Astera Resident

ABOUT ASTERA

Astera is a private foundation on a mission to steer science and technology towards an abundant future. In service of this mission, we support the creation of public goods for science and technology. You can read about our mission and vision here https://astera.org/vision/.

ABOUT THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM

Astera is opening a call for the Spring 2027 cohort of our Residency program, a 12-18 month fully funded program that seeds and supports mission-driven, open projects that can catalyze further private and public sector advancements. We welcome our Residents to our headquarters in Emeryville, California, where we are building a hub for open science, data, and technology.

A full writeup of the program is available here https://astera.org/residency/; applicants should review it thoroughly before proceeding.

The start date for the next cohort is flexible between March and May, and the application deadline is January 7, 2027.

TRACKS

Our Residency web page shares one specific request from each of our science tracks, but the list is not comprehensive. We welcome you to apply with a proposal tackling one of our suggestions, or with your own proposal outside of these areas.

In your application, we will ask you to identify which of the below track(s) best pertain to your proposal. This will help us pick the most relevant reviewers and consider how our in-house research and expertise might accelerate your work.

1. Neuroscience https://astera.org/neuroscience/
2. AI Research https://astera.org/neuro-ai/
3. Life Sciences https://astera.org/radial/
4. Open Science https://astera.org/open-science/
5. Deep Tech

WHO SHOULD APPLY

Astera’s Residency offers non-dilutive funding for open projects that may be a precursor to a future for-profit or nonprofit organization, or a one-off public domain output. Therefore, ideal Residents could look like entrepreneurs, engineers, industry scientists, promising academics, or have other profiles. We also welcome applications from co-founders.

Residents must be able to work onsite in Emeryville, CA, for the duration of their Residency.

What we’re seeking in our Residencies:

• Fit for Astera - we prioritize projects that align with Astera’s domain areas, where our expertise and resources can accelerate progress. The proposed work should be early stage and well-scoped to a 12-18 month Residency.
• Useful - projects should build things that people will actually use: tools, infrastructure, or insights with real pathways to adoption. This work should advance long-term outcomes with broad societal benefit.
• Open First - Residency work should be open, accessible, and nonproprietary by default. Residents should enable others to build on their outputs and share what worked / what didn’t, so others can learn from the full arc of their work.
• People-Project Fit - Residents should bring relevant expertise, judgment, and agency; be aligned with Astera’s principles; and contribute positively to Astera’s community.

APPLICATION PROCESS

We expect to make final offers by early March. The application process includes multiple stages, and a smaller set of applicants will advance at each step based on the criteria described in the section immediately above.

• Initial application:
• Basic information
• A two-minute intro video
• Eight “what, why, how” questions, each one < 1,000 characters (6-8 sentences)
• 15-25 minute introductory conversation with a member of Astera's team
• Detailed project proposal, including preliminary budget and milestones
• Deeper conversations with the Astera executive team, including alignment on the proposed scope, milestones, duration, and budget.
• References
• Offers extended

OTHER FAQS

1. APPLICATIONS AND ELIGIBILITY

Can I apply to topics outside of those suggested? Yes. Our specific requests are a few topics that we’re excited about, but it’s not a comprehensive list. We welcome applications beyond the specific prompts and in other areas that align with Astera's broader mission. If you think it's a fit, we want to hear from you.

Can I be a part-time resident while employed or partially funded elsewhere? Generally no. In our experience, split arrangements create tensions, e.g. with our in-person requirement and our open science policy. It also raises the question of whether our funding is truly catalytic for your work. That said, we're open to discussing exceptions in unusual circumstances.

Does Astera offer relocation and/or visa support? Yes. We want to remove barriers for exceptional people to join us and will work with you to make the transition as smooth as possible.

How are duration and budget decided? Both are negotiated during the application process, so that expectations are aligned before your Residency begins.

Is the start date flexible? The planned start date for the next cohort is March through May 2027 - we can be flexible. If you're anticipating a delay of several months or more, we'd likely encourage you to apply to a later cohort instead. We are planning for a second cohort in 2027 that would start closer to September.

Are co-founders allowed? Yes. The application will be tied to one primary applicant, but there is room to add information about co-founders/additional team members.

2. DURING YOUR RESIDENCY

How can I prepare before my start date? We want you to hit the ground running from day one. If your project includes hiring for example, we encourage you to begin recruiting before you arrive, and will unlock recruiting support as soon as you accept an offer. Similarly, we encourage you to get ahead on equipment lead times and lab space requirements. We'll work with you in the lead-up to your start date to make sure you're ready to make the most of your time here.

Why is the Residency in-person? We believe the best work happens when talented people are in close proximity. We're deliberately building a cohort, not just funding parallel projects - the unplanned conversation, the offhand question, the unexpected collaboration are some of the most underrated accelerants for this kind of work. Being on-site also means Residents can directly benefit from the broader programs and expertise we're building in Emeryville.

Who is my employer during the Residency? For the duration of your Residency, you (and anyone you hire as part of your project) will typically be Astera W-2 employees and eligible for Astera benefits. If you already have an existing organization, we can work with that structure as well.

What are the expectations around open science? We expect Residents to publish openly and often, producing accessible outputs and sharing learnings - including what didn't work - so others can build on the full arc of the work. That said, we recognize that some projects have future commercial potential, and we're happy to work through any tensions between openness and those interests during the application process.

How does Astera stay involved during the Residency? Once budgets are set, Residents have significant freedom to execute. Brief monthly updates and deeper quarterly check-ins provide a lightweight structure for reflection, help surface challenges early, and give you practice communicating your progress to an engaged, expert audience invested in your success.

Is follow-on funding available? The Residency is designed as a sprint to make significant progress on your project. While we typically don't provide follow-on funding, many Residents use this time to build momentum that attracts future support from other sources - whether that's grants, investors, or institutional partnerships.