Ignite: test and validate, fast

An 8-week cohort-based program for founders with a prototype who need to put it in front of real users and come out the other side with credible proof points.

Who is Ignite for?

Founders building climate adaptation or resilience solutions for vulnerable communities, who have built something concrete (an app, device, data model, service protocol) but haven’t yet tested it with real intended users.

We aim for cohorts with at least 40% women in leadership positions (ideally women-led or women co-led), and split roughly 50/50 between AI-first companies (where the model is the product) and AI-embedded companies (where AI sharpens an otherwise traditional solution). You don’t need deep AI experience to apply, just curiosity and willingness to learn and use AI tools during the cohort.

What you’ll get

Weekly group workshops on AI methods and application, customer discovery, lean experimentation and impact measurement
1:1 office hours with specialists in AI, product and sector
Subscriptions to select tools during the program
Playbooks for testing in low-income, climate-vulnerable markets
In-depth feedback on your onward journey from industry experts and investors

What you leave with

A refined, AI-enabled business model, evidence of impact and demand from real users, and a credible pitch to external stakeholders. Strong graduates are flagged for future Propel cohorts but Ignite doesn’t auto-progress companies.

Cohort size and format

13-14 founders per cohort. Fully remote. 2 workshop sessions per week, plus asynchronous work between sessions. Content-based workshops can be recorded to support asynchronous participation for founders managing caregiving or business demands.

Ignite Journey

MONTHS 1-3

Cohort selection

Active call window, application reviews, selection.

MONTHS 4-5

Onboarding & Workshops

Group sessions, 1:1 office hours, AI tools, building.

MONTHS 5-6

Close & Graduation

Evidence building, positioning, showcase & feedback forum.

Apply to Ignite

Expression of interest forms are open year-round. Those who express interest are notified and invited to apply when the application window for their region opens.