$100,000 For Researchers, Builders and Creatives.
Go from idea to reality, while keeping 100% ownership.
Apply Now
What if you had $100k to pursue your boldest ideas?
What if we told you we want to champion your most hare-brained, out-there, eye-wateringly ambitious idea?
What if the only thing standing in your way is an application form and a few calls?
No, this isn’t too good to be true.
This is the O’Shaughnessy Fellowships & Grants. A one-year program that unites the world’s most bold and undiscovered researchers, builders and creatives to find, build and spread new ideas.
In just two years, we’ve scoured over 140 countries to find and fund 55 extraordinary innovators, leading to six companies & non-profits, five documentaries, >2.2 billion views on YouTube, and the blossoming of numerous scientific, creative, and technological projects.
What will YOU do with one year and $100k?
Hear from our Awardees
Our awardees are open-sourcing quantum computing, rescuing endangered languages, empowering the disabled in Zambia, researching brain simulations, filming documentaries about the future of humanity, recording viral music, building mechanical hands for amputees, researching data storage in plants, and MUCH more. Hear from them below.
Mykhailo Marynenko
A Ukrainian software and hardware engineer working on projects that combine technology, art, and human interaction.
“The best part is community (...) It's a lot of really smart people that give you the perspective that you haven't seen before.”
Oghenekevwe Emadago
Oghenekevwe is an environmental activist, entrepreneur, and advocate for women and youth. He’s solving the problem of period poverty in rural Nigeria by developing eco-friendly sanitary pads made from banana fiber.
“One example was that (...) with two hours of asking for help, I connected to a Stanford professor who is working on a similar project as mine. This would not have been possible or would have taken weeks if not for OSV.”
Diana and Shay
Diana & Shay are students at Trinity College, Dublin. They are building Script - an online tool that helps immigrants access social welfare resources as fast as possible
“Being able to learn from the entire OSV Family is the best part of the Fellowship.”
Kiubon Kokko
Kiubon is a documentary filmmaker based in Hong Kong. His first feature documentary, Holding on to Water, is slated to release soon.
“OSV thank you! It's been so wild so far, getting to direct my very own feature length documentary at 24. Grateful grateful grateful. Can't wait to see you at the premiere.”
Meet the rest of our Fellows
Timeline 2025
January 1, 2025 to February 28, 2025
To apply, please complete the Fellowships & Grants application form. Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis, so the earlier you apply, the earlier your application will be reviewed.
We’ll let you know if you’re shortlisted for the next round as soon as we make a decision, usually in 30 days.
You can view the sample form here.
March 1, 2025 to April 30, 2025
Missed the early application window? Don’t worry. You still have a chance to apply for the Fellowships after March 1st. Fill out the application form, and we’ll add it to our backlog and review it as soon as possible.
Till May 30, 2025
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a short call with members of the OSV Team. This is your chance to share ideas, demonstrate your curiosity, and solve problems with the rest of the group.
Till May 30, 2025
You’ll get to meet and interact with other members of the OSV team and our extended network. Each interaction is a step closer to joining the Fellowship. We’ll let you know the final decision by June 1st, 2025.
1st July 2025 onwards
Buckle up for a life-changing year. We’ll kick off the Fellowships & Grants Programs for all our Fellows and Grantees.
Why
The internet has unleashed a new wave of innovations by making knowledge freely available and allowing collaborations that were once impossible.
COVID has accelerated all of these long-term trends. The rise of remote work has opened up a new wave of opportunities. Geography has become history. Today, a teenage prodigy in rural Karnataka can collaborate with a scientist in Kansas. A researcher in Mombasa can be funded by an eccentric in Manhattan. Seven degrees of separation have collapsed into one; nearly anyone is just a mouse click away.
Each of our fellows will follow a unique path. Some will research new ideas, some will build new ideas, and some will spread new ideas.
Innovation requires freedom to tinker, experiment and learn. We believe in the value of original mistakes.
All fellows receive a $100,000 equity-free grant to pursue their projects for one year, post which we will help them raise equity if they choose to do so.
We've seen first-hand how unexpected creative breakthroughs emerge when our network's diverse interests and perspectives collide.
Grants Program
The Grants program helps even more people to unleash their potential.
Alongside our ten Fellowships, up to twenty individuals will each receive a $10,000 grant and access to OSV’s network of founders, investors, and experts to support them in bringing their projects to life.
There is no separate application process for the Grants program. Winners will be selected based on their Fellowship Application form.
You all inspire me to greater things, and I'm pretty stoked on what I'm doing already 😬"
Who We’re Looking For
The Fellowships and Grants empower individuals of the highest caliber whose work positively impacts the world, from scientific breakthroughs and technological innovations to enduring artistic and cultural contributions.
If you’re working on something that can improve the world, we want to hear from you.
While our Fellows and Grantees pursue many projects across multiple domains, they all embody certain traits:
Everyone has the power and capability to actively shape their future. We seek individuals who have consistently demonstrated initiative and proactiveness in their work and actions, reflecting a strong sense of personal agency.
Past performance does not necessarily predict future performance, but it offers valuable insights into an individual’s character and capabilities. A history of exemplary work in any domain will serve as a strong indicator of your skills, ability, and potential.
The Fellowships will provide financial aid to get your project off the ground, but how creatively can you use that funding to achieve the maximum impact in the shortest amount of time? We’re looking for people who are determined, have demonstrated good judgment, and can make ingenious use of limited resources to achieve their goals.