Distinguished Innovation Fellows
A program for experienced leaders in transition to launch their next big idea.
As the population ages, there is an expanding pool of successful executives and professionals in the second stage of their career who want to become social innovators in their next act as they live longer.
The Distinguished Innovation Fellows program provides these individuals, particularly those older than 55, the opportunity to learn, develop, prototype and launch their ideas to improve the world in a supportive and innovative learning environment.
All fellows enroll in Arizona State University courses on social impact and design thinking, developed and offered in collaboration with relevant ASU units
ASU staff shepherd fellows through the process, seeing to their practical needs. Fellows are also paired with faculty who serve as thought partners and student research assistants as they develop and plan their ideas.
All fellows enroll in a colloquium on social impact and design thinking with cutting edge faculty members - developed and offered in collaboration with relevant ASU academic units.
Fellows are paired with a relevant faculty member in their area of expertise of interest who will serve as a thought partner throughout the year-long fellowship.
Fellows have the opportunity to consult with coaches who are already part of ASU's various mentorship programs.
Near the end of the program, fellows will have the opportunity to present their learnings, plans or prototype at a Lunch and Launch event in Los Angeles, where they also champion the work and efforts of the student researchers who partner with them on their project.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something that makes a difference. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online makes all the difference.
The program provides one academic year of focused project development with access to tailored ASU courses and weekly collaboration sessions among fellow innovators. You'll receive faculty mentorship from award-winning professors and support from dedicated student research assistants, plus full access to ASU's libraries, labs, and fabrication facilities. The cohort is limited to just 10 people to ensure personalized attention, and includes cultural experiences with a trip to Los Angeles. Upon completion, you'll earn an ASU Certificate of Excellence.
Most programs focus on learning or networking. We focus on building. You come with a project idea and spend the year making it real.
Also, we're not trying to place you in existing jobs or volunteer roles. This is about creating something new, whether that's a business, nonprofit, creative work, or solution to a problem you care about.
Our current fellows are building everything from AI solutions for business problems to immersive art experiences about space travel to new approaches for urban planning.
The common thread: they're all working on something they genuinely care about and have the skills to execute. We don't assign projects—you bring your own.
No. You need a compelling direction and the experience to make it happen, but we expect your project to evolve significantly during the year.
Most successful applicants have been thinking about their project for months or years. If you're starting from scratch, you're probably not ready yet.
No. The fee covers the program—your coaching, resources, facilities access, course auditing, etc. You're responsible for funding your own project development.
Some fellows' projects don't require significant funding. Others seek grants or investors independently. We'll connect you with relevant resources, but we're not a funding source.
That's valuable learning too. Better to discover a project isn't viable in a supportive environment than after investing more time and money on your own.
Many fellows pivot significantly during the year. Some discover their original idea needs major changes. Some find entirely different directions. That's all part of the process.
We're looking for people who are serious about their projects and can commit the time and energy needed.
If you're on the fence, we'd rather have a real conversation than have you make a decision based on incomplete information. Email our program director Helen Hayes ([email protected]). Let’s talk!
Don't wait for the perfect project idea or until you have everything figured out. If you're serious about building something meaningful and can commit the resources, start your application.
Plan on 15-20 hours per week when you're engaged. This includes the weekly colloquium, selected course sessions, project work, and occasional special events.
Some weeks will be lighter, others much heavier depending on your project needs and course schedule. It's not a part-time job, but it's not retirement either.
That's fine. Many fellows split time between locations, and some focus primarily on one hub. You'll need to be present for key activities, but we're not expecting you to relocate.
The weekly colloquiums happen in person, but everything else can be flexible based on your project needs and course selections.
Pretty much. You'll work with our team to select courses that support your project. We handle the registration hassles—you just show up and take what's useful.
You won't get grades or homework. You're there to learn what helps your project, not to complete assignments.
The Distinguished Innovation Fellows program costs $20,000 but for a limited time scholarships are available on a first come, first serve basis for the 2026 class. A donor has enabled us to offer $10,000 subsidies to all 2025 applicants. So your effective fee is $10,000, paid quarterly ($2,500 per quarter).
Compare it to similar programs: Stanford charges $70,000, Harvard $55,000, University of Chicago $77,500. We've built something valuable without the premium pricing.
But the real question is whether you'll use what we provide. If you want accountability, expert guidance, student research help, and a collaborative environment for a year of focused work, then yes. If you just want to audit some classes, probably not.
We limit each cohort to 10 people maximum. Recent cohorts have included former executives, military officers, professors, engineers, and other accomplished professionals working on diverse projects.
The common thread: everyone has significant professional experience and is serious about building something meaningful.
I thought things would go back to normal after we were done, but now I realize there is a whole new and exciting normal emerging. Things will never be the same again. The Distinguished Innovation Fellows program has truly made a difference in my life. Thank you all for the journey so far...
Neil UrbanDIF Fellow 2025
Distinguished Innovation Fellow Gabriel Bey is creating PHXMF, a festival that skips the Hollywood glamour and focuses on the actual work __ showcasing the tools, tech, and behind-the-scenes people who make movies, music, and games. It's about highlighting "The lower credits" folks and building Arizona's creative workforce through hands-on demos instead of red carpet nonsense.
Distinguished Innovation Fellow Dr. Sian Proctor went to space, got bathed in the cosmic glow of Earth's light reflecting back at her, and now she's bringing that mind-bending perspective down to the rest of us through art, poetry, and VR experiences.
Most people talk about the "overview effect" - Sian paints it, writes about it, and builds immersive worlds around it. It's what happens when the first Black female private spacecraft pilot decides that everyone deserves to feel what it's like to see Earth as a glowing beacon in the darkness of space.
Architect
A former city planner who got sick of cities sprawling sideways like spilled coffee, so he's designing them to grow upward instead. His Z-aXis concept treats cities as three-dimensional puzzles where people live and move vertically as naturally as they do horizontally - because when you run out of room to spread out, the only way to go is up.
Teacher
A former college professor who ditched the lecture hall to build something better - a program that lets people chart their own course to mental wellness through creative expression. Instead of therapists telling you what to do, her approach hands you the paintbrush, pen, or whatever artistic tool speaks to you and says "go heal yourself." It's self-directed therapy for people who know their own minds better than any textbook ever could.
Professor
Teachers know their stuff, but they're teaching creativity like it's algebra. René spent decades in higher ed and watched countless educators struggle to unlock their students' creative potential because nobody taught them how. Now he's building a program that shows teachers how to actually nurture creativity instead of accidentally crushing it.
Business Executive
People are living 20+ years longer than their grandparents, but nobody updated the life manual. We're still pretending you go to school, work for 40 years, then retire and die—except now there's this awkward 20-year gap where nobody knows what the hell they're supposed to be doing. Bryan's building a roadmap for men 45+ who are staring down decades of life they never planned for and don't know how to navigate.
Program Director
Senior Program Coordinator
Executive Director
Senior Advisor
DIF Faculty
DIF Faculty
