Over the past few months, our Innovation Fund Fellowship brought together a remarkable cohort of leaders from across the country, tackling pressing challenges at the intersections of Climate Justice and Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI). Our 2024 Fellows aren’t just building these bold solutions, they are reimagining what it means to center workers, communities, and their families in the innovation process. As the program concludes, we’ve captured six key learnings that reflect the transformative impact of this Innovation Fund cycle.
A central theme across the cohort was the importance and urgency of moving beyond aspirational statements and towards action through embedding workers and impacted communities at the core of design and infrastructure. Fellows learned to translate the ideal of worker-centered innovation into actionable systems that ensure accountability, equity, and meaningful impact.
Fellows consistently highlighted the value of connecting with peers who share worker-centered goals. Having a community provided more than just camaraderie—it offered a space to troubleshoot, validate ideas, and celebrate small wins together. From digesting seemingly simple questions to providing emotional support, this solidarity was a critical anchor throughout the fellowship.
The fellowship’s curriculum, mentorship, and guidance from staff and advisors helped Fellows develop confidence in their leadership and clarity in strategic decision-making. Through refining operational plans, technical roadmaps, and implementing personalized feedback, participants gained the assurance and precision to make decisive moves, pivot when needed, and articulate their story and vision with conviction.
Direct financial support, through monthly stipends, proved more than just practical—it was empowering. Whether upgrading tools to leverage AI or freeing mental bandwidth to focus on strategy, funding created room for experimentation and growth, cornerstones of innovation. Equally impactful were the networks facilitated by The Workers Lab–introductions to funders, national leaders, and guest speakers provided Fellows with connections and visibility that will continue to open doors well beyond the program.
Fellows identified and refined target markets, customer segments, and validation strategies. By learning to evaluate and prototype more quickly, iterate based on data, and align products with the right stakeholders, teams could move from concept to actionable insights more efficiently. Discussions on market positioning, impact evaluation, data architecture, and security equipped participants with the tools to make informed worker-centered business decisions.
Finally, Fellows deepened their understanding of fundraising, development, and sustainable business model ideation. For those less familiar with traditional venture or philanthropic funding landscapes, the fellowship demystified the processes, helping participants articulate their unique value propositions and build pathways towards long-term business sustainability while remaining anchored in worker-centered values.
Across all of our learnings, one theme stood out: it is possible—and necessary—to balance business fundamentals with worker-centered values. By providing space to experiment with new ideas, pivot, and connect with peers, our Innovation Fund Fellowship not only strengthens individual ventures but also cultivates resilient, values-aligned leaders and a community poised to lead the next generation of worker-centered innovation.
The insights from this cohort reinforce our belief that worker-centered innovation is strongest when backed by the convergence of proactive design, community, and capital—financial, social, and technical. Through this action-oriented approach, our innovators are better equipped to design solutions for and with workers across the country that are impactful, sustainable, and just.
Inspired by these insights, we’re excited to announce that our 2025 Innovation Fund is launching on October 31! We’re looking for bold thinkers tackling workforce, policy, climate, economic, and technology challenges who are ready to test new ideas, gain mentorship, and join a community of worker-centered innovators.