MIT D-Lab Scale-Ups Applications Due May 5th!

2015 D-Lab Scale-Ups venture Saathi Pads. D-Lab Scale-Ups fellow Kristin Kagetsu third from right.
2015 D-Lab Scale-Ups venture Saathi Pads. D-Lab Scale-Ups fellow Kristin Kagetsu third from right.

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP FELLOWSHIPS FOR MIT/D-Lab Alumni & IDIN Network Members!
Applications due May 5, 2017!About D-Lab Scale-Ups Fellowships

The MIT D-Lab Scale-Ups Fellowship offers one year of support to social entrepreneurs bringing poverty-alleviating products and services to market at scale. Alumni of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and IDIN network members (alumni of the International Development Design Summit) are eligible to apply.

D-Lab Scale-Ups Fellows receive a $20,000 grant, tailored mentorship, skills-building, and networking opportunities. Fellows enter the program with a compelling proof-of-concept, and a few to thousands of units tested or sold. During the 12-month fellowship, entrepreneurs work to retire risk in technical feasibility and market viability, thereby positioning their ventures for investment, partnership, and growth.

Since the fellowship program’s launch in 2012, Scale-Ups has sponsored 27 fellows working on four continents in sectors including agriculture, energy, water, healthcare, housing, mobility and recycling.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Founder, co-founder, or CEO of an early stage venture that aims to improve lives and deliver impact in the developing world at a significant scale.
     
  • MIT graduates (applying students must have graduated by fellowship start date); and International Development Innovation Network members are eligible to apply. (Unsolicited applications from non-MIT/D-Lab alumni will not be considered).
     
  • Committed to working on the venture full-time (35+ hours per week).

Proposal Evaluation Criteria

  • Management and team: Leadership, motivation, skills and experience, commitment, team composition, ability to deliver.
     
  • Idea/Venture: Value proposition of product or service, operations and business strategy, validation and traction.
     
  • Impact model: Potential and focus on social impact on people or ecosystem conditions, scalability, sustainability. Work plan: Clarity of goals, ambition, pertinence of milestones, feasibility of plan, relevance of partnerships.

Timeline

  • Interviews: May 15-May 19, 2017 If you are selected as a finalist, you will be required to participate in a 30-minute interview session with select reviewers. Make sure to be available during this week as exact interview times may be scheduled with less than one week’s notice.
     
  • Awards Announcement Award winners will be announced by June 5, 2017.
     
  • Fellowship Period: The fellowship will begin July 1, 2017 and end June 30, 2018.

Application guidelines here! Due May 5, 2017.

For further information contact Jona Repishti, Fellowship Administrator.