Student Accelerator Program

The Emergence Student Accelerator Program supports a cohort of highly driven social and environmental student entrepreneurs and ventures each year from across campus.

Through key impact entrepreneurship workshops, coaching from successful founders, one-on-one mentorship from industry professionals, and facilitated networking opportunities with potential investors, students are supported to ideate, develop, and launch impact driven ventures that address our most pressing health challenges. The program includes the following key components:

Impact Entrepreneurship Workshops: Students learn the fundamentals of impact entrepreneurship and incorporate them into their venture. Example workshops include: Transformational Leadership, Aligning Business Models with Impact, Ownership & Governance Structures, and Raising Mission Aligned Capital.
Coaching from a Successful Founder: Each student is paired with a successful founder who serves as their coach for the duration of the program. Through regular meetings and continued support students receive tailored guidance to troubleshoot areas of venture development.
Industry Mentorship: Throughout the program, students are connected to industry professionals, relevant to their specific needs and focus areas, to support community building and feedback as they refine and scale their ventures for success.
Funding Partnerships: Students receive facilitated connections, as relevant, to prospective funders and investors within the Emergence network to support the launch and scaling of their ventures. In addition, students pitch at an annual Demo Day with investors and are eligible to receive a small seed award.
Peer-to-Peer Connections: Students build a supportive community with other like-minded impact-driven entrepreneurs, fostering long-term relationships, knowledge sharing and collaboration.
Networking & Exposure: Students are connected to a network of private and public sector partners and gain visibility through various events such as socials, the Demo Day, and related conferences or pitch events.

Graduates of the Accelerator Program receive a Certificate of Completion from Emergence in Impact Entrepreneurship.

Application Process

Application Period: Space is limited and we will review applications on a rolling basis so we encourage you to apply early. The application period is open Oct. 1st - Nov. 20th, 2024.

Apply today!

Eligibility:

The Emergence Accelerator Program is intended for students across disciplines who are working towards impact driven ventures that address systemic drivers of health including structural, social, and environmental factors. (e.g. food security and diet, housing, education, access to healthcare, climate impact on health, etc)
We seek students who are knowledgeable about the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, who bring deep knowledge of the issues they are working to address, and who offer diverse perspectives and backgrounds to the cohort.
While we anticipate the program being the best fit for graduate level students (Masters, PhD) and Postdocs, we will accept applications from highly qualified undergraduate students.

Program Dates: Awarded applicants will be notified by Dec.15th and the cohort will start the program at the beginning of Winter Quarter, 2025. The program runs Winter & Spring Quarters (Jan-June), 2025.

Information Sessions:

Info Session 2: Wednesday, Nov. 13th, 2-3 PM PST (register here)

Resources

Contact

For any additional questions please contact sgillett@stanford.edu

If you are interested in being an Industry Mentor for student innovators in the Stanford Emergence Student Accelerator Program please reach out to us to learn more.

Example Student Projects

Co-Founder Dawn Androphy (2024 Cohort)

Allswell

Allswell focuses on bridging gaps in mental and behavioral health care for LGBTQ+ young adults, assisting them in exploring identity and transitioning before crisis situations arise. The platform offers culturally-competent group teletherapy and digital journaling tools tailored to individual goals and needs. Allswell prioritizes affordability, accessibility, and support, aiming to create a solution that effectively addresses the unique challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community.

Co-Founder Rauf Khan (2024 Cohort)

Vanilla AI

Vanilla AI is a software platform at the intersection of climate tech, AI, and fintech, that enables energy efficiency in buildings at scale. Today real estate alone accounts for a third of US greenhouse gas emissions and low income, disadvantaged communities are more likely to suffer from health issues due to climate change. Vanilla evaluates buildings at scale and automates financing, to accelerate clean tech adoption. Vanilla's platform targets owners of real estate assets.

Co-Founders Kelly Redmond & Gabriella Dweck (2023 Cohort)

OLEO SPOS

Oleo SPOS is pioneering a process to create a sustainable, deforestation-free, lab-grown alternative to palm oil. This innovative approach involves fermenting microorganisms to generate synthetic oil and includes two significant technical breakthroughs. Additionally, Oleo is designing a system that engages directly with smallholders in producing nations, helping to sustain the economic backbone of local communities. By focusing on sustainability and community support, Oleo aims to transform palm oil production while preserving local livelihoods.

Co-Founder Wes Rodriguez (2023 Cohort)

RESET

RESET is establishing a mission-driven fintech company focused on developing financial products for low-income, blue-collar, and gig workers. Its initial offering aims to empower working Americans by modernizing payroll, the most crucial financial transaction for low-income individuals. This innovation seeks to enhance financial health by minimizing reliance on costly loan alternatives and overdraft fees. By prioritizing accessibility and stability, RESET aspires to support the financial well-being of underrepresented workers in today's economy.

Founder Hamza Farrukh (2024 Cohort)

Hydrosun Technologies

Hydrosun Technologies leverages the power of voluntary carbon markets and renewable technologies to provide clean water to millions in need. The company delivers water filtration units to over 150 villages across 6 countries, utilizing its innovative OASIS Box™, a transportable solar-powered device that can be customized to meet local water filtration needs. This integrated approach offers a more effective, sustainable, and cost-efficient solution for partners and communities.

Founder Alex Powers (2024 Cohort)

Flex Therapeutics

Flex Therapeutics is tackling urgent global health challenges through AI-powered drug discovery. Traditional pharmaceutical development cycles are slow and expensive, making it difficult to address emerging threats like antibiotic resistance and viral epidemics. By combining AI models with modular chemical synthesis, Flex Therapeutics seeks to rapidly and cost-effectively develop innovative medicines. Promising results include novel antibiotics and less addictive pain treatments.

Student Testimonials

“The program transformed the trajectory of my impact venture, equipping me with vital industry connections and expert mentorship that readied me for launching my impact entrepreneurship after graduation.”

“Emergence was an incredible experience, which moved my company forward. Our fellow cohort members were also founders, and we learned a lot from each other. We also got exposure to company and impact leaders, investors, industry mentors, and personal coaches. This support is a huge boost to an entrepreneur. The Emergence team genuinely cares about your journey as an impact founder!”

“Emergence equipped me with the tools to align my scientific expertise with a clear vision for social impact, enabling me to envision my venture not just as a biotech/pharma company, but as a catalyst for positive change in global health.”

"Emergence is a new and unique program at Stanford, led by fantastic and experienced social entrepreneurs. We are very grateful to be part of this special community and for the support during and after the program!”

“I felt so seen and lifted up by the team and founders in the accelerator, and grateful to have been part of something truly special. I feel braver and more confident to go into the world and share my work, knowing I have a vibrant and trailblazing community of leaders, mentors and fellow founders to fall back on and to get reenergized and inspired by.”