Activate

What Activate does

Activate (legally Activate Global, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2015 and headquartered in Berkeley, California, that runs the first fellowship program dedicated to entrepreneurial scientists and engineers. Its flagship two-year Activate Fellowship provides selected founders with more than $300,000 in support over two years (comprising a $100,000/year living stipend, $100,000 in R&D funding, and $12,000/year in travel and professional development), plus health insurance and relocation, in exchange for zero equity and no IP rights over Fellows' companies. The program is delivered through five U.S. fellowship communities (Berkeley, Boston, Houston, New York, and the virtual Activate Anywhere) and has expanded internationally with the Singapore Fellowship (launched October 2025 with NTU Singapore) and the BRIDGE Japan Program (launched May 2026 with UTokyo IPC). Activate also runs shorter BRIDGE pre-incorporation programs in Louisiana and Japan, and publishes free open resources including the Techonomics framework, the Simple Partnership Agreement (SiPA) co-developed with DLA Piper, the Science Innovator's Handbook, and Tough Tech Fundamentals co-developed with The Engine.

The organization's core 'technology' is its fellowship methodology: a structured combination of non-dilutive funding, leadership development curriculum, technoeconomic framing tools, 1:1 mentorship from Managing Directors, cohort community, and a network spanning scientists, investors, and corporate partners across 16 hard-tech verticals including energy, carbontech, semiconductors, advanced materials, biotech, and quantum computing. The program is grounded in Activate's six hard-tech outcomes theory of change and reaches pre-company researchers through BRIDGE programs. As of early 2026, Activate has supported 294 Fellows who have collectively raised $5.5 billion in follow-on funding, created 3,000 jobs, and produced the first Fellow-led IPO (Fervo Energy / FRVO at a $10B+ valuation in May 2026), with a reported 96% company survival rate and approximately 50x return on Activate's program spend.

Activate operates a diversified funding model combining federal and state government grants (NSF, DOE, NYSERDA, California Energy Commission, DARPA, NIST CHIPS, MassCEC, NENY), philanthropic gifts (Gates Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Woka Foundation, Three Cairns Group, Gerstner Family Foundation, Oceankind, and others), and corporate/program partnerships (DLA Piper, MUFG, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, The Engine, NTU Singapore, UTokyo IPC, Hakuhodo). The organization reinvests 78.88% of funding directly into programming, with 17.15% to operations and 3.15% to fundraising. In November 2025, Activate joined the India Deep Tech Alliance (IDTA) as Activate AI, with an associated $75M AI-focused fund that has invested in ElevenLabs and Sarvam AI, signaling the organization's emergence as a programmatic venture actor in addition to its fellowship operator role.

Name

Activate

Legal name

Activate Global, Inc.

Website

https://activate.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Activate is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs the first fellowship for entrepreneurial scientists, providing zero-equity funding (~$300K over two years), mentorship, and a national community to help researchers launch hard-tech ventures across five U.S. hubs plus Singapore and Japan programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants & Awards: Activate receives funding from government agencies including the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), California Energy Commission, NYSERDA, NIST CHIPS Research and Development Office, DARPA, MassCEC, and NENY. Government funding supports fellowships, BRIDGE programs, and operational infrastructure.
2. Philanthropic Donations: Activate receives philanthropic gifts from foundations including the Gates Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Woka Foundation, Three Cairns Group, Oceankind, Gerstner Family Foundation, Millbor Foundation, Bernard & Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust, The Moses Feldman Family Foundation, Younger Family Fund, and Hindawi Foundation.
3. Corporate & Program Partnerships: Activate partners with corporations and program partners (DLA Piper, MUFG, TechEnergy Ventures, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) for funding, in-kind services, technical expertise, and operational resources.
4. Fellowship Zero-Equity Model: Activate does NOT charge fees or take equity from fellows or their companies. Activate is structured as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (Activate Global, Inc.) that reinvests all program support into the fellowship and global programs. Per the Get Involved page: 78.88% of funding goes to programming, 17.15% to operations, 3.15% to fundraising, 0.82% to global programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Core offering

Activate runs the first fellowship program dedicated to entrepreneurial scientists and engineers, providing a two-year, zero-equity package of more than $300K (living stipend, R&D funding, travel/PD) plus leadership training, mentorship, and cohort community. It delivers this through five U.S. fellowship communities (Berkeley, Boston, Houston, New York, Anywhere) and extends its model internationally via the Singapore Fellowship, BRIDGE Japan, Louisiana BRIDGE, and Innovation Labs partnerships with governments and institutions.

Product overview

Activate is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs and resources that support hard tech entrepreneurship from lab to market. Its flagship offering is The Activate Fellowship, a two-year U.S. fellowship program that provides funding, mentorship, and community to scientists and engineers, delivered through five fellowship communities: Activate Berkeley (operated in partnership with Cyclotron Road at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), Activate Boston, Activate Houston, Activate New York, and the virtual Activate Anywhere. Activate's Global Programs extend its model internationally through the Activate Global Singapore Fellowship, the BRIDGE Japan Program, and the BRIDGE Louisiana Program. Complementary free resources include Tough Tech Fundamentals (developed with The Engine), the Simple Partnership Agreement (SiPA), Techonomics, and the Science Innovator's Handbook, alongside customizable Entrepreneurial Training Workshops, all of which together form a comprehensive ecosystem for supporting science entrepreneurs at every stage of the founder journey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Activate BRIDGE: Bolstering Resources for Innovators from Developing and Growing Ecosystems — a nine-month learning experience helping research scientists and engineers translate research into real-world solutions, delivered in Japan, Louisiana, and other regional BRIDGE programs.
• Activate Fellows

Products and services

• The Activate Fellowship A two-year U.S. fellowship program that transforms scientists and engineers into founders, providing more than $300K over two years ($100K/yr living stipend + $100K R&D + $12K travel/PD), zero equity taken, with leadership training, mentorship, and access to a national network of peers, alumni, and advisors.
• Activate Berkeley Community Bay Area fellowship community operated in partnership with Cyclotron Road (a DOE Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, providing access to world-class research facilities including the Molecular Foundry, Flex Lab, and Advanced Bioprocessing and Development Unit (ABPDU), plus proximity to UC Berkeley and the Bay Area innovation hub.
• Activate Boston Community Boston fellowship community located in Kendall Square, Cambridge, with formal partnerships with The Engine and Greentown Labs providing memberships and event access, plus CIC coworking memberships. Supports bio, climate, agriculture, and microelectronics technologies.
• Activate Houston Community Houston fellowship community offering office and lab space at Greentown Labs, supporting chemicals, materials, and energy technologies, with strong ties to local Fortune 100/500 energy companies.
• Activate New York Community New York fellowship community with office space in Manhattan plus two free years of basic membership at Newlab in Brooklyn. Collaborates with NYSERDA, Columbia University, CUNY, NYU, Newlab, NYEDC, and NENY; primarily seeks fellows developing carbontech solutions.
• Activate Anywhere Community Virtual fellowship community that allows fellows to build their companies from anywhere in the U.S., with quarterly in-person meetings and access to the national Activate network, mentorship, and resources. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
• Activate Global Singapore Fellowship S$12 million fellowship program launched in partnership with NTU Singapore and Singapore government agencies to support early-stage science and tech entrepreneurs in Singapore, focusing on deep tech areas such as AI, biotechnology, and robotics through mentorship, funding, and U.S. market immersion.
• BRIDGE Japan Program A nine-month learning experience for Japanese research scientists and engineers, helping them explore the path from lab to real-world impact before incorporation. Built on Activate's BRIDGE model and delivered as part of Japan's Global Campus Startup initiative with two in-person Tokyo workshops and a U.S. immersion trip.
• Louisiana Science Innovator BRIDGE Program A scalable learning experience in partnership with FUEL Louisiana, helping scientists across Louisiana explore entrepreneurship and commercialization in the carbontech economy. Built on Activate's curriculum covering entrepreneurial mindsets, technoeconomic framing, fundraising readiness, and strategic relationships.
• Tough Tech Fundamentals A free resource library built in partnership with Activate and The Engine, delivering practical frameworks, expert insights, and essential tools to smooth the transition from lab to hard tech entrepreneur. Designed for scientists, engineers, and anyone curious about the entrepreneurial path.
• Simple Partnership Agreement (SiPA) A free, open-source resource that simplifies the process of forming partnerships between startups and corporates. Designed with partners at DLA Piper and funded by a grant from the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
• Techonomics Framework A free resource providing actionable frameworks and insights to help innovators evaluate costs, identify market opportunities, and navigate the path to commercialization through technoeconomic modeling. Developed by Activate with consultant Chris Burk and Activate's founding CEO Ilan Gur, based on a course taught at Activate from 2015-2019.
• Science Innovator's Handbook A handbook created by Activate's founding team with support from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, distilling key lessons from Activate Fellows and entrepreneurial experts to guide Ph.D.-level scientists and engineers in turning research into impactful ventures.
• Entrepreneurial Training Workshops Short, immersive programs designed to spark commercialization and build entrepreneurial thinking. Workshops are fully customizable to an organization's goals and ecosystem needs, making them ideal for catalyzing deep tech innovation and creating immediate momentum within communities.
• Activate Jobs Board A job board platform showcasing open roles at Activate and its Fellow companies (69 cohort companies hiring for 170+ open positions as of May 2026).

Quantifiable outcome

• $5.5 billion in follow-on funding raised by Activate Fellows (as of 2026)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and flagship.

• Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2025NTU Singapore and Activate launched a S$12 million fellowship program in 2025 to support early-stage science and tech entrepreneurs in Singapore, focusing on deep tech areas such as AI, biotechnology, and robotics. Supported by Singaporean government agencies. Applications opened November 2025.
• DLA PipermajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGlobal law firm that co-developed the Simple Partnership Agreement (SiPA) with Activate, providing legal frameworks to ease friction in early-stage startup-corporate collaborations.
• MUFGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner providing operational and financial resources to support Activate Fellows.
• TechEnergy VenturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner supporting Activate's energy-focused fellowship work.
• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding collaboration through Cyclotron Road, a DOE Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program. Activate Berkeley is in partnership with Cyclotron Road at LBNL, with shared application process, access to Molecular Foundry, Flex Lab, Advanced Bioprocessing and Development Unit, and proximity to UC Berkeley talent.
• The Engine (Engine.xyz)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic alliance announced December 2024 to support Tough Tech entrepreneurs. Co-developed the 'Tough Tech Fundamentals' resource library available free to science entrepreneurs. The Engine is also a Boston-area Activate partner providing fellows memberships and event access.
• UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. (UTokyo IPC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-delivers the Activate BRIDGE Japan Program with Activate, Japan's Bureau of Science, Technology and Innovation, and Hakuhodo, as part of Japan's Global Campus Startup (GSC) initiative.
• Hakuhodo Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal integrated marketing and innovation agency co-delivering the Activate BRIDGE Japan Program alongside UTokyo IPC and Japan's Bureau of Science Technology & Innovation.
• Imperial College LondonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducts the LAUNCH UK program in partnership with Activate, building execution capabilities in climate tech and physical AI/robotics for global market expansion. Part of the GATS initiative.
• FUEL LouisianamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActivate partnered with FUEL Louisiana to launch the Louisiana Science Innovator BRIDGE program, connecting the state's research talent to the carbontech economy. FUEL has disbursed over $8.5M to transformative initiatives, established 26 industry-academic-workforce partnerships, and supported nearly 30 Louisiana-based energy startups.
• Greentown LabsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActivate Houston fellows have office and lab space at Greentown Labs, a leading incubator for climate and energy startups. Also a Boston-area Activate partner providing memberships and event access.
• CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActivate Boston fellows receive memberships to CIC, a coworking space in Kendall Square, Cambridge that fosters collaboration and innovation.
• NewlabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActivate New York fellows receive two free years of basic membership at Newlab in Brooklyn as part of the partnership.
• Columbia UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActivate New York collaborates with NYSERDA and Columbia University to provide fellows with access to cutting-edge resources, training, and a global network.
• ARPA-EminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActivate collaborated with ARPA-E to host a two-day workshop at New York Climate Week focused on advancing geologic hydrogen technology, connecting researchers with industry, investors, policymakers, and community stakeholders.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Global accelerator network with multiple sector programs; comparable to Activate in operating mentor-driven cohort programs across geographies, but takes equity and is not focused on hard-tech science founders.
• Y Combinator: The largest global startup accelerator; comparable to Activate as a community-led fellowship/accelerator offering mentorship and a founder network, though YC is a for-profit fund taking equity and spans software-first rather than hard-tech science founders.
• SOSV (HAX / IndieBio): Multi-program global accelerator (HAX for hardware, IndieBio for biotech); comparable to Activate as a for-profit deep-tech accelerator with structured cohort programs and significant follow-on capital, though SOSV takes equity.

Emerging players

• Antler: Global early-stage VC and founder fellowship with programs across six continents; comparable as a fellowship-style entry point for technical founders, but Antler deploys capital and takes equity unlike Activate.

Direct peers

• The Engine: Tough-tech investment platform and Activate's strategic partner (co-developer of Tough Tech Fundamentals); directly comparable as a hard-tech venture builder serving MIT-region science founders, with overlap in Boston-area Activate Fellows.
• Greentown Labs: Largest climatetech startup incubator in North America; directly comparable as a hard-tech/cleantech community providing office and lab space (hosts Activate Houston Fellows), mentorship, and a corporate partner network.
• Mass Challenge: Global nonprofit accelerator serving early-stage startups; comparable to Activate as a zero/low-equity cohort program with mentor networks and government/philanthropic backing, though Activate is hard-tech focused.
• Cyclotron Road (LBNL): DOE Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program (LEEP) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, co-founded alongside Activate in 2015; comparable as a hard-tech fellowship program with shared application and Activate Berkeley integration.
• Breakthrough Energy Fellows: Bill Gates–backed fellowship and venture program for climate-technology innovators; comparable to Activate as a philanthropically-funded hard-tech fellowship serving scientist-founders, with overlap in mission and funder ecosystem.

Regional players

• European Innovation Council (EIC): EU program funding deep-tech and hard-tech scaleups via blended grant/equity; comparable to Activate as a publicly-funded deep-tech founder support program, but operates regionally in Europe rather than competing in US/Singapore/Japan.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/activateorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments17 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Activate