Emergent Ventures 🚀 Accelerator
Fast grants and fellowships from the Mercatus Center for people with scalable "zero to one" ideas.
| Who qualifies | Anyone aged 13 or older, worldwide, with a scalable idea. Grant amounts and any equity terms are not stated. |
|---|---|
| Open in | Worldwide, Africa, India, United Kingdom |
| Partner code needed | No: apply directly |
| Deadline | Rolling, apply any time |
| Terms last checked | 2026-10-11 |
About Emergent Ventures
What you get
Emergent Ventures (EV) is a grant and fellowship programme run by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. It backs "thinkers and doers worldwide who pursue highly scalable, zero to one ideas to meaningfully improve society." Besides the main programme it has dedicated tranches for Africa and the Caribbean, India, the UK, Ukraine, archaeology, US science policy and travel for career development.
The page does not state grant amounts, and it does not mention equity.
Who qualifies
Anyone aged 13 or older, anywhere. You submit one application per person and project.
Good to know
- EV "no longer accepts AI-written applications"; AI may be used only for proofreading.
- No deadline is given on the page.
- It funds people and projects, not only companies, so it suits very early founders, researchers and students.
Verdict
A light, quick way to get a first cheque for an unusual idea. Amounts vary and are not published, so treat it as a boost rather than a funding round.
How to apply
- Read mercatus.org/emergent-ventures.
- Use "Apply Now" and submit one application per project.
- Write it yourself; AI is allowed only for proofreading.
- Note any regional or topical tranche you fit.
Who it is for
Steps Emergent Ventures helps with
Pros
- Open to anyone 13+ worldwide
- Backs people and unusual projects
Cons
- Grant amounts not published
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