Innovator Fellowship

Experiential learning
opportunity with a
venture capital group

Innovator Fellowship Overview

The program provides winning Innovator Fellows up to $70K in funding for salary, tuition, travel and research expenses over four quarters. This immersive food-tech-entrepreneurship opportunity will be offered multiple times yearly, with flexible start dates.

Learn directly from venture capital groups how to move ideas out of the lab and into the marketplace! Through a unique partnership between academia and entrepreneurs, the Innovation Institute for Food & Health (IIFH) joins with host investor groups to support UC Davis POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWS and PhD STUDENTS in developing hands-on entrepreneurial experience in food, agriculture and health innovation.

Innovator Fellows will learn how investors evaluate startups and how to conduct critical experiments, studies or prototyping to get their own innovations to market. Host venture capital groups are mission-aligned with the IIFH vision of food system transformation to safer, more sustainable, and secure nutrition for all.

Timeline

3 Months

Immersive experience with venture capital group

Become a full team member of your VC host. Learn first-hand how investment decisions are made and what it takes to bring an innovation to market. Build your network, and help make real-world investment decisions. Gain access to mentors.
3 Months

Return to Campus + Part-time with VC

Transition back to campus where you will continue your work part-time with the VC host and begin to think about how to de-risk your own research innovation.
6 Months

Return to Research

During your final 6 months, focus is placed on your research. Now, with an understanding of the market, support of your VC network, and access to IIFH resources, we want to help set you on a trajectory that allows you to move your innovation forward and plan for a future of impact and success.

Multiple Innovator Fellowship opportunities are offered throughout the year, with flexible start dates and remote as needed.

Click here to view current opportunities.

Details

$70K Funding	Eligibility	Selection Criteria
Up to $70K covers: 1 year salary Tuition Travel/Housing Research Conference expenses	UC Davis students in their final 1-2 years of study: PhD candidates Post doctoral scholars	Looking for candidates with a strong interest in food, agriculture or health innovation, and a demonstrated interest in: Solving global food challenges Entrepreneurship and advancing innovative research or business concepts Commercial potential of concept for development Relevance to hosting venture group Candidates should also have strength of support from faculty supervisor.
Application Requirements
Please apply separately to either or both venture capital groups. Resume or CV (PDF) Letter of interest detailing current PhD research, why the program is of interest to you, and how your career goals align therewith (max. 2 pages, PDF) Letter of support from supervising professor of research project (max. 1 page, PDF) Please combine items 1-3 above (in the order they are listed) into one single PDF for submission.