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Founders Fellowship

An immersive startup experience for individuals with an advanced STEM degree

Founders Fellows
Founds Fellows Raquel Hollatz and Ian Dardani

Founders Fellowship

This 12-month experiential program offers hands-on startup experience for those with an advanced STEM degree to transform concepts into a business reality.

Selected participants receive a $50K stipend and access to the Science Center's robust network of industry experts, investors, and entrepreneurs in addition to facilities at CIC Labs + Innovation Campus in Philadelphia.

Tiara Durham

Director of New Ventures

Who is this program for?

Program Structure

The Fellowship includes in-person lectures, online workshops, and facilitated meetings with startups that is delivered over 12 months in two phases: Immersive Learning and Active Building.

MONTHS 1 - 6

Immersive Learning

Fellows are embedded with startups to learn from and provide direct support to the founders, in addition to serving as a Venture Associate for Capital initiatives.

MONTH 1

Technology and Market Assessment

MONTH 2

IP Protection and Management

MONTH 3

Raising Capital and Negotiation

MONTH 4

Valuations and Deal Screening

MONTH 5

Commercialization

MONTH 6

Marketing and Corporate Management

months 7 - 12

Active Building

Fellows apply lessons learned from the Immersive Learning phase to transform their business concepts into a business reality. Fellows explore capital and private investment and develop a path to market.

Deliverables
  • SBIR/STTR application
  • Company legal structure definition
  • IP option or license agreement execution
  • Due diligence package development
  • Customer discovery for prototype development
  • Fundraising and partner development cultivation

Our 2022-2023 Fellows

Sponsored by CIC Philadelphia

Program FAQs

Questions?

Reach out to us to learn more.

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