Student founder program
Thiel Fellowship
Fit 90Cold inbound OK
Sample data — verify thesis, stage focus, and contact info before reaching out.
$100k over 2 years to skip or pause college and build. Under-23 only.
Stages
Idea-onlyPrototype built
Geographies
global
Industries
sector-agnostic
Business models
any
Check size
$100,000 to $100,000
Founder segments
student-founderfirst-time-founder
How to reach them
Apply once per year. Selective.
Outreach starter
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Grant application outline
# Grant application outline — {{idea name}}
1. **Specific Aims (1 page)**
- Problem statement + significance.
- Hypothesis or approach.
- Two or three measurable aims with success criteria.
2. **Significance + Innovation (2-3 pages)**
- Why this matters now (numbers + citations).
- What's novel about your approach vs prior art.
3. **Approach (5-8 pages)**
- Aim 1: methods, milestones, deliverables.
- Aim 2: methods, milestones, deliverables.
- Risk + mitigation table.
4. **Commercialization Plan (1-2 pages)**
- Target customer + market sizing.
- Path from grant deliverable → paying product.
- Letters of intent from at least 2 potential customers.
5. **Team + Biosketches**
- Principal Investigator background + relevant publications.
- Co-investigators + advisors.
- Organizational capacity.
6. **Budget + Justification**
- Phase 1: typical 6-12 months, $50k-$300k.
- Phase 2 ladder if applicable.Fill in: idea name
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