Deadline: 13-Jul-2026
The U.S. Embassy Seoul Public Diplomacy Section is inviting proposals to implement the Prosperity Stack Fellowship, a strategic accelerator program for Korean early-stage entrepreneurs working with artificial intelligence. The fellowship will connect Korean innovators aged 18 to 35 with American AI tools, U.S. business expertise, technical mentorship, startup development support, and U.S.–ROK innovation networks.
Program Overview
The Prosperity Stack Fellowship is a proposed accelerator-style program designed to promote American artificial intelligence technology among Korean early-stage entrepreneurs.
The program will support Korean startup teams by connecting them with U.S. AI platforms, American business management principles, technical experts, mentors, and innovation networks. It is intended to strengthen U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence while advancing U.S.–Republic of Korea cooperation in entrepreneurship, technology, and economic innovation.
The fellowship will be implemented through online training, regional in-person meetups, pitching sessions, an advanced AI Camp, project development support, mentorship, Demo Day presentations, and follow-on engagement.
Funding Details
Estimated total program funding is $108,000.
Key funding points include:
- Estimated total program funding: $108,000
- Award ceiling: $108,000
- Award floor: $100,000
- Funding agency: U.S. Embassy Seoul Public Diplomacy Section
- Program type: AI entrepreneurship fellowship and accelerator
- Target country: Republic of Korea
- Individuals eligible to apply: No
Program Goals and Objectives
The program aims to strengthen U.S. leadership and U.S.–ROK cooperation in artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship.
Key objectives include:
- Promoting American AI technology among Korean early-stage entrepreneurs
- Connecting Korean innovators with U.S. AI tools and technical platforms
- Supporting startup development through American business expertise
- Strengthening U.S.–ROK collaboration in artificial intelligence
- Training Korean startup teams in AI applications and business development
- Improving pitching and project development skills
- Connecting finalist teams with U.S. and Korean mentors
- Supporting scalable AI-driven solutions
- Using American Corners as regional innovation hubs
- Showcasing outcomes through Demo Day and follow-on engagement
Program Priorities
The fellowship will focus on practical AI training, entrepreneurship development, and cross-border innovation cooperation.
Program priorities include:
- Recruitment of Korean startup teams
- Training through a structured fellowship curriculum
- Use of U.S.-based AI systems and tools
- Exposure to U.S. business management principles
- Pitch development and investor-style presentation skills
- Technical mentorship from American AI experts
- Regional engagement through American Corners
- Support for AI prototype development
- Follow-on accelerator-style mentorship
- Public outreach highlighting U.S.–ROK AI collaboration
Target Participants
The fellowship will engage up to 20 startup teams of Korean innovators.
Participant details include:
- Target group: Korean early-stage innovators
- Age range: 18 to 35
- Number of teams: Up to 20 startup teams
- Team size: No more than five members per team
- Recruitment locations: American Corner regions in Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, and Pyeongtaek
The program is designed for young Korean entrepreneurs who are developing or exploring AI-driven startup solutions.
Program Structure
The Prosperity Stack Fellowship will follow a phased accelerator model.
The main program components include:
- Recruitment of startup teams
- Five-week online workshop
- Regional in-person meetups
- Pitching sessions across four American Corner locations
- Selection of up to 10 teams for advanced AI Camp
- Three-day, two-night advanced AI Camp
- Selection of up to five top teams for project development support
- Up to six months of mentorship and accelerator-style support
- Demo Day at American Diplomacy House
- Regional debriefing sessions
- Media and outreach activities
Five-Week Online Workshop
Selected teams will participate in a five-week online workshop.
The workshop will combine lectures, mentorship, and practical learning on artificial intelligence applications, business development, and pitching.
Workshop focus areas include:
- AI applications
- U.S. business management principles
- Startup development
- Pitch preparation
- Project design
- Innovation strategy
- Mentorship with relevant experts
The online workshop will also be supported by regional in-person meetups at American Corners.
Regional American Corner Meetups
American Corners in Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, and Pyeongtaek will serve as regional innovation hubs for the fellowship.
These locations will support local engagement, in-person networking, mentoring opportunities, pitching activities, and follow-on debriefing sessions.
The use of American Corners helps extend the program beyond Seoul and connect innovators from multiple regions of Korea with U.S. technology and entrepreneurship resources.
Pitching Sessions and AI Camp
After the initial training phase, pitching sessions will be conducted across the four regional locations.
These sessions will select up to 10 teams for an advanced AI Camp.
The AI Camp will be a three-day, two-night intensive training program. It will provide hands-on learning delivered by American AI experts using U.S.-based AI systems and tools.
AI Camp activities may include:
- Advanced technical training
- Practical AI tool use
- Prototype refinement
- Business model development
- Mentor feedback
- Pitch improvement
- Team-based problem solving
Project Development Support
Following the AI Camp, up to five top-performing teams will receive project development support.
Each selected team may receive up to $6,000.
This support may be used for:
- AI application programming interfaces
- Data storage solutions
- Technology subscriptions
- Tools required to develop AI-driven prototypes
- Other approved project development needs
The goal of this support is to help teams build scalable AI solutions and move from concept to prototype development.
Mentorship and Accelerator Support
Selected teams will continue receiving mentorship and accelerator-style support for up to six months.
Mentorship will be guided by industry leaders and experts from both the United States and the Republic of Korea.
This support will help teams refine their AI solutions, improve business strategies, strengthen technical capacity, prepare for public presentation, and explore future growth opportunities.
Demo Day and Follow-On Engagement
The program will conclude with a Demo Day at American Diplomacy House.
Finalist teams will present their outcomes and demonstrate the progress made during the fellowship. The Demo Day will showcase AI-driven prototypes, startup concepts, and the value of U.S.–ROK collaboration in artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship.
After Demo Day, regional debriefing sessions will be held at American Corner locations. These sessions will support continued engagement, learning, and community-building.
Media and Outreach Plan
The program will include a media and outreach plan to highlight achievements and promote public awareness.
The outreach plan should demonstrate how American AI tools, U.S. business practices, and international collaboration can support Korean entrepreneurship and innovation.
Outreach activities may include:
- Promotion of fellowship milestones
- Coverage of team progress
- Showcasing Demo Day outcomes
- Highlighting American AI expertise
- Sharing success stories from participating teams
- Demonstrating the economic value of U.S.–ROK cooperation
Who Is Eligible to Apply?
Eligible applicants include organizations with the capacity to implement an AI entrepreneurship fellowship in Korea.
Eligible applicants include:
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
Individuals are not eligible to apply.
Applicants should demonstrate strong organizational capacity, technical understanding, and relevant experience in artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, innovation programming, and program management.
Applicant Capacity Requirements
Applicants are expected to show that they can manage a complex, multi-phase accelerator program.
Strong applicants should demonstrate:
- Experience in artificial intelligence or technology programming
- Knowledge of startup development and entrepreneurship training
- Program management capacity
- Familiarity with Korea’s startup ecosystem
- Ability to coordinate with U.S. and Korean stakeholders
- Ability to recruit and support young Korean innovators
- Capacity to organize online and in-person training
- Experience managing mentorship, pitching, and Demo Day activities
- Ability to handle project development support for finalist teams
- Strong communications, outreach, and reporting capacity
Why This Program Matters
The Prosperity Stack Fellowship matters because it strengthens AI entrepreneurship and innovation cooperation between the United States and the Republic of Korea.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly important for business development, digital transformation, startup growth, and economic competitiveness. By connecting Korean early-stage innovators with American AI tools and U.S. expertise, the fellowship helps young entrepreneurs develop practical solutions and build stronger startup capabilities.
The program also supports public diplomacy goals by demonstrating the value of U.S. technology leadership, American business practices, and cross-border collaboration in emerging technologies.
How the Program Works
The fellowship works through a structured accelerator pathway.
The implementation process includes:
- Recruiting up to 20 Korean startup teams from American Corner regions.
- Delivering a five-week online workshop on AI, business development, and pitching.
- Holding regional in-person meetups at American Corners.
- Conducting pitching sessions in Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, and Pyeongtaek.
- Selecting up to 10 teams for the advanced AI Camp.
- Delivering a three-day, two-night AI Camp with American AI experts.
- Selecting up to five top teams for project development support.
- Providing up to $6,000 per selected team for approved technology needs.
- Offering mentorship and accelerator support for up to six months.
- Hosting Demo Day at American Diplomacy House.
- Conducting regional debriefing sessions.
- Sharing results through a media and outreach plan.
How to Apply
Applicants should prepare a proposal that clearly explains how they will design, manage, and deliver the Prosperity Stack Fellowship.
Application Preparation Steps
- Confirm eligibility
Applicants should confirm that they qualify as an eligible nonprofit organization or private institution of higher education. Individuals are not eligible. - Define the implementation strategy
The proposal should explain how the applicant will recruit, train, mentor, and support Korean startup teams. - Describe the fellowship curriculum
Applicants should outline the five-week online workshop curriculum, including AI applications, U.S. business principles, pitching, and project development. - Explain American Corner engagement
The proposal should describe how American Corners in Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, and Pyeongtaek will be used as regional innovation hubs. - Detail the pitching and selection process
Applicants should explain how regional pitching sessions will be organized and how teams will be selected for the AI Camp. - Design the AI Camp
The proposal should describe the three-day, two-night camp, including hands-on training, use of U.S.-based AI tools, mentorship, and technical support. - Plan project development support
Applicants should explain how up to five top teams will receive and use project development support of up to $6,000 per team. - Include mentorship plans
The application should describe how teams will receive up to six months of mentorship from U.S. and Korean experts. - Prepare the Demo Day plan
Applicants should explain how finalist teams will present outcomes at American Diplomacy House. - Include a media and outreach strategy
The proposal should show how program achievements will be promoted and how U.S.–ROK AI collaboration will be highlighted. - Show organizational capacity
Applicants should demonstrate experience in AI, entrepreneurship, innovation programming, stakeholder coordination, and project management. - Prepare a realistic budget
The budget should fall within the award range of $100,000 to $108,000 and should align with all major program components.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid submitting proposals that are too general or do not clearly explain how the fellowship will be implemented.
Common mistakes include:
- Not showing clear eligibility
- Providing a weak recruitment plan
- Failing to define the fellowship curriculum
- Not explaining how American Corners will be used
- Leaving out details on AI tools and technical platforms
- Providing weak plans for U.S. expert involvement
- Not explaining the pitching and selection process
- Failing to describe the AI Camp in detail
- Not showing how project development support will be managed
- Overlooking the six-month mentorship phase
- Providing a weak Demo Day or outreach plan
- Not demonstrating familiarity with Korea’s startup ecosystem
- Submitting a budget that does not match the program design
Tips for a Strong Application
A strong application should be practical, structured, and clearly aligned with U.S.–ROK cooperation in artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship.
Applicants should:
- Clearly explain how the fellowship will promote American AI technology
- Show strong knowledge of Korea’s startup ecosystem
- Include a detailed training curriculum
- Demonstrate access to qualified AI experts and mentors
- Explain how U.S.-based AI systems and tools will be used
- Include a strong recruitment plan for innovators aged 18 to 35
- Use American Corners meaningfully as regional hubs
- Provide clear selection criteria for AI Camp and project support
- Include strong mentorship and follow-on engagement plans
- Design a professional Demo Day
- Include a measurable media and outreach strategy
- Provide a realistic budget and implementation timeline
Key Terms Explained
Prosperity Stack Fellowship
The Prosperity Stack Fellowship is a proposed accelerator program that connects Korean early-stage entrepreneurs with American AI tools, U.S. business expertise, technical mentorship, and startup development support.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence refers to technologies that enable machines or software systems to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as learning, analysis, prediction, automation, and decision-making.
Accelerator Program
An accelerator program is a structured support program that helps startup teams develop ideas, improve products, strengthen business models, receive mentorship, and prepare for market or investor engagement.
American Corners
American Corners are regional engagement spaces that support educational, cultural, professional, and innovation-related programming connected to the United States.
AI Camp
The AI Camp is an advanced three-day, two-night training phase for selected teams. It provides hands-on technical training using U.S.-based AI systems and tools.
Demo Day
Demo Day is the final presentation event where selected teams showcase their AI-driven solutions, prototypes, and program outcomes to stakeholders.
Project Development Support
Project development support refers to funding or technical assistance provided to help selected teams build prototypes or advance AI-driven solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Prosperity Stack Fellowship?
The Prosperity Stack Fellowship is an AI entrepreneurship accelerator program designed to connect Korean early-stage innovators with American AI technology, U.S. business expertise, mentorship, and startup development support.
Who is funding the opportunity?
The opportunity is issued by the U.S. Embassy Seoul Public Diplomacy Section.
What is the total program funding?
The estimated total program funding is $108,000.
What is the award range?
The award floor is $100,000, and the award ceiling is $108,000.
Who can apply?
Eligible applicants include nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education, and private institutions of higher education.
Can individuals apply?
No. Individuals are not eligible to apply.
Who will participate in the fellowship?
The fellowship will engage up to 20 startup teams of Korean innovators aged 18 to 35, with no more than five members per team.
Where will recruitment take place?
Recruitment will focus on American Corner regions in Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, and Pyeongtaek.
What will participants learn?
Participants will learn about AI applications, U.S. business management principles, pitching, project development, technical tools, and startup growth strategies.
What support will top teams receive?
Up to five top-performing teams may receive project development support of up to $6,000 per team for AI application programming interfaces, data storage solutions, or other technology subscriptions needed to develop AI-driven prototypes.
Conclusion
The Prosperity Stack Fellowship is designed to advance U.S.–ROK cooperation in artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, and innovation. By connecting Korean early-stage startup teams with American AI tools, expert mentorship, business development training, and project support, the program will help young innovators build scalable AI-driven solutions while highlighting the value of U.S. technology leadership and cross-border collaboration.
For more information, visit Grants.Gov.