Ignite Your Innovation & Entrepreneurship Ecosystem
Lead the future of innovation at your higher education institution with the VentureWell Ecosystem Futures Fellowship. This new fellowship is an evolution of our Course & Program Grants that focuses on scalable science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E) ecosystem solutions through the lens of environmental and social sustainability and inclusive innovation. This program offers professional development, immersive learning experiences, and a supportive community of leaders. It enhances the role of faculty and higher education leaders as ecosystem builders in partnership with industry and government.
Applications will open August 28. Sign up to receive updates!
A Transformative Fellowship Experience To Expand Ecosystem Capacity
The Ecosystem Futures Fellowship is a one-year program that aims to strengthen campus innovation and entrepreneurship. This fellowship enhances both in-class and out-of-class student engagement and institutional culture by growing ecosystem networks. Teams of two will receive $35,000 in funding—a $10,000 award and $7,500 in travel stipends for each fellow—and 12 months of immersive programming and communities of practice.
Why Apply?
- Ignite Impactful Change: Create courses, policies, and co-curricular and extracurricular programs to promote STEM research and development (R&D) translation with an emphasis on environmental and social sustainability and inclusive innovation.
- Receive Significant Support: Obtain $35,000 in funding for teams of two (one must be faculty) from U.S.-based colleges and universities.
- Connect With a National Fellowship Cohort: Trade ideas, techniques, and resources with other Ecosystem Futures fellows from higher education institutions across the country through on-campus immersive experiences and communities of practice.
- Build an Ecosystem Growth Plan: Formulate a STEM innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem growth plan to scale interventions in collaboration with university leadership and external partners.
- Future Opportunities: Prepare for additional funding and support through our two-year challenge grant, launching in 2026, to support further implementation of your growth plans.
Do You Qualify?
All accredited U.S. higher education institutions can apply. Teams must consist of two members, with at least one being a faculty member. The second member must be a faculty member, staff member, or administrator at a U.S. higher education institution. We particularly encourage applications from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander–Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), community colleges, and Emerging Research Institutions (ERIs).
Join a community dedicated to driving scalable STEM innovation and entrepreneurship solutions.
Are You Interested in Being a Reviewer for the VentureWell Ecosystem Futures Fellowship?
We are currently looking to diversify our review panel, composed of individuals from academia, government, and industry. The total time commitment is 8-10 hours and a small honorarium will be given. The deadline to apply is September 16, 2024. Click for more information.
Our Impact
Since 1996, we’ve awarded nearly $21 million in funding through our faculty initiatives, including more than $15.2 million through Course & Program Grants. We look forward to seeing the impact that the Ecosystem Futures Fellowship will have!
Download the report Celebrating 28 Years of Impact.
Ecosystem Futures Fellowship: Leading the Way in Inclusive Innovation and Sustainability
The Ecosystem Futures Fellowship is supported by our generous partner, The Lemelson Foundation.
