Founders week Apply

T–43 days to launch

Start the AI safety organisation that should exist.

Spend five days in London with at least 30 founders, research leads and operators. Find co-founders, turn an idea into a plan and pitch it to funders.

Apply by 12 October How the week works

Organised by Pivotal, LISA and Meridian

When
9–13 Nov 2026
Where
LISA, London
Stipend
£1,000
Travel + hotel
Covered
Spots
At least 30
Apply by
12 October

New organisations for problems no one owns

Project Tailwind is Coefficient Giving’s call for founders to start ambitious AI safety projects on critical problems that no one owns yet. Its pre-seed grants range from $200k to $2m.

Liftoff Founders Week helps you start one of these projects. In five days, you shape an idea, test it with funders and leave with a clear plan for what to build next.

Read about Project Tailwind

Founders Week

  1. Before

    Prepare

    Choose one or two directions from Project Tailwind. Before the week, we introduce you to participants with related ideas who could become your co-founders.

  2. Mon

    Kick off

    Meet the other participants and possible co-founders. Study Project Tailwind in depth and meet funders.

  3. Tue–Wed

    Scope

    Choose your problem. Write your theory of change, your plan and budget for the first 12 months, and the case for your team. Test your thinking in office hours with founders, researchers and Coefficient Giving.

  4. Thu

    Pitch

    Pitch to Coefficient Giving grantmakers in a 10-minute conversation. Get written feedback the same day.

  5. Fri

    Decide

    Use the feedback to decide your next steps. Close the week together.

  6. After

    Propose

    Teams that Coefficient Giving sees as promising get 2–4 weeks of support from Pivotal to write a full proposal.

What you get

  • Co-founders

    We introduce you to people who want to build in the same area. You can form a team of 2–4 or work on your own idea.

  • Time with founders and funders

    Experienced founders, researchers and Coefficient Giving grantmakers join you during the week. They hold office hours and give feedback on your pitch.

  • £1,000 stipend, costs covered

    We pay you a £1,000 stipend. We also pay for your travel to London and your hotel for the week.

  • Support after the week

    Promising teams get 2–4 weeks of support to write a full proposal. Everyone leaves with a clearer view of what to build and a network of founders and funders in AI safety.

Who you’ll meet

Some of the founders and funders who join the week.

  • Aidan Ewart

    Funder

  • Justin Olive

    Founder

  • Erin Robertson

    Funder & Founder

For people who can build

You don’t need a finished idea or a co-founder to apply.

  • Founders

    You have built or run something before: an organisation, a programme, a product or a research agenda.

  • Research leads

    You have a track record in AI safety or a related field. You could lead a larger research effort.

  • Operators

    You are excellent at something a new organisation needs, such as operations, policy or fieldbuilding. You could be part of a founding team.

What we look for

  • A track record

    Work in AI safety or a related field, such as research, policy or fieldbuilding.

  • Things you have built

    An organisation, programme, product or research agenda that you started or ran. Founder and operations experience count for a lot.

  • A reason to build

    A clear answer to why you want to start something new instead of joining an existing lab or organisation.

Questions

What is Project Tailwind?

Project Tailwind is Coefficient Giving’s call for founders to start ambitious AI safety projects on critical problems that no one owns yet. Read more on the Coefficient Giving website.

Do I need a co-founder?

No. You can apply alone. Before and during the week, we introduce you to people with related ideas. We encourage you to form a team, but it is optional.

How developed does my idea need to be?

You only need one or two directions from Project Tailwind that you care about. You can change direction during the week.

What happens after the week?

The pitch on Thursday is a feedback conversation with grantmakers. Coefficient Giving makes funding decisions after the week, through Project Tailwind. Teams that it sees as promising get 2–4 weeks of support from Pivotal to write a full proposal.

I live outside the UK. Can I take part?

Yes. We pay for your travel to London and your hotel for the week.

Do I have to attend the whole week?

Yes. The week is in person at LISA in London, from Monday 9 to Friday 13 November.

Apply in under 30 minutes

Tell us about your experience, which group describes you best and which Project Tailwind directions you are most excited about.

Apply now

Applications close on 12 October

  1. 12 Oct

    Applications close.

  2. 12–15 Oct

    We review applications and invite some applicants to a 20-minute call.

  3. By 19 Oct

    We send decisions.

  4. After 19 Oct

    We introduce you to possible co-founders, book your travel and send you a short pre-read.

  5. 9–13 Nov

    Founders Week at LISA, London.