Call for Applications: E-Team Program – Winter 2026 Cohort (US)

They help you advance your invention through a powerful mix of grant funding, entrepreneurship training, mentorship by dedicated staff, national recognition, and networking with peers and industry experts.

Every year, they award  non-dilutive E-Team Program grants to early-stage innovator teams that develop scalable innovations which aim to solve a large social, health, or environmental challenge.

Why Apply?

• Up to $25,000 in Grant Funding
  • Unlock up to $25,000 to launch your venture. Their grants are competitive, recognized nationally as a source of non-dilutive funding, and empower innovators to explore commercialization.
• Sponsored Training
  • Attend their fully funded training workshops with their early-stage innovator teaching team and explore possible pathways for your venture. They have a bank of innovation curricula that combine lean startup principles with company building, professional development, and individual cultivation.
• Networking & Mentorship
  • Tap into the VentureWell mentor and E-Team Program network, with the potential to connect with investors and strategic partners who can transform your venture.
• National Exposure & Recognition
  • E-Team Program participants have been named to the Time Magazine “Best Inventions” list and Forbes’ “30 Under 30”; appointed as an AAAS-Lemelson Invention Ambassador; and appeared in many other publications.

Program Structure

• Pioneer for the E-Team Program: The First Stop in Bringing Your Innovation to Life
  • You’ll start your entrepreneurship journey with Pioneer, the first stage of the E-Team Program. Through $5,000 in non-dilutive funding and an entrepreneurship training workshop designed to help you discover the best market for your invention, they kickstart your potential and outline the possible pathways for your invention.
• Propel for the E-Team Program: Build and Test Your Business Model
  • Once you have successfully completed Pioneer and built a strong foundation for advancing your innovation, you’re eligible to level up and apply for Propel. Propel offers an additional $20,000 in non-dilutive funding and three months of training focused on supporting you as you build your business model canvas and make plans for testing your business hypotheses. Your new discovery can change the world.

Is Your Innovation a Good Fit?

• Social/Environmental Impact: Inventions that will scale to address a pressing social, health, or environmental need. They fund innovations that can solve challenges in areas including health, food security, energy, and climate change.
• Science- and Engineering-Based Inventions: An innovation that is different from other competing technologies.
• Intent To Commercialize: A strong commitment to exploring commercialization of your innovation.
• Student Team Identified: Teams that include two or more students and a faculty advisor.

Eligibility Criteria

• The E-Team Program is open to all applicants who are currently enrolled at a U.S.-based institution.

For more information, visit VentureWell.