Mercedes-Benz beVisioneers Eco-Innovation Fellowship

beVisioneers is a two-year, part-time environmental innovation fellowship run by The DO School Fellowships and funded by Mercedes-Benz. Cohort 5 backs 250 founders aged 18 to 28 who are building planet-positive projects, from a working prototype to a pre-revenue venture, with training, venture coaching, mentoring and project scholarships. Most of it happens online, alongside local meet-ups and regional summits, and it costs fellows nothing.

What you get:

• Free participation: beVisioneers says there are no costs to fellows and the programme is fully funded by Mercedes-Benz
• Travel, accommodation and expenses covered for regional summits, and for the global summit if you are invited
• 1:1 mentoring and venture coaching, plus expert workshops and network events
• A Cost of Living Stipend of 24 hours a month at the German minimum wage, adjusted for purchasing power in your country, from day one if you are economically disadvantaged, otherwise once you reach two project milestones
• An Online Access Stipend for WiFi and a laptop or other IT equipment, for economically disadvantaged fellows
• The chance to win a project scholarship after the first 12 months (beVisioneers quotes up to 15,000 euros on its fellowship page and 2,000 to 20,000 euros in its FAQ)
• Membership of the alumni network of investors, accelerators, experts and climate scientists after the fellowship
• You keep all intellectual property you bring or develop

• Aged 18 to 28 on the closing date, January 31, 2027. If you turn 29 on or before that date you are not eligible
• Must currently reside in one of the eligible countries (the EU and wider Europe including the UK, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and the Western Balkans, plus India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, the United States and Zimbabwe), live there for more than 9 months of each fellowship year, and implement the project there
• Good spoken and written English, assessed through your written answers and interview video
• An existing planet-positive project or a strong idea for one, in one of seven impact zones such as clean energy, water, biodiversity, food systems, circular economy, transport or construction
• Projects that are already financially sustainable are not accepted
• Team members must each apply individually; fellows are selected as individuals
• You cannot work for Mercedes-Benz or have a parent or guardian who does
• The application needs a written form, a scan of your passport or national ID, and a three-minute recorded video interview; the financial support section is optional