Tips for a Standout Application
Know Your Impact Zone
At beVisioneers, we focus on 7 Impact Zones. These are not just a catalogue of sustainability challenges. Instead, they are distinct areas of work where challenges intersect with areas of work. They encompass pressing issues such as 'Water Access' and 'Sustainable Transport and Mobility' as well as crucial intervention areas like 'Biodiversity and Restoration'.
We aim to align your innovative ideas and projects with these Impact Zones. In doing so, we ensure that you identify the most pressing problems and work in areas that have proven to make the most systemic impact. As such, you will be identifying a clear path to maximize the impact of your planet-positive project.
So, it’s a big bonus if you can match your idea to one of our Impact Zones. If you aren’t sure if your idea perfectly aligns with these specific zones, don't hesitate. As long as your idea can help build a more sustainable future, go for it. For a full explanation of our Impact Zones, check out Q3 in our FAQs
Show us Your Passion for the Problem
As Co-Lead of Venture Coaches, Iris Lapinski explains; ''We want Fellows who have a profound curiosity of the problem they're trying to solve and a willingness to go deep into this problem''. We select candidates who have not only identified an environmental challenge but also either demonstrate a deep understanding of its root causes or exhibit the potential to grasp them. For example, suppose you want to address deforestation. In that case, you would be expected to consider its underlying drivers. These might include illegal logging, lack of sustainable income alternatives, inadequate sustainable land-use practices, or values that prioritize short-term benefits at the expense of long-term sustainability.
However, if you are in just the idea stage, we value your mindset that is receptive to systemic relations and avoids oversimplified solutions. So, keep in mind that the deforestation example is just illustrative. We trust you and your community´s insights regarding what's optimal for your communities — show us!
We Want Fellows Who Aren't Afraid of Failure
We want Fellows who show grit. Who are in this for the long run because entrepreneurship is a marathon, no a sprint. As Director of Sustainable Ventures Patrick Meier explains; ''we want Fellows who are not phased by failure; they get back up again, over and over, and try harder''. We want Fellows who don't see Failure as an end but as a means to grow and learn and develop their idea. Fellows that go against the grain and blaze their own trail in a way only true innovators do.
Every misstep reveals valuable insights about customer needs, product design, and effective business strategies—knowledge that cannot be gained through success alone. Failure also builds resilience, encouraging entrepreneurs to adapt, rethink, and innovate rather than give up when challenges arise. We want young innovators who are experimental, fluid, creative, and confident, as a result of learning from ups and downs.
Be Specific & Demonstrate Your Understanding
We love to see Fellows who have already understood that their idea has potential in their market. It is not a mandatory requirement but it definitely strengthens your application. As Co-Lead of Venture Coaches, Marguerite Bellec demonstrates: ''it's an added bonus if Fellows can also show that they have basic knowledge of market & research skills. Prove to us that you have looked at your market and found something missing that you can provide; is someone doing something similar but in another country? Is someone already doing something similar to you but not as good?''
How Will You Contribute to the beVisioneers Community?
We see our Fellows not just as a professional network but as a vast, diverse and co-creative community built on trust, inclusivity, and openness. It will help your application, if you can show us what you will bring to the community; how do you work with others? Have you collaborated as part of a larger team before? Show us you have a track record with collaborating with other people. As Venture Coach Nihal Ahmed put it; ''we're looking for innovators who lead with the mind and the heart, who bring a warm, nurturing energy to the spaces they hold''.
Remember No Idea Is Too Big or Too Small
Whether you believe your idea is a groundbreaking technological innovation or a subtler, incremental change, your contributions are incredibly valuable. If you're convinced that your vision can contribute to building a planet-positive world, we encourage you to pursue it. In the diversity of ideas lies the key to innovative and effective solutions, and we're eager to explore all possibilities that can lead us to a more sustainable future. Your unique perspective could be the missing piece of the puzzle. The important thing is to demonstrate that your idea is a priority, whether that's on a local, national, or global level. You can point to UN, Governmental reports and other reliable sources to back up this claim.
Have You Already Started Developing Your Project?
We're looking for young innovators who are at the start of their entrepreneurship journey. However, it reinforces your application if you can demonstrate how you've already done some proactive work on your idea beforehand, even on a small scale. As Co-Lead of Venture Coaches, Marguerite Bellec put it; ''we want to see the work you've done already and the lessons you've learned from that experience. This could be a basic survey, a 3-d printed prototype, examples of users, any sort of traction or proof of concept would be great''.
English Proficiency
In order to participate in the Fellowship, you need to be able to express yourself proficiently in English. You don't have to be Native level or have a great TOEFL certificate but you have to be able to understand the programming, be able to participate in workshops, deliver assignments and develop your project all in English. You can have an accent, you can speak in a dialect. We do not penalize applications because they are not C1 level of English however we do check applications to see if they were written by AI so please refrain from using ChatGPT. We want to hear your voice. We want to read your words.
Be Yourself
We know. You’ve heard this advice before and it may sound cheesy but it’s the truth. We want to get to know you as an individual. We want to see how you understand the specific challenges in your local community and how you would like to solve them. No one knows your community like you do. This Fellowship is for the next generation, so we don’t expect you to have 10 years of experience in the sustainability field. This is for eco-innovators at the start of their journey so no need to feel imposter syndrome. We are looking for young and unique voices, if that sounds like you then you’re already qualified.
We hope this has served as a helpful guide. We can’t wait to hear your planet-positive idea. Get going!