Acumen Fellows Program in Spain

Acumen Academy is a global university reimagined for social change. The mission is to unleash a new generation of change agents and social innovators willing to take their leadership skills to the next level. People who, with creativity, determination and moral leadership, build a more just, inclusive and sustainable world.

Content of the Fellows Program 

• Polarity Management
  • Cultivate the ability to lead effectively when opposing but interdependent values ​​are in tension.
• Good Society Readings
  • Explore the meaning of a just society and the moral and historical bases of social change, through classic and contemporary texts by thinkers.
• Adaptive Leadership
  • Learn to catalyze change at a personal, organizational and societal level, navigating uncertainty and embracing the gradual process that implies significant change.
• Systemic thinking
  • Confront systemic problems and design more effective interventions using the moral imagination.
• Authentic Voice
  • Develop the ability to tell meaningful stories that speak across differences and motivate others to act.

Program Benefits

• After Fellows candidates complete the program, they join The Foundry. A community of like-minded changemakers working across sectors and geographies to build a world based on dignity. As part of this diverse community, committed to sharing ideas and experiences, they gain access to funding, coaching and continuous learning as part of lifelong support on their path to social change.
  • Community
    • Connect with a diverse local and global community of social innovators.
  • Financing
    • Apply for early-stage booster funding through Acumen Angels.
  • Coaching
    • Benefit from the mentoring and consulting offered by the partners.
  • Visibility
    • Stand out through opportunities to connect with ideal clients, talent and funders.
  • Knowledge/Learning Hub
    • Apply business tools to grow and scale your organization.

Program Impact

• Acumen Fellows come from all walks of life: working in all sectors, industries and areas of interest, and sharing the determination and vision to build a world based on dignity. The Acumen Fellows Program supports the impact of Fellows on three levels:
  • Individual: Acumen Fellows are challenged to reflect on their values ​​and behavior, and to change the way they think and relate to larger systems so that they can create a world based on dignity.
  • Organizational: The program offers a space to practice new leadership methods that generate different results in your teams and organizations.
  • Social: The program enables a deeper understanding of how to extend influence, directly or through your organizational work, to your broader communities and ecosystems.
• At its core, the Acumen Fellows Program focuses on translating this impact into three interconnected outcomes:
  • The Foundry: Acumen Fellows belong to the global community, The Foundry, which accompanies them for life, creating opportunities for support, collaboration and collective impact.
  • Moral Leadership: Acumen Fellows help catalyze Moral Leadership practices in society, building a growing movement that strives to model a world based on dignity.
  • Reimagining Success: Acumen Fellows help shape the actions of their organizations and initiatives to build solutions that reimagine the goals, structures and rules of existing systems in order to address the systemic problems of poverty.

Eligibility Criteria 

• The Fellows program seeks agents of change who build solutions to solve poverty. These can be founders, management, and senior leaders (COOs, etc.) of for-profit, non-profit, or hybrid social enterprises, as well as corporate or government intrapreneurs. Although these titles give an idea of ​​the roles that Fellows have, what is most important is what you are building and your impact story.
• Candidates must have at least 5 years of professional experience and demonstrate their commitment to solving poverty problems.
• Candidates must demonstrate their ability and willingness to both give (contributing their knowledge, experiences, networks and/or ideas) and receive support from The Foundry.
• Candidates must have a stable internet connection, be fully available to participate throughout the program, and be able to participate in English or Spanish, depending on region and medium of instruction.

For more information, visit Acumen Academy.