Prosperity Stack Fellowship
🏛 U.S. Mission to South Korea
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations implementing an AI fellowship or accelerator program for Korean entrepreneurs. Applicants must be institutions or nonprofits with experience designing fellowship programs, not individuals. Organizations need demonstrated expertise in artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, and innovation programming.
Applicants should show familiarity with Korea's startup and tech ecosystem. You must be able to coordinate with U.S. AI experts, Korean mentors, and educational institutions. The program operates through American Spaces (American Corners) in Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, and Pyeongtaek.
This is a State Department initiative administered by the U.S. Embassy Seoul. The fellowship targets early-stage Korean startup teams, not U.S. applicants.
Program description
Funding Opportunity Title: Prosperity Stack Fellowship
Funding Opportunity Number: PD-SEOUL-FY26-03
Deadline for Applications: Monday, July 13, 2026, 11:59 p.m. (GMT+9)
CFDA Number: 19.441
Type of Funding: FY26 Fulbright-Hays, American Spaces Support Funds
Total Amount Available: $108,000
This notice is subject to availability of funding.
Executive Summary
The U.S. Embassy Seoul Public Diplomacy Section invites proposals to implement the Prosperity Stack Fellowship, a strategic accelerator program designed to promote American AI technology with Korean early-stage entrepreneurs by connecting them with U.S. expertise in artificial intelligence, business development, and innovation. The program will engage young Korean innovators through training, mentorship, regional engagement, and public showcase opportunities linked to the American Spaces network in Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, and Pyeongtaek.
Through a multi-phase fellowship model, selected startup teams will receive training in U.S. AI applications, American business management principles, pitching, and product development. Finalist teams will participate in advanced technical training and mentorship, and top-performing teams may receive project development support to help advance their concepts toward market-readiness.
The program should culminate in a final Demo Day and follow-on engagement that showcases participant outcomes, strengthens the role of American Spaces as regional gateways for innovation, and demonstrates how American AI Stack, U.S. technical platforms, business practices, and professional link to silicon valley experts can support Korean entrepreneurs and advance shared prosperity.
Program Goal
The goal of this program is to strengthen U.S. leadership and U.S.-ROK cooperation in artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship by connecting Korean early-stage innovators with American AI technology, work platforms, business practices, professional networks, and practical startup development support.
Program Objectives
- Recruit and train Korean startup teams through a structured fellowship curriculum focused on U.S. AI applications, American business management principles, pitching, and project development.
- Connect selected finalist teams with American AI experts and relevant U.S. and Korean mentors through advanced technical training and mentorship.
- Support top-performing teams through project development assistance and follow-on mentorship to help advance their concepts toward viable and scalable models.
- Use American Corners as regional platforms for entrepreneurship, innovation, and U.S.-ROK technology engagement.
- Showcase participant outcomes through a final Demo Day, media outreach, and follow-on regional engagement that demonstrate the economic opportunity the American AI Stack can unleash for Korean entrepreneurs.
Program Design and Required Activities
Applicants should propose a detailed implementation plan that incorporates the following required program components. Applicants may propose adjustments to the sequence, format, or delivery method where appropriate, but proposals should clearly demonstrate how the overall fellowship model will be implemented.
- Recruitment and selection of up to 20 teams of Korean innovators, ages 18–35, with no more than five members per team, with a focus on American Corner regions in Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, and Pyeongtaek.
- A five-week intensive online workshop that includes lectures and mentorship on American artificial intelligence, business, and pitching, as well as regional in-person meetups for teams at American Corners.
- Pitching sessions at the four American Corner locations, based on each team’s closest region, to select up to 10 teams for the next phase.
- A three-day, two-night AI Camp for the selected 10 teams, featuring hands-on training from American AI experts using the American AI Stack.
- Project development support for up to five top-performing teams, with support of up to $6,000 per team. Project development support may include subscriptions to U.S. AI application programming interfaces or other U.S. AI technology, technology subscriptions including data storage, or other necessary expenses to develop a fully functioning AI-powered prototype product.
- Continued mentorship and support from accelerators and local AI industry leaders for up to six months to help the selected teams develop their projects.
- A final Demo Day at American Diplomacy House to showcase team outcomes.
- Follow-on debriefing sessions at all four American Corner locations, where the five selected teams share their final products or proposals.
- A robust media and outreach plan using the program’s outcomes to highlight the opportunities American AI can unleash for local entrepreneurs.
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)
Applicants should clearly define expected outputs and outcomes and include a plan for monitoring and evaluation. Proposals should identify:
- Performance indicators, such as the number of teams recruited, number of participants trained, number of regional meetups held, number of teams completing the five-week training, number of teams selected for AI Camp, number of mentorship sessions delivered, number of teams receiving project development support, Demo Day attendance, media reach, number of teams launching viable products, increased public awareness of American AI and business culture, and participant feedback.
- Targets and, where appropriate, baseline data
- Data collection methods, such as application records, attendance records, participant surveys, mentor feedback, pitch evaluation forms, project progress reports, event records, interviews, and digital analytics.
- Methods for assessing whether participants improved their understanding of U.S. AI applications, strengthened their business or pitching skills, advanced their project concepts, expanded professional networks, or applied U.S. technical expertise and business practices to their startup ideas.
All application materials must be submitted by email to SeoulPDGrants@state.gov
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Detailed program proposal and fellowship curriculum
- Organizational capacity statement and relevant program management experience
- Letters of commitment from U.S. AI experts and Korean mentors
- Budget and budget narrative
- Evidence of familiarity with Korea's startup and technology ecosystem
- Plan for coordination with American Spaces and partner institutions
Program contact
- 👤 Kyung Hee KANG Seoul PD Grants Team
- 📧 seoulpdgrants@state.gov
- 📞 82-2-397-4619
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 19.441 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$2,360,000
-
$414,331
-
$347,000
-
$288,916
-
$258,620
-
$200,000
-
$199,832
-
$194,970
-
$183,443
-
$168,958
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 19.441). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $11,879,653 | |
| 2025 | $5,155,325 | |
| 2026 est. | $5,155,325 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Organizations with experience designing and managing fellowship or accelerator programs. Individuals cannot apply. You must have capacity to implement AI-focused entrepreneurship training.
What is the deadline?
Monday, July 13, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (GMT+9). Submit applications through the U.S. Embassy Seoul.
What activities does this fund?
Training Korean startups in U.S. AI applications and business practices. Mentorship with American AI experts. Demo Day and showcase events. Project development support for top teams.
How much can we request?
Awards range from $100,000 to $108,000. Total pool is $108,000, so likely one award.
What makes applications competitive?
Clear understanding of Korea's tech ecosystem. Strong partnerships with U.S. and Korean mentors and institutions. Proven experience running fellowship or accelerator programs.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Research American Spaces locations in Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, and Pyeongtaek before writing your proposal. These are your program venues.
- Build your partnerships first. Identify U.S. AI experts and Korean mentors who will participate. Include their letters of commitment.
- Show clear experience with fellowship or accelerator models. Include past program data if available (cohort sizes, outcomes, retention rates).
- Structure your proposal around the multi-phase model: recruitment, training, mentorship, project development, and Demo Day.
- Emphasize how your program demonstrates U.S. AI leadership and strengthens U.S.-Korea cooperation in innovation.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Failing to demonstrate existing relationships with U.S. AI experts and Korean institutions. Proposing a program design without detailed implementation capacity or fellowship management experience. Underestimating the scope of coordinating across four geographic locations and multiple mentor networks.
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