Activate Global Inc
Activate Global Inc is a public charity based in Berkeley, California. It supports scientists and engineers in bringing hard-tech research to market, principally through fellowship programming that provides funding, technical resources, mentorship, and community support.
Activate Global Inc at a glance
In short: Activate Global Inc gave $10.6M across 77 grants in 2025 (avg $138K), top state Massachusetts. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $10,625,550
- +156.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 77
- +51.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $137,994
- +70.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $25,482,680
- -2.4% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (33% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Activate Global Inc
- Review Cycle
- October 30, 2026, at 12 p.m. PT for the U.S. Fellowship Cohort 2027. The listed September 30, 2026 deadline for the Activate BRIDGE Japan Program has passed.
- Deadline
- October 30, 2026, at 12 p.m.
- Next open deadline
- October 23, 2026 (Activate Fellowship)
- Contact
Mailing address: 2600 Tenth Street Suite 300, Berkeley, CA 94710
Phone: (510) 214-3788
Website: https://activate.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Activate Global Inc
Activate BRIDGE Louisiana Program
Activate Global Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Activate Fellowship
Activate Global Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Expected ~October
Based on past cycles
Activate Global - Singapore Fellowship
Activate Global Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Activate Global Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Circe Bioscience Inc ($1.2M). Together the top 10 received $3.7M.
Organizations only. It also paid 8 grants to individuals ($1,110,216), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
169 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 112 grants of 169 (66%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Activate’s U.S. fellowship communities are in Berkeley, Boston, New York, and Houston, with Activate Anywhere serving fellows nationwide. The organization also describes global fellowship programming in Singapore and a Japan program. In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to Massachusetts (33%), California (18%), New York (14%), Texas (10%), and Colorado (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 77 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Activate Global Inc gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $650K (2022) to $10.6M (2025). In 2025 it made 77 grants totaling $10.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Circe Bioscience Inc Cambridge, MA | Technology Development Funds | $1,168,986 |
| Irradiant Technologies Waltham, MA | Technology Development Funds | $677,078 |
| Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Oakland, CA | Research Project Expenses | $456,006 |
| 6 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $1,019,262 |
| Hit Nano Inc Bordentown, NJ | Technology Development Funds and Fellowship Living Stipends | $206,000 |
| Raven Space Systems Inc Kansas City, MO | Technology Development Funds and Fellowship Living Stipends | $205,424 |
| Heliotrope Photonics Inc Brooklyn, NY | Technology Development Funds and Fellowship Living Stipends | $205,402 |
| Icarus Quantum Inc Boulder, CO | Technology Development Funds and Fellowship Living Stipends | $205,068 |
| Lumistrain Houston, TX | Technology Development Funds and Fellowship Living Stipends | $204,972 |
| Andros Innovation Inc Cambridge, MA | Technology Development Funds and Fellowship Living Stipends | $204,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Activate Global Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $25,482,680 | $30,637,585 | $31,490,730 | $10,625,550 | 77 | $505,790 |
| 2024 | $26,103,206 | $23,823,486 | $23,553,752 | $4,136,042 | 51 | $411,697 |
| 2023 | $26,386,377 | $26,734,894 | $19,015,079 | $3,739,054 | 29 | $129,761 |
| 2022 | $17,956,165 | $18,338,872 | $12,818,117 | $649,610 | 5 | $-720 |
| 2021 | $11,949,967 | $13,059,575 | $8,160,385 | $675,000 | 7 | $7,584 |
| 2020 | $6,544,461 | $8,612,508 | $5,668,930 | — | — | $9,545 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Activate states that it empowers scientists to reinvent the world by bringing their research to market. Its website describes a broader mission of building a community that drives science into impact, including growing hard-tech leaders, creating demand for people who bridge science and business, and advocating for investment, partnerships, public-sector support, and academic cultures that value innovation.
Its fellowship supports early-stage science entrepreneurs developing hardware-based technologies rooted in the physical or biological sciences or related engineering disciplines. Listed areas include energy, climate and resilience, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, materials, food and agriculture, life sciences, space, water, and other hard-tech fields.
The 2025 grant listing includes support for technology development and research project expenses. One listed recipient, Berkeley Lab Foundation, describes its own mission as supporting the scientific and educational purposes of the Regents of the University of California in its capacity as manager and operator of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, along with other charitable and educational activities allowed by law. An individual recipient, another listed recipient, describes itself as a scientific nonprofit advancing AI models and tools to accelerate biology research and improve how scientists interact with genomic information.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Activate reported 77 grants totaling $10,625,550. Grant amounts ranged from $5,500 to $1,168,986, with a median of $100,000. The largest listed awards included $1,168,986 to CIRCE BIOSCIENCE INC for technology development funds, $677,078 to an individual recipient for technology development funds, and $456,006 to LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY for research project expenses. Other listed awards included $211,333 to an individual recipient in California and $206,000 to an individual recipient INC; several awards were described as technology development funds and fellowship living stipends.
Activate’s main fellowship is a two-year program for early-stage science entrepreneurs. Its website describes annual living stipends, R&D support, travel and professional-development funds, health insurance stipends, and other support for fellows. These are benefits for program participants, rather than a grant program for outside applicants.
The U.S. fellowship page states that applications for Cohort 2027 are open and close October 30, 2026, at 12 p.m. PT. Applicants must meet experience and project criteria, including leading the commercial development of a hardware-based innovation for the first time, committing full-time to the project if selected, and having a project still in development. The page directs applicants to complete an interest form to receive the application link.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists NICOLE SYSTROM as chairperson, R TODD JOHNSON as secretary, and MORRY CATER as vice chair. It also lists ALEX DEHGAN and NITESH SHARAN as board members as of 10/24, along with LIESEL PRITZKER SIMMONS, ANDREW HSIEH, and TROY BREWSTER as board members. CYRUS WADIA is listed as chief executive officer, and MATTHEW B PRICE as chief financial officer through 9/24.
Activate Global Inc is led by Cyrus Wadia, Chief Executive Officer on every filing since 2024; 12 of 20 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Cyrus Wadia
Chief Executive Officer
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$93K (2024) → $491K (2025)
Nicole Systrom
Chairperson
Board Member → Chairperson, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Aimee Rose
Executive Managing Director
Managing Director → Senior Managing Director, 2022
Senior Managing Director → Executive Managing Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$223K (2021) → $313K (2025)
Andrew R. Chang
Managing Director - Activate New York
Managing Director-Ag New York → Managing Director - New York, 2024
Managing Director - New York → Managing Director - Activate New York, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$232K (2023) → $305K (2025)
Jill O. Fuss
Managing Director - Activate Berkeley
Managing Director - Berkeley → Managing Director - Activate Berkeley, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$255K (2024) → $291K (2025)
Daniel Recht
Managing Director - Activate Boston
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$278K (2025)
Edgar Andres Ochoa Cruz
Managing Director - Activate Anywhere
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$264K (2025)
Jeremy Pitts
Managing Director - Activate Houston
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$250K (2025)
Brenna M. Tiegler
Chief Fellowship Officer
Chief Fellowship → Chief Fellowship Officer, 2021
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$107K (2020) → $248K (2025)
Matthew B. Price
Chief Financial Officer
President & COO → President & CFO, 2023
President & CFO → Chief Financial Officer, 2025
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$197K (2020) → $242K (2025)
Steven H. Tran
Interim CFO & Treasurer
Vice President & Finance → Vice President, Finance & Contracts, 2022
Vice President, Finance & Contracts → Interim CFO & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$132K (2021) → $247K (2025)
Karin D. Lion
Chief Growth & Partnership
Chf Growth & Partnership Officer → Chief Growth & Partnership Officer, 2024
Chief Growth & Partnership Officer → Chief Growth & Partnership, 2025
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$237K (2022) → $312K (2025)
Naomi A. Baer
Chief Operating Officer
COO → Chief Operating Officer, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$132K (2023) → $344K (2025)
R. Todd Johnson
Secretary
Secretary & Interim CEO → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
$399K (2024) → $0 (2025)
Morry Cater
Vice Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Troy Brewster
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Liesel Pritzker Simmons
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Hsieh
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alex Dehgan
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nitesh Sharan
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (26)
- Former: Gabriel Kra (2020–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Liesl Schindler (2020–2024) — Chairperson
- Former: Philip J. Loew (2023–2024) — Senior Director & Expansion
- Former: Sarah Majorie Morrill (2023–2024) — Education Director
- Former: Dina Amouzigh (2024) — Senior Director, People & Culture
- Former: Ilan Gur (2020–2023) — CEO
- Former: Matt Rogers (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Thomas R Boussie (2020–2023) — Managing Director-Ag Berkeley
- Former: David Merkoski (2021–2023) — Creative Director
- Former: Brenna H Teigler (2022–2023) — Chief Fellowship Officer
- Former: Erin D Lindgren (2022–2023) — Strat Part Manager
- Former: Cortney Y Newell (2023) — Director Phil Part
- Former: Dustin L Frazier (2023) — Data Sol Architect
- Former: Hannah K Murnen (2023) — Managing Director-Ag Anywhere
- Former: Karen M Krause-Bencal (2023) — Vice President Defense Innovation
- Former: Ranulfo D Allen (2023) — Managing Director-Ag Boston
- Former: Robert T Johnson (2023) — Board Secretary & Int CEO
- Former: Dick Swanson (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Mary C O'Connor (2020–2022) — Editorial Director
- Former: Sebastien D Lounis (2020–2022) — Chief Brand Officer
- Former: Todd Johnson (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Sara E Murphy (2022) — Mar. & Committee Director
- Former: Arun Majumdar (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Robert L Ethier (2020–2021) — Vice President & Investments
- Former: John H Nguyen (2021) — Director
- Former: Jeanne L Dittman (2020) — Vice President Business Op.
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $491K, to Cyrus Wadia (Chief Executive Officer). 12 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Activate Global Inc
How much does Activate Global Inc give each year?
Activate Global Inc gave $10.6M across 77 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $4.1M across 51 grants.
What is Activate Global Inc's typical grant size?
Activate Global Inc's median grant in 2025 was $100,000, and its average grant was $137,994, across 77 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Activate Global Inc give grants?
Activate Global Inc's top state is Massachusetts, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (18%) and New York (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cambridge, MA (7 grants), Brooklyn, NY (5 grants), Houston, TX (5 grants) and San Francisco, CA (3 grants).
Does Activate Global Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 77 grants with a stated purpose on Activate Global Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Fellowship Living Stipends" (30 grants), "Technology Development Funds and Fellowship Living Stipends" (28 grants) and "Technology Development Funds" (18 grants).
Who are Activate Global Inc's largest grantees?
Activate Global Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Circe Bioscience Inc ($1,168,986), Irradiant Technologies ($677,078) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory ($456,006), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 8 grants to individuals ($1,110,216), which are not listed by name. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Activate Global Inc?
Activate Global Inc reported $25.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $30.6M.
What does Activate Global Inc fund?
Activate states that it empowers scientists to reinvent the world by bringing their research to market. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Activate Global Inc?
Activate Global Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check activate.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Activate Global Inc's EIN?
Activate Global Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-5502184. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Activate Global Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/activate-global-inc-morg_f7bb9bf5d18c4c1bb91aebe6ee966a8a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_475502184_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Activate Global Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/activate-global-inc-morg_f7bb9bf5d18c4c1bb91aebe6ee966a8a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Activate Global Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Activate Global Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?