Camelback Fellowship Program for Early-Stage Entrepreneurs in United States

Deadline: 18-Sep-2026

The Camelback Fellowship supports early-stage entrepreneurs in the United States with $50,000 in capital, expert coaching, and a 16-week fellowship program designed to help advance ventures addressing inequities in education and technology. The program focuses on founders serving under-resourced communities and supports innovative ventures that promote equitable access, culturally affirming approaches, and meaningful social impact.

About the Camelback Fellowship

The Camelback Fellowship is designed to empower entrepreneurs developing solutions to persistent inequities affecting communities in the United States. The program provides founders with financial capital, expert guidance, and a community of like-minded changemakers. Fellows can use the 16-week experience to strengthen their ventures, refine their strategies, and advance solutions designed to create greater equity and opportunity. The fellowship is particularly focused on founders whose ventures serve communities that have historically experienced limited access to resources and opportunities. What Does the Fellowship Support? The program supports ventures working across several areas connected to education, technology, economic opportunity, and systems change.

Eligible areas include:

- Education - Edtech - Health and wellness - Workforce development - Economic inclusion - Systems change through policy and advocacy Applicants should demonstrate how their venture addresses an important challenge and creates meaningful benefits for the communities they serve. Focus on Equity and Social Impact A central focus of the Camelback Fellowship is advancing equity. The program seeks ventures that prioritise: - Equitable access - Culturally affirming approaches - Innovative solutions - Support for under-resourced communities - Positive social impact Founders should be able to explain how their venture responds to inequities and why their approach can create meaningful change. Who Can Apply? The fellowship is intended for early-stage entrepreneurs and founders in the United States who are developing eligible ventures.

Applicants must:

- Be over 18 years old - Reside in the United States or a U.S. Territory - Demonstrate proficiency in English - Be the founder or part of the founding team behind an original idea - Have more than 50% of customers or beneficiaries located in the United States The venture must also satisfy the program’s organizational eligibility requirements. Customer or Beneficiary Requirement More than 50% of a venture’s customers or beneficiaries must be in the United States. This requirement ensures that the fellowship primarily supports ventures creating impact within U.S. communities. Applicants should be prepared to demonstrate how their venture meets this requirement. Originality of the Venture Eligible ventures must represent the original ideas of the founder or founding team. The program is intended to support entrepreneurs who are directly developing and advancing their own ventures. Ventures operating under umbrella organisations or as part of established entities are not eligible. Who Is Not Eligible? Ventures that operate under umbrella organisations or are part of established entities are excluded from the fellowship. Applicants should therefore ensure that their venture has the appropriate independent structure and represents an original initiative of the founder or founding team. Fellowship Benefits Selected fellows receive several forms of support throughout the 16-week program.

The benefits include:

- $50,000 in capital - Expert coaching - Access to a community of like-minded changemakers - A structured 16-week fellowship experience - Opportunities to strengthen and advance their ventures - Continued participation without relocating from their communities The combination of capital, coaching, and peer support is designed to help founders move their ventures forward. No Relocation Required The Camelback Fellowship does not require fellows to relocate. This allows entrepreneurs to remain embedded in the communities they serve while participating in the fellowship. The program requires approximately 10 hours per week of Fellowship activities, enabling founders to continue working within their communities and on their ventures during the program. 16-Week Fellowship Program The fellowship runs for 16 weeks and combines financial support with coaching and community-building. During the program, fellows can focus on advancing their ventures while receiving guidance from experts and connecting with other entrepreneurs and changemakers. The structure is intended to provide founders with concentrated support without requiring them to leave their existing communities. School Venture Requirements School-focused ventures have an additional requirement. School ventures must have obtained charter authorization before the Fellowship cohort begins. Ideally, these ventures should also be planning to open within one year of completing the fellowship program. Applicants developing school ventures should therefore ensure that their authorization and launch plans align with these requirements. Application Process The Camelback Fellowship application process consists of two rounds. Applicants should be prepared to provide written responses, a video submission, a venture artifact, and a budget.

Round One: Written and Video Submission

The first round requires applicants to submit written and video materials.

The application includes:

- A 3-minute pitch - Narrative responses - Video submission materials The pitch should clearly communicate the venture, the problem being addressed, the proposed solution, and the potential impact.

Round Two: Venture Artifact and Budget

Applicants who progress to the second round must submit: - A venture artifact - A budget using the provided template The venture artifact should help demonstrate the current state or development of the venture, while the budget should clearly communic