Z Fellows

Z Fellows operates a one-week fellowship for very early technical builders, run in cohorts of ten. The programme pairs participants - working on side projects or at startup stage - with mentors drawn from the founder networks of companies including Netflix, Eventbrite, Figma, DoorDash, Instacart and Vercel, with the stated aim of direct learning from experienced founders and the identification of an early backer for what each fellow is building.

Each fellow may take $10,000 in funding on an optional basis; participation does not require it. Support extends beyond the programme week and continues for the life of the fellow's company. The technical scope spans AI, cybersecurity, fintech, biotech, climate tech, healthcare technology, consumer software and enterprise software.

Eligibility is deliberately broad. The fellowship is open to people of all ages and backgrounds, including high school dropouts, college students and those holding full-time jobs. Its structure - a small cohort, a compressed format and a long tail of post-programme support - places it closer to an accelerator's earliest stage of engagement than to a conventional venture fund, though the optional cheque is a direct capital commitment.