We are looking for individuals who are facing the many, and often intertwined, crises of our time by developing ideas for equal, sustainable and inclusive futures in the digital space and beyond. This might be through activism, artistic work, civil society engagement or something else.

You can apply to become a fellow if you are 18 years or older living in Europe or the Mediterranean. This includes:

Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

Call for applications is open from December 6, 2022 until January 15, 2023 11:59 PM CET.

Candidates for the fellowship will be notified between mid to end of February 2023.

The fellowship starts in March 2023 and ends in October 2023. In this period of time there will be digital check-ins to connect, share and discuss information on the projects and their processes. The fellows will be invited for a final gathering in Berlin at the end of October 2023.

We will be working with ten fellows over the course of eight months, from March to October 2023.

As a fellow, you will join SUPERRR LAB’s and the Allianz Foundation’s networks and become part of a vibrant community of like-minded practitioners, artists and activists around Europe and beyond.

We will support you throughout the fellowship with a stipend, as well as mentoring, qualification and/or travel expenses. We will also support you and your project to gain visibility.

We will offer digital check-ins to connect, share and discuss your ideas and the growth of your projects. We plan to develop forms and spaces of knowledge exchange, such as workshops, talks and events, that fit your needs and requests.

The programme’s approach is not one size fits all. Rather, we strive for it to be a flexible vehicle that matches your needs as a fellow. We will work with each fellow individually to see what you want to work on and the support you need.

A stipend of €10,000* which will be disbursed at the monthly rate of €1,250* over the course of eight months. The aim of this stipend is to support you to focus on your fellowship project.

Access to an additional budget of up to €2,000* for fellowship-related costs, such as mentoring, qualification, and travel expenses.

A budget of €500* to spend on a Community Flash Grant. With this grant you can support a person or group in your community or communities.

*Proposed fellowship stipend amounts are gross amounts and may be reduced by applicable taxes. Fellows are responsible for paying all applicable taxes, whether in their home jurisdiction, the jurisdiction where the fellowship occurs, or any other jurisdiction.

We believe you know best which ideas can offer new starting points for equal, inclusive and sustainable digital futures. We appreciate a variety and diversity of approaches and ideas – be it a digital tool, a community building project, an artwork, an activist campaign or something else entirely. We are really excited to hear about your ideas!

Our former fellowship programme, The New New, might give you an idea of the projects which have inspired us before.

We encourage people to apply with projects they are already working on. Please state in your application what specific steps you plan to take during the fellowship, and how this will help your project move forward.

You can apply via a simple online form or by email to hello@risktakers.space until January 15, 2023 11:59 PM CET. If you prefer to submit your application via encrypted email, please use this openpgp key to get in touch.

Please note that we cannot accept applications that reach us any later. In case you have problems with the application form or need assistance, please reach out to hello@risktakers.space.

A mindful handling of your resources is important to us, which is why we want to facilitate an application process that involves as little bureaucracy as possible. If you have any recommendations on how we can improve and simplify the process in future, we are happy to receive your feedback at hello@risktakers.space.

If you need support in filling in the form, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

If using your real name in the programme would put you at risk, we will find a solution for you to participate while remaining publicly anonymous.

Whether you apply over the online form, via email or encrypted email, we ask you to answer the following questions:

• What is your name? (Nickname or alias is fine too.)
• What is your email address?
• What is the name of your project?
• Describe your project in 1000 characters.
• Does your project have a website or social media account?
• Your vision: To what future do you aspire? How does it relate to the challenges and crises of our present and future? You have 500 characters.
• How are you working towards this future with your idea? What role does technology play in this future? You have 500 characters.
• Tell us about the community or communities you are working with and reaching out to with your idea. You have 500 characters.
• What do you plan to work on during the fellowship? Give us an overview of the different steps in your project. What will your output look like? Who do you want to reach with it? You have 500 characters.
• Tell us more about yourself: What motivates you to work on this idea? What previous projects have you been working on? You have 500 characters.
• Where are you based? It is sufficient to state the country you are most active in.

We ask you to submit your application in English. Feel free to use a software or online tool to translate your application. We are aware that English is probably not your first language – for us the content is key.

If you have trouble translating your application please reach out to us at hello@risktakers.space and we will find a solution.

If you need any kind of support due to (dis)abilities, social or personal obstacles, please reach out to us. We are flexible and willing to find solutions.

The Selection Committee and the Risktakers Fellowship team will select the fellows. Their decision will be based on criteria that include factors like the relevance and urgency of the topic, the originality of the idea, involvement of and/or collaboration with (underrepresented) communities, and project feasibility.

Due to limited capacity, we will not be able to give feedback on individual applications.

We will notify fellowship candidates between mid to end of February 2023. We will reach out to all applicants in early March 2023 via email.

If we have questions about your application, we will get in touch with you at the end of January or early February 2023.

The fellowship grant is a way to support your ongoing commitment to your cause. We trust that you know best how to spend it.

Proposed fellowship stipend amounts are gross amounts and may be reduced by applicable taxes. The fellows are responsible for paying all applicable taxes, whether in their home jurisdiction, the jurisdiction where the fellowship occurs, or any other jurisdiction.

With the Risktakers Fellowship, Allianz Foundation and SUPERRR LAB aim to create safe(r) and brave(r) spaces of hope characterised by values such as respect, care, mutual learning and collaboration. We expect fellows to support each other, freely exchange knowledge with other fellows and share their learning.

With new projects and visionary ideas there is always the possibility that things don’t turn out as planned. This fellowship is purposefully called “Risktakers” as taking risks is not only consistent with the aim of the fellowship, but integral to it. The essence of this programme is about acknowledging and valuing the courage to try out new ideas, the process itself, and joint learning.

Allianz Foundation is an independent foundation based in Berlin promoting and supporting people and organizations who face the challenges of our times. The work done by the Allianz Foundation is built on the firm belief that open and diverse societies, social justice and a livable environment go hand in hand. We support and connect risktakers from civil society, environmental protection, the arts and culture – those who dare to test new societal models of living together beyond the beaten path. Alban Genty and Feray Halil are representing the Allianz Foundation in the Risktakers Fellowship team. More information at allianzfoundation.org.

SUPERRR LAB is a feminist organization and network that operates in spaces where technology and society intersect. We develop visions and projects with the goal of creating more equitable futures. We do so by researching technologies, building networks and shaping new narratives. We set out to fix the lack of diverse perspectives and visions in politics, research and technology by bringing new viewpoints and stakeholders to the discussion. Julia Kloiber and Nandita Vasanta are representing SUPERRR LAB in the Risktakers Fellowship team. More information at superrr.net.