like energy, infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing.
Maximize Returns
For every dollar spent supporting Activate Fellows, they’ve raised 50 times that amount in follow-on funding.
Visionary Leaders
Help scientists and engineers build impactful companies while retaining control of their innovations.
Economic Growth
Activate Fellows have created over 3,000 jobs and launched companies that are reshaping industries.
Expand Access
Empower Activate to extend support beyond the fellowship, guiding science entrepreneurs through every stage of their journey.
Every dollar drives impact
Activate ensures that the majority of funding directly supports our fellows and their groundbreaking work. From stipends and R&D resources to world-class mentorship and entrepreneurial training, your contributions fuel the journey from lab to market.
- 76.8% of funding goes directly to programming, empowering science entrepreneurs to tackle critical challenges.
- 20.8% supports essential operations, ensuring Activate’s long-term sustainability and growth.
- 2.4% is dedicated to fundraising, helping us expand our network of supporters and amplify our impact.
Your support is an investment in innovation, creating a ripple effect of progress across industries and communities.
Real Impact: Jiye Son’s Journey
Revolutionizing Nail Care for Health and Sustainability
Jiye Son, a 2024 Activate Fellow, founded Anew Material to tackle the toxic chemicals in nail polish that harm both workers and consumers. Drawing from her PhD in Materials Chemistry, Jiye developed a plant-based, biodegradable polymer to replace harmful petrochemical coatings, eliminating toxic fumes and microplastics.
How Activate Helped:
- Provided funding and resources to advance her innovation.
- Connected her with mentors, customers, and partners.
- Empowered her with the confidence to grow as a solo founder.
Jiye’s work has the potential to improve the lives of 400,000 U.S. nail salon workers and countless consumers, while paving the way for sustainable coatings in other industries.
50x
return on investment
96%
of Activate companies still active
$5M
average of follow-on funding/company
