Founders week Apply

T–43 days to launch

Start the AI safety organisation that should exist.

Spend five days in London with at least 30 founders, research leads and operators. Find co-founders, turn an idea into a plan and pitch it to funders.

Apply by 12 October How the week works

Organised by Pivotal, LISA and UK AI Forum, supported by Coefficient Giving

When
9–13 Nov 2026
Where
LISA, London
Stipend
£1,000
Travel + hotel
Covered
Spots
30+
Apply by
12 October

New organisations for problems no one owns

Project Tailwind is Coefficient Giving’s call for founders to start ambitious AI safety projects on problems that no one owns yet. Its pre-seed grants range from $200k to $2m.

Liftoff Founders Week helps you start one of these projects. In five days, you shape an idea, test it with funders and leave with a clear plan for what to build next.

Read about Project Tailwind

Founders Week

  1. Before

    Prepare

    Apply with the projects you are most excited about from Tailwind. Before the week, you learn about the cohort and read up on the areas you are most excited about.

  2. Mon

    Kick off

    Meet the other participants and possible co-founders. Study Project Tailwind in depth and meet funders.

  3. Tue–Wed

    Scope

    Choose your problem. Write your theory of change and a 12-month plan and budget. Test them in office hours with founders, researchers and Coefficient Giving.

  4. Thu

    Pitch

    Pitch to Coefficient Giving grantmakers in a 10-minute conversation. Get written feedback the same day.

  5. Fri

    Decide

    Use the feedback to decide your next steps. Close the week together.

What you get

  • Co-founder matching

    We introduce you to people who want to build in the same area. You can form a team of 2–4 or work on your own idea.

  • Expert advising from funders and entrepreneurs

    Experienced founders, researchers and grantmakers join you during the week. They hold office hours and give feedback on your pitch. Funding applications get a quick turnaround.

  • £1,000 stipend, costs covered

    We pay you a £1,000 stipend. We also pay for your travel to London and your hotel for the week.

  • Support after the week

    Promising teams get up to 4 weeks of support from LISA to write a full proposal. Everyone leaves with a clearer view of what to build and a network of founders and funders in AI safety.

Advisors

Who runs the week

For people who can build

You don’t need a finished idea or a co-founder to apply.

  • Founders

    You have built or run something before: an organisation, a programme, or a product.

  • Research leads

    You have a track record in AI safety or a related field. You could lead a larger research effort on your ideas.

  • Operators

    You are excellent at something a new organisation needs, such as operations, comms or fieldbuilding. You could be part of a founding team.

What we look for

  • A track record

    Work in AI safety or a related field, such as research, policy or fieldbuilding.

  • Things you have built

    An organisation, programme, product or research agenda that you started or ran. Founder and operations experience count for a lot.

  • A reason to build

    A clear answer to why you want to start something new instead of joining an existing lab or organisation.

Questions

What is Project Tailwind?

Project Tailwind is Coefficient Giving’s call for founders to start ambitious AI safety projects on problems that no one owns yet. Read more on the Coefficient Giving website.

Do I need a co-founder?

No. You can apply alone. Before and during the week, we introduce you to people with related ideas. We encourage you to form a team, but it is optional.

How developed does my idea have to be?

You only need to indicate directions from Project Tailwind that you care about. You can change direction during the week.

What happens after the week?

The pitch on Thursday is a feedback conversation with grantmakers. Coefficient Giving aims for a quick turnaround on funding decisions, through Project Tailwind. Teams that it sees as promising get 2–4 weeks of support from LISA and Pivotal to write a full proposal, either at LISA or remotely.

I live outside the UK. Can I take part?

Yes. We pay for your travel to London and your hotel for the week.

Do I have to attend the whole week?

Ideally, yes. The week is in person at LISA in London, from Monday 9 to Friday 13 November. We may be able to make exceptions for outstanding candidates.

Apply in under 15 minutes

Tell us about your experience, which group describes you best and which Project Tailwind directions you are most excited about.

Apply now

Applications close on 12 October

Questions? Email info@joinliftoff.ai.

  1. 12 Oct

    Applications close.

  2. 12–15 Oct

    We review applications and invite some applicants to a 20-minute call.

  3. By 19 Oct

    We send decisions.

  4. After 19 Oct

    We introduce you to possible co-founders, book your travel and send you a short pre-read.

  5. 9–13 Nov

    Founders Week at LISA, London.