LAC Climate Fellowship (2026)
Global EquityTech Fellowship (2026)
Climate Resilience & Food Security in Africa Fellowship (2026)
Applicants
Ready to join Halcyon’s global founder community?
Continue reading for FAQs, downloadable application resources, video explainers on our application process, and more!
Open Applications
Halcyon's Eligibility Application
It’s now easier than ever to apply to Halcyon with our year-round eligibility form! At any time, founders can submit a short eligibility survey designed to assess whether you would fit Halcyon and our programs. These are reviewed by the Halcyon team on a rolling basis.
Then, at specific multi-week periods throughout the year, individual Halcyon programs will open. If your eligibility application meets our criteria, you’ll be invited to complete our second-round, invitational application if a fellowship aligns with your venture.
To learn more on our application process, check out the video explainer and FAQs below.Â
Unlock Materials to Strengthen Your Application
Eligibility
Who’s eligible to apply?
We are looking for ventures who are at least at the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) stage. At this stage, a venture has developed the simplest workable or saleable version of its product, built with the essential features and core functionality needed to deliver value to initial users.Ventures must also be impact-driven, which Halcyon defines as a for-profit, scalable company where impact forms a non-negotiable part of the business model. The startup’s impact should drive meaningful and measurable progress towards one (or several) of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
If I’m not based in the U.S., can I still apply to Halcyon?
Yes! Many of Halcyon’s programs are open to global candidates and/or are based in specific regions outside the United States. For more information on a specific fellowship’s location requirements, read through a program’s individual eligibility section.
Do I need to fill out the eligibility form each time a program opens?
No! Founders only need to fill out our year-round eligibility form once to be considered for any of our open fellowships. Then, our team will determine if you’ll advance to any future application rounds.
Can I apply with multiple co-founders?
Founders should only submit one eligibility application per venture. In your eligibility application, you may list multiple founders if applicable, even if they won’t all be participating in the Halcyon program.
If you’re invited to the second-round application, we’ll ask specifically which founder(s) are planning on attending the program. Anyone listed at this stage must commit to fully participating in the fellowship.
Do you have additional eligibility criteria?
Yes — see the ‘Selections Criteria‘ section of this webpage for more on our four-part evaluation approach.
Selections
What does the selections process look like?
Halcyon’s selections process is intentionally robust and designed to identify the most promising early-stage impact-driven ventures. Each application goes through multiple stages, beginning with a short eligibility form designed to assess whether applicants meet our basic criteria and may be a good fit for Halcyon and our programs.
Those who meet these requirements and align well with upcoming program areas will then be invited to complete a second, more robust application during specific open calls. This invitational round will be reviewed and scored by Halcyon’s Programs and Leadership teams. Finalists chosen after this stage will then pitch to a Selections Committee of external subject matter experts who help shape a program’s final cohort. For more on our application process, watch this short video.
What should I expect when hearing back from Halcyon?
If you’re a good fit for an upcoming Halcyon program based on your responses to our initial eligibility form, we’ll contact you during our multi-week open calls for applications for you to fill out a second-round invitational application. You will then have two weeks to fill out that application. Our team may reach out directly if we need additional information about you and your venture.
If I’m rejected, can I reapply in the future?
Unfortunately, if your initial eligibility application is rejected, we’ve identified that your venture is not a fit for Halcyon’s programming or mission, and you would not be a candidate to reapply.
A fellowship opened that aligned with my venture, but I didn’t receive any emails. Does that mean I was rejected?
If a fellowship window opens with a fellowship that aligns with your venture, but you were not contacted by Halcyon’s Sourcing & Selections team with an eligibility rejection email or to complete the second-round application, this means that your venture and product are aligned with Halcyon, but may still need further development in one or more of our eligibility areas.
You will remain in our qualified pool of applicants and may be invited to submit a second-round application for a future fellowship.
Programs
How much time commitment is required?
Founders must be working full-time on their ventures to apply to Halcyon. For more on our specific program structure, see below.
How many founders are in each cohort?
Each program will accept up to 10 ventures.
How are Halcyon’s programs structured?
Halcyon’s programs now utilize a hybrid model, blending valuable forms of in-person and virtual content. These include:
- One virtual program kickoff day
- A one-week, in-person residency at the beginning of the program
- Four monthly virtual meetings
- A one-week, in-person residency to conclude the program
How are stipends distributed to selected founders?
Stipends will be distributed at multiple points during the fellowship, including before the residencies and once the program concludes.
Selections Criteria
1. Impact
Impact refers to the extent to which the business creates measurable and meaningful change in the areas of climate adaptation, health, and/or EquityTech. Impact must be embedded in the core of the business model and not something that can be removed or sidelined. Strong impact addresses critical challenges faced by underserved communities and demonstrates a clear, intentional effort to close equity gaps.
2. Scalability
Scalability refers to a venture’s ability to rapidly, sustainably, and exponentially scale its current reach, revenue, and impact without requiring proportional increases in resources through a commercially viable business model. Additionally, applicants are required to have users or paying customers to be considered for Halcyon’s fellowships.
3. Innovation
Innovation refers to the novelty of the product, process, business model, or customer approach that challenges the status quo and adds unique value to the market. It may involve creating something entirely new or significantly improving existing solutions in a more efficient, impactful way. Innovation can also take the form of applying a new solution to an existing market or bringing an existing solution into a new market in a way that creates meaningful impact.
4. Talent
Talent refers to the drive and passion of the Founder/Co-Founder applicant(s) to successfully grow and achieve the venture’s intended impact and financial aspirations. Gaps in expertise can be supplemented by advisors, mentors, partners, team members, and other supporters. Additionally, we are looking for individuals who will contribute to and meaningfully engage with their fellowship cohort as well as Halcyon’s alumni community.Â
Meet the Sourcing & Selections Team
Erna Redzepagic
Senior Manager, Sourcing, Selections, & Alumni
Tsia Blacksher
Program Coordinator, Sourcing & Selections