Applications are now open for the BMO Fellowship for 2025!
Program Overview
The BMO Fellowship is a fully-funded venture and leadership program designed to provide comprehensive support to highly promising, diverse environmental sustainability entrepreneurs and leaders. It offers award-winning training in entrepreneurship, sustainability, and leadership to help advance their environmental sustainability-focused ventures and actively contribute to solving their communities’ most pressing challenges. This Fellowship is specifically intended for individuals from historically underserved communities who possess lived experience with the challenges they are determined to address.
The program spans 16 weeks, and includes weekly virtual workshops, with localized gatherings and events when possible. Workshops are held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm Mountain Time Zone, requiring a commitment of 6-8 hours per week. A 2-week virtual immersive begins on March 3rd, 2025, requiring approximately 10-15 hours of commitment each week. This immersive serves as a foundational experience, setting the stage for the Fellowship’s community-oriented and cohort-driven journey.
Select Fellows have the potential to receive a venture development stipend of up to $6,000, contingent on their active participation in the program, leading a Basecamp, and successfully completing the workshop-related checkpoint assignments (eligibility requirements may vary depending on the Fellowship).
The BMO Fellowship powered by Watson Institute will provide you with a comprehensive roadmap to guide the growth and scalability of your work and impact. You will gain the skills to construct and refine your pitch and you’ll have the opportunity to present it at the high-profile Summit event. Additionally, you will facilitate an impactful workshop and training session (known as a Basecamp) in your community for your stakeholders, backed by a stipend, playbook, and team support to bring your vision to life.
The BMO Fellowship offers BIPOC, women, and Indigenous entrepreneurs and community leaders dedicated mentorship, award-winning training, and a vibrant peer community. Tailored for environmental sustainability-focused ventures, the Fellowship equips participants with the skills, insights, and networks needed to drive sustainable impact and growth in their communities.
A Basecamp is a 1-3 day workshop hosted by fellows, designed to accelerate their impact, engage their community, provide networking opportunities, practice skill-building, and obtain valuable feedback to enhance their ventures. Each Basecamp invites approximately 30 participants to engage in dynamic workshops and community-building. Fellows receive a monetary stipend, a playbook, and team support to plan and facilitate their Basecamps. As a key outcome of the BMO Fellowship, all Fellows will facilitate a Basecamp event during their time in the program.
Watson Institute Alumni from 81 countries have raised over $185 million in capital for their ventures, created over 1,900 part or full-time jobs, and impacted over 10 million people around the world through initiatives they help lead.
Location:
Online
Benefits
Here are the benefits of this programme:
- Fully-funded venture and leadership program.
- Comprehensive support for environmental sustainability entrepreneurs.
- Award-winning training in entrepreneurship, sustainability, and leadership.
- Potential to receive a venture development stipend of up to $6,000.
- Opportunities to construct and refine pitches for high-profile events.
- Facilitating impactful workshops (Basecamps) in communities.
- Dedicated mentorship and a vibrant peer community.
- Skills, insights, and networks needed to drive sustainable impact.
- Access to a playbook and team support for planning and facilitating Basecamps.
Eligibilities
- Ideal candidates are entrepreneurs, small business owners, or nonprofit leaders with 1 to 5 years of demonstrated traction leading environmental and sustainability initiatives.
- Your venture should be in the Problem-Solution or Product-Market Fit Stage, with engaged customers or beneficiaries, and demonstrated outcomes in both impact and revenue, including a track record of successfully raising funds.
- You must commit to the 16-week program, including a two-week virtual Immersive, prioritizing active participation.
- You are able to commit to attending a majority of the workshops that are hosted on Tuesdays, Wednesday, and Thursdays from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm MT.
Eligible Regions: Open to applicants from historically underserved communities worldwide, with a focus on areas facing environmental challenges.
APPLICATION PROCESS
- Applications Submitted: Complete the online application. This application should take approximately 45 minutes to fill out. The priority deadline for application submissions is February 2nd, 2025. Applications will be reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis thereafter until the spots are filled.
- First Round Review: Our Admissions Committee diligently reviews all applications, seeking entrepreneurs who demonstrate strong leadership qualities and ventures that are both innovative and scalable. Applications received after the deadline will be assessed on a rolling basis as needed.
- Interview: Qualified applicants will receive invitations for a 20-minute one-on-one Zoom interview. This interview allows us to delve deeper into your motivations for pursuing the Fellowship and to gain a better understanding of your venture.
- Admissions Committee Review: The most promising applicant profiles will be shared with our external Admissions Committee for their final review and selection.
- Acceptances Announced: Notifications of acceptance will be sent out no later than February 17th, 2025.
- Fellows Confirm & Enroll: The final step to complete your enrollment is to confirm your commitment to the program. Upon confirmation, you will receive an invitation to participate in a “Meet the Cohort Webinar” event leading up to the program’s commencement. The program begins on March 3rd, 2025.
Application Deadline: January 17, 2025 (33 Days Remaining)