Fellowship7 days left

The Commercialization Venture Studio (KAUST)

A new KAUST venture studio that turns graduating PhDs and departing postdocs into full-time, salaried founders for a year, with up to $125K in prototyping money, an experienced CEO partner and lab, pilot and investor access, in exchange for 15–20% deferred equity.

Deadline25 October 20267 days left

Apply on the programme's site

Checked against the operator's own pages on 19 October 2026. Dates change. Always confirm on the programme's own site before you apply.

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Key terms

Funding: Up to $125K prototyping funding per venture ($25K, then $100K after a mid-program review) plus a full-time salaried fellowship; 15–20% deferred equity
Duration: One-year fellowship from January 2027 (kick-off 10 Jan 2027, tentative)
Cohort starts: 10 January 2027
Format: Thuwal

What you get

One-year, full-time salaried founder fellowship (postdoc-level benefits) to turn KAUST research into an investable startup: up to $125K prototyping funding ($25K to validate, then $100K to build after a mid-program review), an experienced Entrepreneur-in-Residence as CEO partner, mentors, KAUST labs, industry pilots and an investor Demo Day.

Who it's for

KAUST only: PhD and TIE students graduating by December 2026, and postdocs with 1+ year at KAUST whose appointments end by December 2026 or early 2027; with a technology from KAUST research validated at TRL 4+; ready to work full-time on the venture from early 2027; solo or team. A PI support letter is required; TTIO clearance is needed before admission (not at application). Ventures are expected to incorporate in Saudi Arabia.

Run by: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) – National Transformation Institute (NTI) and Office of the Vice President for Research
Stages: Idea · Pre-seed
Sectors: Deep tech

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