Apply for Acumen Fellows Program (Colombia)

The Program provides new leadership frameworks through a cohort of Fellows who test the new skills they are learning in real time. They build peer-to-peer relationships that keep them accountable to their values ​​and commitments as they grow and scale their impact.

They equip them with the tools and community to strengthen their leadership, amplify their impact, and create meaningful change in Colombia. This community reflects a wealth of perspectives, including change agents from indigenous, black, Afro-descendant and palenquera communities, as well as men, women and non-binary people from different socioeconomic strata and regions, who lead: businesses, associations of small producers, NGOs or foundations, community organizations, who lead indigenous councils, collectives, youth groups and grassroots organizations. Those who are part of their Program are making the change they dare to dream of a reality: transforming the country.

Opportunities

• Tools and Mentoring
  • Get guidance and tools through the application to the consulting program of Bain and Company, an allied institution.
• Community
  • You will be part of a community of entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs and catalysts of opportunities recognized in Colombia and the world.
• Visibility
  • Gain exposure to a global audience of entrepreneurs and industry leaders.
• Financing (early stage)
  • Apply for the Angel Funding Program, which opens applications every year and focuses on founders and co-founders of social organizations with or without profit.

Program Details

• Handling Polarities
  • Learn to act in a world of opposing viewpoints and overcome differences to mobilize others toward a shared cause or challenge.
• Good Society Readings
  • Explore the meaning of a just society and the moral and historical foundations of social change through classic and contemporary texts by thinkers such as Plato, Ursula K. LeGuin, Chimamanda Adichie, Dr. Martin Luther King, Amartya Sen, and Eduardo Galeano.
• Adaptive Leadership
  • Learn to understand stakeholders, identify their needs, and navigate uncertainty to catalyze change.
• Authentic Voice
  • Learn how to tell compelling stories that inspire others to take action on a bold idea. Improve your pitch to raise awareness, speak to investors, form partnerships, and build relationships.
• Systems Thinking
  • Learn to design more effective interventions using moral imagination.

Eligibility Criteria

• There is no maximum age limit, however, the candidate must be at least 18 years old at the time of applying to the Fellows Program.
• This is specifically for Acumen programs; candidates who have participated in other fellowships or leadership programs from other entities, or who have taken Acumen Academy courses, are welcome to apply.

Application Requirements

• In this section, they will ask you to share your information about:
  • Your current work is creating solutions to address poverty challenges.
  • Your previous work, education and other information, in a special format that they have for you to put your work experiences.
  • The progress and impact of your current work. If you have recently started in your current role, be sure to include your key accomplishments, including the impact you have made, in your previous experiences in the summary format.
• Regarding the format for uploading your work and volunteer experiences, you must include:
  • Highlights of your work experience that show them the roles you have taken on, the work you have done, and what you have learned from it.
  • Highlights of other relevant experiences (academic qualifications, volunteering, etc.) that contribute to the story of you, your work, and your growth over time.
• You may upload a .doc, .docx, pdf, or .rtf file with a maximum size of 5 MB. Please limit your submission to 1-2 pages, single-sided. Documents longer than 2 pages will not be considered.
• Please limit your submission to a maximum of 500 words. Feel free to share bullet points orparagraphs as per your preference.

For more information, visit Acumen Academy.