LITTLE BIT OF THIS, LITTLE BIT OF THAT: 4.0 Schools, a nonprofit education incubator based in New Orleans, LA, announced today at SXSWedu the launch of a new fellowship, entitled the “Tiny Fellowship.” The fellowship consists of coaching and capital ($5,000, equity-free). Unlike 4.0 Schools’ Launch program, where entrepreneurs had to relocate to New Orleans or New York City, the Tiny Fellowship purports to build community for entrepreneurs who cannot relocate from their current location. In a blogpost, 4.0’s Launch Coordinator Austin Crouse explained the frustrations he and his team noticed when entrepreneurs had to quit their jobs and move, just to vet their ideas:
“This pressure is toxic. It forces those that quit too early to scramble for cash, regardless of whether or not that cash is aligned with their vision. Worse, it stops so many would-be founders who don’t have a safety net from even trying to start something.”
“We realized that our program wasn’t as accessible as it should’ve been,” 4.0 Schools CEO Matt Candler told EdSurge. “With the Tiny Fellowship, people can build a ten-student version of a school or a tool prototype without leaving their job."
The Tiny Fellowship is currently in private beta with a cohort of 15, and will launch full-scale in the fall.
