in·no·va·tor
/ˈinəˌvādər/
noun
- A person who introduces new methods, ideas, or products or makes changes to something already established
- A person who is willing to pivot and think inside and outside of the box
- A person who is comfortable with uncertainty and risk-taking
- A person who is a doer, thinker, and visionary
To be eligible for Breakthrough, applicants must meet the following criteria:
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Teams must consist of three (3) individuals who are at least 18 years old and based in the U.S.
Team members can come from different organizations.
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Teams must have an innovation that:
- Is based in the U.S.;
- Aims to improve adolescent health and well-being, with the goal of advancing adolescent sexual and reproductive health;
- Has moved beyond the idea stage and can be demonstrated and shared with us (i.e., have a prototype);
- Has been designed with youth or the intended audience (i.e., “end users”); and
- Has incorporated feedback from youth or the intended audience (i.e., “end users”)
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Teams must have access to young people and be willing to engage them during their time in Breakthrough to help inform the refinement of their innovation.
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All three team members must be committed to participating in the 10-month program, starting in August 2025 and ending in May 2026.
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Teams must have the ability/mechanism to receive funding (i.e., be able to submit a W-9 and ACH form).
If you don’t meet all these criteria, we still encourage you to apply! The Breakthrough Accelerator is committed to finding non-traditional innovators and recognizes that sometimes the people who could most benefit from an accelerator might not assume they should apply.