The Workers Lab: The Innovation Fund

From The Workers Lab

The Workers Lab invests in transformative ideas that ensure workers are safe, healthy, secure, and have power, aiming to modernize and make more inclusive the ways our country serves workers. Focusing on worker-led ideas, particularly from entrepreneurs of color and women, they aim to address the historical gap in early investment these groups face.

Type of Support

Overview

The Innovation Fund, managed by The Workers Lab since 2014, has provided $6.4 million to 86 innovators tackling critical challenges. The fund offers fellowship opportunities focusing on Climate Justice and Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI), addressing the significant impacts of climate change and AI on workers. The fellowship aims to empower innovators with training, mentorship, and investment to scale their ideas, targeting solutions that enhance work conditions, promote a green economy, and ensure equitable access to opportunities presented by AI. Selected fellows receive a monthly stipend, engage in programming, and have a chance to win up to $200,000 in investment, along with a year of additional support.

Eligibility

Organization's Location
USA
Program Location
Global
Organization Type
For-profit companies
Social enterprises (public-benefit corporations - B-Corps, etc.)
Individual Entrepreneurs
Co-operatives or other worker-led entities
Nonprofit organizations
Projects with a fiscal sponsor
Other
  • Must have a United States Tax ID or social security number
  • Innovators from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented among those who receive venture capital and startup funding, especially entrepreneurs who identify as women of color
  • Innovators with lived experience in the issue area they are addressing
  • Early-stage ideas (idea, solution, pre-pilot) centered around making the ways our country serves workers more modern and inclusive
  • Stages of development: Idea, Solution, Pre-Pilot, Pilot, Implementation, Scale
  • Plans for diversified future revenue streams
  • In need of startup capital and technical support with ambition to scale
not specified

Submission

Review Criteria

We strongly encourage applications from entrepreneurs who are women and people of color for this funding cycle.