Mozilla Foundation Fellowship 2027: Up to $125,000 for Tech Builders

Application Deadline: December 17, 2026.

Applications are open for the Mozilla Foundation Fellowship 2027-28. Mozilla will award 10 fellowships worth up to $125,000 each for a 12-month program starting June 1, 2027. The first step, a short Letter of Intent, is due December 17, 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific time (UTC-8).

Mozilla is looking for builders working on technology that is “too early, too unexpected, or too ambitious” for anyone else to fund. If you have a bold idea that puts control back in the hands of the people who use technology, this fellowship was made for you.

Fellows also join a global network of over 200 alumni. Nearly 30% of past Fellows have founded an organisation, and 20% run one today.

About the Fellowship

Mozilla Foundation is a global non-profit and the philanthropic arm of the Mozilla Project. Its Fellowship backs people who want to build alternatives, not just optimise what already exists. Fellows are builders first, creating tools and the fields around them, and they care about who technology should serve.

Recent Fellows include a co-founder of Adalat AI, a privacy-first AI system for India’s courts, and a builder creating tools that let Indigenous communities in Bolivia own and license the movement data that embodied AI learns from.

2027 Focus Areas

Mozilla is looking for projects in these areas:

Neurotech, biotech and physical AI: Make sure communities touched by this technology can own and govern it.
Hard infrastructure: Open up compute, energy, quantum and other extreme infrastructure so communities get data, tools and a vote.
Raising p(bloom): Build AI that makes life better for many more people, rather than focusing only on what could go wrong.
Business models for a post-agentic web: Create new deals so creators, communities and the open web still get paid.
Shared security and audit infrastructure: Give small organisations affordable ways to test, audit and trust the technology they rely on.
Sovereign AI, public infrastructure and maintenance: Build AI and infrastructure that communities can own and keep running.
Creative Advocacy (one fellow): A culture jammer, prankster or artist-provocateur who can turn a stunt into a movement.

If your idea fits none of these, you can apply as a Wildcard.

Two Fellowship Tracks

Track I: Embedded Fellows ($100,000 total)
You work with a civil society host organisation that provides mentorship and a community. The total is a $75,000 stipend plus a $25,000 project budget. This year’s hosts are BASAibu (Indonesia), Fundación Kamanau (Chile), LAS Art Foundation (Germany), Quantum Village (United States) and Slum & Rural Health Initiative (Nigeria).

Track II: Independent Fellows ($125,000 total)
You pursue your own ambitious idea with freedom to choose your approach. The total is a $100,000 stipend plus a $25,000 project budget.

Benefits

Up to $125,000 across 12 months, including a project budget
Mentorship and community, especially for embedded fellows
A global network of more than 200 Fellows
Freedom to build a platform, tool or system that proves an alternative works
Leadership development to grow into a technology leader

Who Can Apply

Anyone can apply directly, and self-nominations are welcome. Mozilla also accepts nominations: nominees who meet the criteria are invited to submit a Letter of Intent.

The page does not list age, nationality or education requirements. It points readers to the full request for proposals (RFP) for eligibility details, so read that before you start.

How to Apply and Key Dates

Review is multi-stage. Most of the screening happens at the Letter of Intent stage, and only a small number of shortlisted people are invited to submit a full application.

Key dates:

December 17, 2026, 11:59 PM Pacific: Letter of Intent deadline
February 16, 2027: Shortlisted applicants invited to submit a full application
March 12, 2027, 11:59 PM Pacific: Full application deadline
April 30, 2027: Final applicants notified
June 1, 2027: Fellowship begins (12 months)

Questions? Email fellowships@mozillafoundation.org.

Tips for a Strong Application

Read the full RFP first. It explains each focus area and host organisation in detail.
Pick your track honestly. Embedded suits people who want a host community. Independent suits those with a fully formed plan.
Be bold. Mozilla asks for “the wildest, most radical version” of your idea.
Say who it serves. Explain who gains control or ownership because of your work.
Show that you build. Link to demos, code, prototypes or earlier projects.
Keep your Letter of Intent sharp. It does most of the screening, so make every line count.
Don’t be afraid of the Wildcard. Good ideas that don’t fit any category are welcome.

Final Thoughts

Ten places is a small number, but the fellowship is aimed at ideas nobody else will fund yet. If you’re building something unusual that puts people in control of technology, send in a Letter of Intent.

For more information and to apply, CLICK HERE