From the weekend to the company.
Pulse Fellowship · 12 weeks · NYC.
For hackathon builders — paired with industry mentors to keep building what you started in 48 hours.
The program
Keep building what you started at the hackathon.
You arrive with a team, a prototype, and a problem a sponsor cares about. Pulse pairs you with industry professionals — operators and leaders from the companies that ran or sponsored your event — to refine, ship, and land pilots on that idea.
Not an open accelerator. You must have competed at a Pulse hackathon to apply.
01
Compete at a hackathon
Ship a prototype in 48 hours on a sponsor problem.
02
Get selected
Top teams, finalists, and sponsor-flagged builders are invited to apply.
03
12 weeks in NYC
Continue the project with industry mentors from your event.
What you get
Twelve weeks built around industry, not a syllabus.
Operators and engineers from sponsor companies — weekly 1:1s, not generic coaching.
Full-time focus from day one. Non-dilutive grant for the 12 weeks.
Desk, 24h access, and a cohort building in the same room.
Pilots, design partners, and intros to the teams that posed the problem.
How it runs
Twelve weeks, one rhythm
The arc from hackathon handoff to demo day with sponsors and mentors in your corner.
The 12 weeks
Hover a phase for details · tap on mobile
Cohort '26
14 builders · 7 teams
All hackathon alumni
Fellows
Voices
Our mentor was from the utility that sponsored the hack. By week 8 we had a pilot conversation — compressed time with people who were there when we started.
Pulse matched us with operators from the sponsor side. By demo day we had two live pilot threads — builders and industry in the same room for 12 weeks.
Opens May 1
Pulse event required
From ~400 applicants
FAQ
Eligibility, stipend, and what to expect.
Do I need to attend a hackathon first?+
Yes. Fellowship is for builders who competed at a Pulse hackathon. We select from people we've seen ship — usually top teams, finalists, and standouts sponsors flag.
Do you take equity?+
No. The $25k stipend is a grant. The Fellowship is non-dilutive.
What does the Fellowship cost?+
Nothing. We pay you. Stipend, desk, and programming are covered.
Can I start a new idea?+
The program continues what you started at the hackathon — same problem space and team when possible. Exceptions are rare.
Is housing provided?+
Optional co-living in Brooklyn. Most cohorts cluster nearby for the 12 weeks.
Can I do this part-time?+
No. Full-time from day one.
When does the next cohort start?+
September 2026. Applications open May 1. Decisions are rolling.
Track record