Apply For The YTILI Fellowship To Grow Your Startup

Launched in 2016, the fellowship is the flagship program of the YTILI of the US Department of State and is supported in its implementation by the German Marshall Fund (GMF). The Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative is a vehicle for building a transatlantic network of innovators that can contribute to an ongoing policy dialogue that strengthens the transatlantic relationship.

Develop Your Business And Yourself

In 2019, the YTILI Fellowship will engage young European entrepreneurs in a series of professional development and leadership activities designed to support the growth and development of commercial and social businesses in their home communities.

The fellowship includes an Opening Summit in Europe, a week-long experience in a U.S. host city, a Closing Conference in Washington DC, and online training opportunities.

Why apply?

• Gain professional experience, skills, and connections valuable to enhance your business or social venture
• Connect with a dynamic group of experts and mentors in the United States
• Expand your professional network and develop relationships with peers and counterparts on both sides of the Atlantic
• Explore the policy context, financial landscape, and networks of U.S. entrepreneurial ecosystems
• Join a growing network of dynamic European entrepreneurs committed to enhancing the transatlantic relationship and contributing to the growth of entrepreneurial ecosystems in their home communities

Previous fellows value the fellowship as inspiring, motivational, and transformative:

“The YTILI program and experience has been quite transformative for us. It has given us a completely different perspective on what the future should look like, could look like. I’ve been challenged to think big and think globally,” says 2018 YTILI Fellow Elina Naydenova (UK).

Italian 2017 Fellow Paola Belingheri has had a similar experience: “It was very inspiring to meet other entrepreneurs and see what they were doing. After coming back from YTILI I made a lot of changes to how my company was run, being able to focus on my startup from a wider angle.”

Zoran Nasteski (2017 Fellow; Macedonia) adds: “Being part of YTILI was motivation to move forward by exploring different markets. On a personal level, YTILI showed me the bigger picture, and business-wise it was a lesson on what innovation truly means.”

What To Expect

The YTILI Fellowship runs from April 1 to October 31, 2019, with U.S. travel components planned for September 2019. Participants will engage in a robust program of in-person and virtual engagements during this time, including travel to the United States, which is the centerpiece of the fellowship experience. All fellows will be connected virtually in pre-departure activities and at the opening summit in The Netherlands.

In full, here is what the program entails:

• Orientation Webinar (April 2019)
• Opening European Summit (The Netherlands; June 1-6, 2019): YTILI fellows will meet their U.S. mentor teams and plan for their fellowship experience
• One-Week Immersive U.S. Experience (September 7-14, 2019): Fellows will be sent to selected U.S. cities with established or emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems for a one-week experience.
• Washington, DC, Program (September 15-18, 2019): Fellows will conclude their experience in the United States with a program in Washington, DC.
• Online Platform
• Opportunities to Apply for Additional Activities

To grow your venture, apply now through the YTILI website!

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