Deadline: October 12, 2020
Applications are open for the Halcyon Incubator Program – Spring 2021. The Halcyon Incubator Program equips early-stage social entrepreneurs with the support they need to transform audacious ideas into scalable and sustainable ventures.
They do this by providing you with three things: space, community, and access. You need to be able to fully commit to the program for five months if you want to be selected. The Halcyon Incubator is an intense, demanding, once in a lifetime opportunity for fellows and their social enterprises. Participation in the Halcyon Incubator program is the right fit if the venture’s CEO or primary decision-maker can commit to full-time participation in the program before being selected as a finalist.
Benefits
Fellows accepted into the program will have access to the following resources:
Space: The Halcyon Incubator was founded to ensure that all social entrepreneurs, regardless of their economic background, can succeed. They give you physical and mental space to focus on your venture and achieve your full potential.
- Five months of free housing at the historic Halcyon facility
- Eighteen months of free workspace at Halcyon, followed by affordable coworking options at Halcyon Arts Lab
- Shared meeting spaces including formal board rooms and creative spaces
- Additional meeting spaces, performance spaces, and free parking at Halcyon Arts Lab
- Makerspace access at the Georgetown University Maker Hub
Community: Your journey as an entrepreneur is long and winding. You will experience many ups and downs, and they understand that you will need lots of support along the way. The Halcyon Incubator builds a community of support around you through their unique residential program, extensive post-residency Fellow community, and a robust network of world-class mentors and advisors. These mentors and advisors are seasoned entrepreneurs, experienced change-makers, and leaders across sectors who want to help you.
- Entrepreneurs live and work alongside a diverse cohort of founders who quickly become consultants, confidants, and close friends
- Join a family of 100+ Halcyon Incubator Fellows who have come before you and are prepared to shine a light on the path ahead of you
- Each venture is paired with an experienced, industry-specific mentor who provides weekly guidance, accountability to achieve goals, and support during the residency phase
- Opportunities for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks with Fellows and Halcyon’s broader network to build and nurture relationships
Access: You need an ecosystem to build, grow, and sustain a social enterprise. The Halcyon Incubator connects entrepreneurs with key partners to advise and directly support Fellows’ ventures and provide crucial exposure.
- $10,000 stipend to cover living expenses during the residency phase
- Opportunities to present directly to ecosystem stakeholders, press, and potential funders at kickoff and final showcase events
- Access to a wide range of innovators, influencers, and community figures through conferences and events
- During the course of the program, fellows receive more than 100 hours of:
- Strategy and operations consulting provided by Deloitte
- Legal and business advice from Arnold and Porter or Bracewell
- Technical advice and hosting credits from Amazon Web Services
- One-on-one leadership coaching provided in partnership with The HR Sage
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Halcyon Incubator, you:
- Must be the CEO or primary decision-maker for the venture’s development and management;
- Must be able to make a full-time commitment to work on the venture during the residency phase from September 8, 2020 to January 15, 2021;
- Must be able to postpone any undergraduate or graduate course work during the residency phase;
- Must already live or work in the U.S. or be able to obtain a visa for the residency phase;
- Must be fluent in English;
- Must be at least 21 years of age by the start of the program.
To be eligible for the Halcyon Incubator, your venture:
- Must be an original idea of the applicant(s);
- Must be in startup idea, MVP, or pilot phase;
- Must have less than $500,000 annual revenue;
- Must be an independent or autonomous venture that is not under the direction of an existing organization;
- Must have plans for a sustainable business model to generate revenue by selling a core product or service;
- Can be a for-profit, hybrid, or undecided venture, as long as the core mission is to create measurable social change;
- Cannot be a 501(c)(3) non-profit venture;
- Can apply with up to two Co-Founders who meet the above eligibility requirements.
Selection Criteria
Applications are judged and selected based on the following six criteria:
- Impact: Successful applicants demonstrate a significant impact as a core part of their venture. They look for impact both in terms of how impactful the core product or service is, and how scalable is the model to spread this impact.
- Problem/Solution: Does your venture identify a real and pressing problem and propose a viable solution? Strong applications effectively and narrowly define a pain point and outline a solution that addresses the pain point.
- Sustainability: They are looking for innovative social ventures that sell a core product or service to achieve impact.
- Execution: The application is their first introduction; get off on the right foot. Successful applicants have a big vision but also pay careful attention to detail.
- Innovation: How is your solution to a problem different from current solutions? What sets you apart? They value audacious ideas that disrupt the status quo and move the needle on 21st-century challenges. Think big!
- Talent: Do you have what it takes to lead your venture to success? Strong applicants exhibit characteristics of extraordinary leadership: vision, intelligence, resilience, and follow-through.
Application
Create your account, start your application today, and submit your completed application before the deadline on Monday, October 12, 2020 at 5PM EDT.
For more information, visit Halcyon Incubator Program.
