09/03/2026
Last week’s Activate NY August Innovators Social was an inspiring room to be in. The Advanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY in West Harlem brought together hard-tech founders, scientists, mentors, and members of New York’s innovation ecosystem. The guest of honor was Dr. Marissa Beatty, a 2022 Activate Fellow and Founder & CEO of Turnover Labs, who shared her journey translating electrochemistry research at Columbia University into a company developing technology to convert industrial waste CO₂ into valuable chemical feedstocks. This event was co-hosted by Activate, ASRC Center for Advanced Technology (CAT), and Harlem Biospace – creating a hub for scientific entrepreneurs to connect, exchange experiences, and learn from those who have successfully made the transition from researcher to founder.
For scientists and engineers considering entrepreneurship, the Activate Fellowship is an opportunity well worth exploring. The two-year program provides funding, technical resources, entrepreneurial training, one-on-one mentorship, and access to a national community of founders, investors, researchers, and industry partners. Since launching in 2015, Activate has supported 346 fellows who have created 276 hard-tech companies, raised more than $5.5 billion in follow-on funding, and generated over 3,000 jobs – demonstrating what can happen when scientists are given the resources to turn research into real-world impact.