The five students selected as part of the fellowship will be required to leave their current place of schooling and attend Crimson Global Academy (CGA) for their final year(s) of school. Students will complete a US High School Diploma over 12-months, and their place will be fully funded by Icehouse Ventures (valued at $30k per student). 

For the right student, it’s a positive change – a rigorous, globally relevant academic pathway paired with the kind of founder ecosystem most people don't get access to until later in life.

Read our in-depth FAQs to find out more about CGA and the fellowship.

Jamie Beaton, Sharndré Kushor, and Fangzhou Jiang of Crimson Education became Founders at 18. Craig Piggott of Halter became a Founder at age 21. We believe some people are born with innately entrepreneurial qualities, and this fellowship is about unlocking access and opportunities for those people as early as possible in life.

The goal of the fellowship is to give exceptional young people a pathway they may not otherwise have: a world-class education, a peer cohort, and a deep mentor network with Kiwis who have built companies from New Zealand on the global stage.

Most founders only get access to this kind of ecosystem years into their journey. By unlocking this earlier, we believe fellowship recipients will be even better placed to succeed in their ventures.

No. The fellowship is open to Year 12 students* across New Zealand, and we mean that deliberately. Where you grow up should not determine how far you go.

Exceptional people don't come from one city, and we're actively looking beyond the obvious networks to find them.

*We will also be accepting applications from exceptional Year 11 students with CGA funding extending across two years for Year 12 and Year 13 academic years (read more here). 

Day-to-day, fellows will experience a structured mix of education, sessions, mentorship, and real-world exposure designed to accelerate both their thinking and execution.

This includes hands-on venture building workshops, founder development sessions focused on mindset and leadership, and guest-led discussions exploring emerging technologies and future trends.

Alongside this, fellows will be paired with experienced founders and venture capital mentors who provide ongoing guidance and support.

They will also have the opportunity to pitch to an investment committee, gaining early experience in how funding decisions are made. Beyond sessions, fellows are invited into the startup ecosystem through exclusive events, connecting them directly with founders, investors, and operators.

Application process 

‍The application is designed to understand the student’s academic background, personal motivations, achievements, and future ambitions.

The student will begin by submitting basic academic information and a recent transcript. They will then complete a short profile highlighting their aspirations, key accomplishments, and influences, along with their perspective on important future trends. 

The application also includes a personal statement where they will share their passions, the actions they have taken to pursue them, and what they have learned along the way. They will be asked to outline their future goals and how they are working toward them, including how the fellowship could support their journey. 

Finally, there is an opportunity to include supporting materials and a short video (1-2 minutes) where students can share any additional achievements that strengthen their application.

‍Selection process

‍Each applicant will be assessed in the same way we asses founders we invest in. Our goal is to fairly assess each applicant’s potential by looking at a range of qualities that signal future impact.We look for:

Passion: A genuine curiosity or deep interest in a particular area, supported by actions taken to explore it.

‍Ambition: A clear sense of motivation and purpose, including what drives you and why it matters.

‍Leadership & Vision: The ability to identify opportunities or challenges others may overlook, and a track record of taking initiative or bringing others along.

‍Excellence: Evidence of commitment to high standards and meaningful achievement across academics, projects, or extracurriculars.
Resilience: The ability to persevere through challenges, learn from setbacks, and continue progressing.

‍Entrepreneurial Mindset: Creativity, problem-solving, and a willingness to take action on ideas, demonstrated through real experiences.

We encourage applicants to share specific examples that bring these qualities to life, so we can understand not just what you’ve done, but how you think and approach challenges.

The selection process will involve the following steps:

‍Submit an application
Tell us about you, your achievements (of all kinds), your passions and your ambitions for the future. Submissions can be made here up until 5:00pm on Wednesday 17th June 2026.

‍We review applications and interview finalists
All submissions are reviewed and more information may be requested where required. We will interview all shortlisted applicants virtually. 

‍We notify the recipients and all applicants
We will contact you privately before Friday 31st July 2026 regarding the outcome of your application, whether you are selected or not. If you are offered a place, you will need approval from your legal guardian to accept the Fellowship.

‍We announce the recipients
Once the 2026 cohort is confirmed, recipients will be publicly announced on social media and may also be featured in broader media, as well as within the Icehouse Ventures and Crimson Global Academy communities.