Benilde HiFi launches 2020 Future Shapers program

This is a press release from the Benilde Hub of Innovation for Inclusion.

The Future Shapers is an immersive fellowship and systems change leadership incubation program for young Filipinos. The program, which aspires to shape sustainable futures, is an initiative of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s Hub of Innovation for Inclusion (HiFi).

The Future Shapers Program is for those aged 18 to 35 years old who have started a venture or an enterprise addressing a particular social and/or environmental gap. The leadership incubation program is for young founders or co-founders who wish to:

• understand deeply the status quo and context they want to change
• design a clear systems strategy and unique value proposition to create change
• build a blueprint for scaling operations and implement
• test and validate strategies
• measure and track impact

The Future Shapers program is uniquely grounded on 4 lenses to stimulate catalytic change:

• Systems thinking
• Collective impact
• Human-centered design
• Futures thinking

The program will tap into the affective, cognitive, and kinaesthetic domains of learning and doing to holistically support the growth and development of a new generation of systems change leaders.

The 5-month program will provide a hybrid of face-to-face experiential learning sessions once every month and regular check-ins and online coaching in between.

Demo day

The final week of the program will feature the new or improved systems change strategies and stories of each of the fellows. Incubators, angel investors, grant giving organizations, brand partners, public and private sector community partners, and high-tier accelerators from the network will be in the audience during the celebratory day. Fellows have a chance to be further supported and groomed for implementation scale after the program.

Who is eligible to apply?

1. The program is open to aspiring future shapers aged 18 to 35 years old.

2. Applicants must be currently leading or co-leading, as well as founded or co-founded an active impact venture or enterprise that addresses a relevant sustainable development goal (SDG), with a preference on any of the following themes:

• Futures of food
• Futures of work and learning
• Futures of health and well-being
• Futures of cities and communities
• Futures of governance

     3. The impact venture or enterprise should have a proven traction or proof of concept (POC) of at least 3 months.

     4. Conversant and articulate in English.

     5. Commitment to a 4-month program. This is a hybrid of face-to-face experiential learning sessions (3 to 5 days bootcamp per month) and regular check-ins and online/in-person coaching.

Applications

Application period is from October 9 to November 30, 2019. You may apply by answering this form. Shortlisting will be in December and the announcement of accepted fellows will be in  the first week of January 2020.

The fellowship program is 100% free and powered by the Peter D. Garrucho Jr Innovations Institute, Laudato Si Grant of the De La Salle Philippines (DLSP), and HiFi community of partners and network support. Transportation, accommodations, and meals for the duration of the program will be provided for all fellows.

If you want to invest in a legacy that will pro-actively shape the future of the nation, contact hifi@benilde.edu.ph – Rappler.com