Value proposition

A home for entrepreneurial scientists and engineers tackling the world's biggest challenges.

We empower scientists to reinvent the world by bringing their research to market.

Founded in 2015, Activate empowers scientists to reinvent the world by launching startups to address climate change and other global challenges. Working between government, philanthropy, universities, and the private sector, Activate transforms scientists into high-impact entrepreneurs through the Activate Fellowship, a two-year immersive experience that equips science entrepreneurs with the skills, networks, infrastructure, and funding they need to quickly and effectively bring their groundbreaking research to market.

Activate is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and does not charge any fee nor equity for fellows to participate. Activate’s entrepreneurial fellowship model originated at Cyclotron Road, the first U.S. Department of Energy's Lab Embedded Entrepreneurship Program (LEEP) started at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the founding Activate partner.

Activate supports fellows in communities across the U.S.: Activate Berkeley, Activate Boston, Activate New York, Activate Houston, and Activate Anywhere. Learn more at Activate.org.


Hard technology, Energy innovation, Advanced materials, Low-carbon technology, Hard tech, Energy technology, Business mentorship, manufacturing, mentorship, entrepreneurship, energy storage, chemistry, biology, physics, microelectronics, energy security, clean energy, and energy efficiency