FAQ

What is the PresenTense Institute?

The PresenTense Institute is an accelerator for social ventures that seek to solve problems facing the Jewish People and the World. We help individual social entrepreneurs take their ideas, build them into pioneering expeditions, and launch them into a supportive community committed to its success.

What is the application process?

The first stage, in which we accepted general applications, closed on Jan 28. In the second stage (Deadline: February 25, 11:59pm EST), we are currently recruiting fellows whose projects focus on Jewish life in the Diaspora, specifically from Latin America, South Africa, Australia, Europe, Canada, and cities in the US where we do not yet run local fellowships. From these two stages of applicants, around 50 people are selected to advance to the second round. Of those selected to advance, 16 people are invited to join us in Jerusalem during June and July for the 2012 Global Summer Institute.

What does the fellowship involve?

The PresenTense Global Summer Institute is a unique training program for Jewish social entrepreneurs, built by entrepreneurs.  We incorporate a number of training modules to provide innovators the resources, skills and opportunities needed for venture success.  Fellows are taught core business skills through skillbuilding sessions, the tool-kit is refined by leading academics and business professionals, fellows are mentored by leaders in their fields, coached by professionals, connected with industry peers -- and showcased to the greater community in a final Launch Night. Learn more about the curriculum here.

What sort of skills will I acquire?

During the 6 week Institute you will be working to develop your business plan.  Every week we concentrate on a specific sub-topic, and bring in speakers and skillbuilders to teach about that area of focus.  For example, the week focused on how to identify and reach your "customer" will include lessons about how to build a website, navigate social media and develop a marketing plan -- all taught by branding professionals, social-media entrepreneurs and marketing consultants.

What types of seminars? Mentorship? Networking?

Seminars:  Institute seminars follow different tracks: Skillbuilding, and Peer Learning. Skillbuilding sessions take place twice a week and are in-person training seminars providing theory and application opportunities on such topics as: social entrepreneurship, internal organizational tools, external development and public tools. Peer Learning sessions give fellows the opportunity to teach and learn from each other.  In these sessions fellows will teach skills that they have learned to their peers.

Mentorship:  Once accepted, the Institute Steering Committee will pair you with an industry professional and a peer-mentor to assist you with your plan, share ideas and make connections on behalf of your venture.  Consider them your sounding board.  PresenTense has many eager individuals in our network to help you realize your potential, and this relationship is yours to develop throughout the summer and after the Institute.

Networking:  The PresenTense community would not be the same as it is today without networking.  The Institute programming, the Hub where the Institute takes place, and the highly renowned Launch Night offers fellows a vast amount of networking opportunities to build and foster your network.

What happens at Launch Night? 

Launch Night is the perfect closing event to a program based on building and growing ventures.  Launch Night is designed to expose, promote, and connect fellows and their ventures to the greater PT community and other organizations in an exciting atmosphere.  The evening, filled with a vast amount of networking opportunities, cumulates into a pitching segment where fellows are able to pitch their venture with all eyes on them.  This does seem nerve-wracking, but this is what the Institute is designed for - to make you, as an entrepreneur, ready to make the next step.

What is the time commitment?

As entrepreneurs we know that a successful venture will only come out of hard work.  Fellows are expected to attend all Skillbuilding sessions and work on their ventures for a significant amount of time each week.

What are some examples of projects that could qualify for the Fellowship?

PresenTense Fellows have tackled a variety of issues and started diverse projects -- from food drives to online education tools to informational comics.  Check out our Fellows from past Institutes to get an idea of what PresenTense has helped launch.

Are there particular areas of focus? 

The projects PresenTense supports are focused on Media, Education, Social Action, Community Organizing, Philanthropy, and the Environment.

In addition, we are currently recruiting fellows from the Diaspora - Latin America, South Africa, Australia, Europe, Canada, and US cities without local PresenTense fellowships. If you are from Israel or a US city which currently has a PresenTense fellowship, you may still apply, but the competition will be strong.

How many Fellows are accepted?

This summer we are accepting 16 Fellows.

What if I already have a team?

If possible, we encourage at least 2 members of your team to apply to the Fellowship.  

How developed does my start-up need to be?

The beauty of PresenTense is you can apply with just an idea!  We would like to see that idea as developed as possible, but existing programming is not a requirement. 

Do fellows need to pay to participate?

The Global Summer Institute is a sponsored fellowship. While we value the program at $16,500, we only ask those applicants that are accepted to pay a commitment fee of $150. 

Needs-based stipends up to $1000 are available to help with the cost of travel and to rent room/board for the duration of the six weeks. Further information and an application to apply for a stipend will be sent out upon acceptance to the Global Summer Institute. 

Still have questions?
Feel free to send an email to institute-at-presentense.org