Thiel Fellowship

⚡ Quick Facts

• Type: Non-dilutive grant ($100,000)
• Eligibility: 22 years or younger, must drop out of college
• Process: Rolling applications
• Duration: 2 years
• Cohort Size: 20-30 fellows per year
• Founded: 2011 by Peter Thiel

🎯 Mission

The Thiel Fellowship identifies and empowers young people to pursue ambitious ideas outside traditional academic paths. Through its distinctive approach of encouraging talented young people to step off conventional tracks, the fellowship has created a new model for supporting innovation and entrepreneurship. Fellows receive not just funding, but access to a powerful network of founders, investors, and scientists who help bring their visions to life.

💰 What The Fellowship Funds

• Bold ideas that challenge conventional thinking
• Projects across technology, science, and social impact
• Both early-stage concepts and developed ventures
• Individual innovators with clear vision
• Ideas that need significant resources to scale
• Ventures that could create systemic change

Note: The fellowship seeks founders who demonstrate exceptional potential to build something new and important.

📝 Application Process

Key Application Questions

1. Personal Background

• Full name and contact information
• Date of birth (must be 22 or younger)
• Country of residence and hometown
• Educational status and plans
• Online presence/links (LinkedIn, Twitter, GitHub, etc.)
• How you heard about the fellowship

2. Current Project/Venture

• "What are you working on now?"
• Industry categorization
• Project/company links
• Supporting materials (pitch deck, additional documentation)

3. Experience & Vision

• "What cool stuff have you worked on in the past?"
• "What is the most important problem facing your field?"
• "What is the most important problem facing someone else's field?"

4. Personal Insight Questions

• "What are you currently obsessed with that is totally unrelated to your project?"
• "How do you feel about money?"
• "What are you scared of?"
• "Tell us something tangible you want?"

Eligibility & Educational Requirements

• Eligible education statuses:

  • Currently in high school
  • Currently attending university
  • Stopped/dropped out of university
  • Graduated from high school, but never attended university
  • Dropped out of high school and have never attended university

• Must be willing to drop out of university if currently enrolled

• No completed undergraduate degree allowed

• Global applications welcome

• Individual applications only (no team applications)

• Rolling admissions (no fixed deadline)

✨ Post-Award Information

• $100,000 grant distributed over two years
• No equity taken
• Global program with no relocation requirement
• Network access to Silicon Valley ecosystem
• Mentorship from successful founders and investors
• Focus on concrete achievement over credentials

📚 History & Structure

Founded in 2011 by technology entrepreneur Peter Thiel, the fellowship has grown into a prestigious program that has supported over 200+ young entrepreneurs. The initiative has helped launch companies valued at $100B+ collectively, created thousands of jobs, and developed breakthrough technologies across multiple sectors.

🌟 Network & Impact

Fellowship Network Companies

Selected companies founded by or hiring Thiel Fellows

Technology & Software

• Adept - Building general intelligence
• Figma - Collaborative design platform
• Plaid - Financial services API

Hardware & Robotics

• BRINC - Tactical drone systems
• Scythe Robotics - Autonomous landscaping
• Teal - Enterprise drone solutions

Health & Biotech

• Curative - Healthcare accessibility
• Freenome - Early cancer detection
• Vitable - Healthcare access platform

📚 Additional Resources

Press Coverage

Notable features in:

• The New York Times - "The fellowship provides unparalleled access to some of the nation's most successful businesspeople."
• TechCrunch - "A revolutionary model that liberates young talent to work on world-changing projects."
• Wall Street Journal - "What was once considered risky has become a badge of honor for this generation of entrepreneurs."
• Featured in: Forbes, Bloomberg, WIRED

Get Involved

• Apply Now: Submit application
• Twitter: @ThielFellowship
• Past Fellows Directory
• General Contact: contact@thielfellowship.org

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