Acumen AcademyFellowship

Southeast Asia Acumen Fellowship

Dec 06, 2026 23:59:00 Asia/Kuala_Lumpur

Opportunity type

Fellowship

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

Global

Deadline

Dec 06, 2026 23:59:00 Asia/Kuala_Lumpur

About this opportunity

Acumen Academy runs the Southeast Asia Acumen Fellowship, an eight month leadership programme for social entrepreneurs and senior leaders who have already built something that works against poverty and now want to take it much further. It is delivered in Malaysia by Malaysia Acumen Academy with the YTL Foundation, as a licensed affiliate of Acumen. About 20 Fellows are chosen each year, and applications open on 5 October 2026.

What you get:

A place in a small cohort of around 20 of Southeast Asia's most ambitious social impact builders
Programme costs covered, including travel, lodging and food for the in-person immersives
A leadership curriculum covering polarity management, adaptive leadership, authentic voice and a Good Society reading seminar
Monthly one-on-one calls with the programme team
Lifelong membership of the Foundry, Acumen's global community of more than 2,000 social innovators in 71 countries
Eligibility to apply to Acumen Angels for catalytic capital once you are a Foundry member, through its own separate competitive process

What you'll do:

Keep running your organisation while taking part in an eight month hybrid programme
Attend a five day in-person orientation and two five day full-time in-person immersives, held in the past in Kuala Lumpur, Pahang and Perak
Join two virtual four hour Learning Labs and complete self-paced learning between sessions
Commit at least 2.5 hours a week on average, with 100 percent attendance expected

Key dates:

Applications open 5 October 2026
Info sessions on Zoom: 21 October, 28 October and 4 November 2026
Applications close 6 December 2026
Selection Conference for shortlisted applicants, held virtually: 27 to 28 February 2027
Fellowship starts April 2027 and runs for 8 months

More information:

Read the 2027 Applicant Toolkit linked from the programme page before applying
Questions go to fellows@acumenacademy.org

Who can apply

Must be over 18
Resident of Southeast Asia: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste or Vietnam. Exceptions are possible for applicants with a concrete connection to the region, such as long-term employment there or an initiative focused on it
At least 5 years of work experience; Fellows average 10 to 15 years, with 3 years working on poverty
Currently leading, and working full time in, an organisation whose work meaningfully tackles poverty and shows demonstrated impact
Proficient in English, since all sessions are in English
Reliable internet and full availability for the whole programme
No academic qualifications required
Not open to past Acumen Fellows or graduates of listed Acumen Academy Leadership Accelerators, including the Inclusive Economy Leadership SEA Program and the Social Impact Leadership Accelerator Vietnam
Only one person per organisation can advance in the selection process in a given year

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Good to know

+Eight months of leadership training with about 20 of the region's social entrepreneurs
+Programme costs covered, and the selection stage is online
+Run by Acumen with the YTL Foundation

Worth checking yourself

!Applications open 5 October 2026
!For experienced leaders: at least five years of work experience, and most Fellows have ten or more
!No stipend, and travel is paid only within your own country
!You must live in Southeast Asia and attend three five-day in-person sessions

Sources checked

ACacumen.orgOfficialACacumenacademy.orgOfficialFEfellowship.acumenacademy.orgApplyDRdrive.google.comOfficialAPapp.acumenacademy.orgOfficialACacumenacademy.smapply.orgOfficialACacumenacademy.orgOfficial

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