The Basis Fellowship

APPLICATIONS ALWAYS OPEN &middot; FIRST COHORT: 2026<br>ApplyNominate

[ PROVENANCE ]

It took us years to find each other.

Before that, we were here:

Mark's first electrical setup<br>Spencer's first thermoelectric cloud chamber<br>Steven's first neurostimulation machine

Somewhere, someone is watching a cell do something the textbooks say it can't. Someone is winding their third motor tonight, because the second one almost worked. Someone is running a hundred-person operation from a dorm desk. Someone is doing something we can't even imagine. They haven't met yet.

We ran the Duct Tape Prize, then the Eigenprize, and found incredible people. Every fellow points somewhere different.

Together, they span everything. That is the Basis.

[ THE OFFER ]

THE MONEY<br>$50,000<br>That's it. It's yours.

THE NETWORK<br>(n.) an interconnected group or association of persons.

[ THE FELLOWS ]

Fellows are named on a rolling basis. Every cohort joins one community. Being listed is optional — some fellows will never appear here.

2026FOUNDING COHORT

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[ ADVISORS ]

They've been where the cohort is going.

David Cahn<br>David Cahn<br>Ran venture at Coatue. Joined Sequoia as a partner at 27 and wrote "AI's $600B Question."

Xuanhe Zhao<br>Xuanhe Zhao<br>MIT professor of mechanical engineering. Makes hydrogels tougher than cartilage and tape that seals wet organs in seconds.

Paul DiTuro<br>Paul DiTuro<br>US special forces and particle physicist. Searched for the Higgs at Fermilab; founded the BrainStorm Institute at the University of South Carolina.

Spiros Michalakis<br>Spiros Michalakis<br>Quantum physicist at Caltech. Solved the quantum Hall problem, first of the thirteen millennium problems of mathematical physics. Coined Marvel's Quantum Realm.

…More coming

Interested in advising? mark [at] orbit.engineering

[ REMARK ]

There are no intractable problems.

The world changes when the right people find each other.

[ APPLY ]

Ten minutes.

Submit your portfolio and any other useful information, and answer the questions as honestly as you can.

Apply<br>Nominate &rarr; $1,000

If we choose someone you nominated, the $1,000 is yours.

And $3,000 , at our discretion, for a great submission that isn't chosen.

[ QUESTIONS / HOW IT WORKS ]+

NO STRINGS<br>We take nothing and expect nothing. There's no equity and no reporting, and you can spend the money on anything.

WHY JOIN<br>You can come for the money, the community, or both. All three are fine with us.

WHO CAN APPLY<br>Anyone can, whether you're an operator, an engineer, a scientist, or something else entirely. Applications are always open, and we read every one.

YOUR APPLICATION<br>It never expires. When something new happens, write to us again, and we'll read it against your last one.

PRIVATE<br>Being announced or listed is up to you. If you'd rather stay quiet, that's fine too.