Student Ecosystem Fund

The Yale Innovation Ecosystem may include events, clubs, or any other creative initiative that helps students at Yale be part of innovation. 

*Please note: Your team must include at least one full-time Yale student enrolled in a degree-granting program at the university. Funding cannot be used to pay individuals for their time as a stipend, wage, conduct research, or pay for living expenses. Funding is only available when the fall and spring semesters are in session. 

To receive funding from the Student Ecosystem Fund, students must meet the following criteria:

  • Have a feasible line-by-line budget that does not include items already included in perks available to students at Yale
  • A plan for how funding will move the Yale Innovation Ecosystem forward
    • Examples may include:
      • A one-off event to bring innovators together
      • Ability to bring an external resource to the Yale Innovation Ecosystem
      • Increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Yale Innovation Ecosystem
    • Examples may not include:
      • Duplicating efforts already covered within the Yale Innovation Ecosystem, such as accelerators and large-scale pitch competitions
      • Paying individuals for a speaking opportunity

Decisions for the Student Ecosystem Fund are made weekly and are decided by only the information within the application. A member of the Tsai CITY team will reach out via email once a decision is made. Students may apply multiple times to the Student Ecosystem Fund. 

If approved, students receive:

  • Up to $500
  • Access to others who have received Student Ecosystem Funds with a channel in Circle
  • Ability to claim Tsai CITY as a sponsor, provided that we are able to receive data back from the event, club, or initiative so that we may have a better understanding of the needs in the Yale Innovation Ecosystem. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch with Matt Gira at matthew.gira@yale.edu.

 

 

Want to take a look at the application before you dive in? Download a PDF version.

2023-24 Funding Application

*The application process has closed for the 2023-2024 academic year. Subscribe to our newsletter for more updates about funding and other programs/events happening at Tsai CITY.