The Tory Burch Fellowship at the IGI

A year-long program made possible by the Tory Burch Foundation.

The Tory Burch Fellowship at the IGI supports a woman entrepreneur in leading, growing, and scaling a business in genomics. We welcome applications from transgender and non-binary women.

“Women are underrepresented in scientific research and also less likely than men to commercialize their discoveries. They face the same barriers that women entrepreneurs typically face, including limiting stereotypes and a lack of access to capital, education and networks. This Fellowship program is the Tory Burch Foundation’s first contribution to the vital issue of women in STEM and we could not be more thrilled to be partnering with brilliant, trailblazing Jennifer Doudna and the Innovative Genomics Institute.” – Tory Burch

Benefits from the Tory Burch Foundation:

• Participation in one-year Fellowship with the Tory Burch Foundation that includes virtual education programming, workshops, and business guidance
• $5,000 grant for business education
• Access to private online peer community

Benefits from the IGI and UC Berkeley resources:

• The network of cutting-edge IGI researcher and personalized coaching and mentoring sessions for fundraising, executive presence, and conflict resolution
• The UCB entrepreneurial ecosystem and resources for educating entrepreneurs, protecting and licensing innovation, and commercializing research
• A $5,000 education grant, matching the funds from the Tory Burch Foundation 
• Up to $50,000 in research supplies

Deadlines

• March 26, 2021, 11:59 pm where submitted: Applications close
• April 2021: Fellow is selected and notified
• June 2021: Fellowship starts 

Eligibility & Applicant Criteria

• A woman entrepreneur who owns a majority stake in a qualifying business. IGI welcomes applications from transgender and non-binary women.
• Applicant must manage the qualifying business on a day-to-day basis.
• Applicant must be 21 years or older as of the application due date (March 26, 2021).
• Applicant must be proficient in English.

Qualifying Business Criteria

• For-profit, registered company (one to five years of operations preferred)
• This program targets early-stage genomics-focused companies with a product/proof of concept (i.e., beyond the ideation stage)

While you will be asked to report your revenues in the application form, generating revenues is NOT an eligibility criterium of this program.

Not Eligible for this Program

• Nonprofit organizations
• Idea-stage ventures
• Subsidiary businesses or franchises

Application Materials

**Applications are now closed**

Evaluation

Applications will be reviewed by an IGI Review Committee. External experts, selected by the Review Committee, will be called upon if necessary. The Review Committee will take into consideration multiple scientific and non-scientific factors, including, but not limited to:

• How the business creates a positive and lasting impact and how scalable it is
• What unique factors differentiate the business and how innovative it is. If the applicant has filed any patent applications and what distinguishes the applicant’s intellectual property from her competitors.
• What problems the applicant is trying to solve
• How the business reflects the applicant’s passion
• The substance and quality of the applicant’s business plan and approach.
• What obstacles the applicant has overcome
• The applicant’s investment opportunities
• How the Fellowship will help the applicant lead, scale, and grow their business.
• The extent to which the project can contribute to the mission of the IGI, and how the applicant will contribute to our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

A small group of applicants may be selected for a video interview. Notification of the Fellowship award will be made to the selected applicant in April 2021. Applicants whose submissions are declined will be informed as promptly as possible. We are unable to provide feedback and discuss applications before, during, or after the application period.

Rules

The Fellow will benefit from the resources provided by the Tory Burch Fellows program and will consequently follow all the terms and conditions of the 2021 Tory Burch Foundation Fellows program that are not related to the application. 

In addition:

• Applicants must fully complete and submit all data requested in the application in the required format in order to be eligible. Applications, including photos or videos, that do not comply with these terms and conditions and/or are incomplete or inaccurate will be void, eliminated, and not eligible for consideration.
• By submitting an application, the applicant represents that the materials submitted are original and have been created by the applicant and/or that all necessary rights have been secured and disclosed in the event they were developed by others
• Applications will be accepted by online entry only. No other method of entry will be accepted. Limit one entry per person. Only allow one entrepreneur per business may apply.
• Reporting: The Fellow will be required to submit a one-page report to the IGI at the end of the Fellowship as well as participate in IGI-sponsored meetings and retreats.
• Research and safety compliance: if applicable, the Fellow will be required to hold approval documentation for use of biological material and/or animals, and agree to adhere to specified safety standards.
• The Fellow will be subject to any California rules and UC policies. Ownership of intellectual property will follow established UC policy.

Contact 

Please contact igi-proposals@berkeley.edu with any questions or technical issues.

Founded by designer Tory Burch, the Tory Burch Foundation empowers women and entrepreneurs by providing access to capital, education and digital resources. Learn more here.