Newlab opens sixth fellowship for 15 critical-tech founders, with up to $150K on offer
What's the deal? NewlabDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has opened applications for the sixth year of its Founder Fellowship, which will support 15 critical-technology startups led by founders from underrepresented backgrounds. It runs the program with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDCDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →), Bank of America, and Gunderson DettmerDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
What's on offer? Fellows get hands-on workshops, industry connections, and one-on-one mentoring, plus the chance to receive up to $150,000 in investment from Newlab. Each founder also gets a year-long membership at Newlab Brooklyn, with access to prototyping workshops and networking with investors, customers, and peers.
Why now? Applications are open through December 16, 2026, with program activities starting in March 2027. The fellowship anchors NYCEDCDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s Venture for NYC initiative, created to build a more inclusive tech startup ecosystem by connecting investors, founders, and industry leaders.
What's the endgame? Newlab operates an 84,000ft² facility inside the Brooklyn Navy Yard, with labs, a metals and plastics workshop, and rapid-prototyping facilities. For hardware and critical-tech founders, that physical access addresses commercialization hurdles that pure capital often cannot.
"With access to community, capital, and mentorship, founders are able to commercialize and scale critical technology far faster than anywhere else," said Brandon Corts, vice president of platform at Newlab.
The signal: This is continuation, not a new fund — but the program's reach is widening. In March 2026, NYCEDC selected 60 startups across four operators and said the initiative had supported nearly 400 founders since 2022, with private partners' commitments set to catalyze nearly $1 million. For critical-tech founders needing shop floors as much as cheques, that steady city-backed pipeline matters more than any single cohort label.
Read more: newlab.com
Image credit: dancetechtv
