Mozilla Foundation Incubator
Bridging a critical gap in funding to help values-driven tech thrive
Mozilla Foundation believes that better tech futures are possible—and we're proving it by investing in projects that will make them real. We back technologists that are building alternatives that work—tools that are open, transparent, and designed to serve everyone. We support technologies that give power back to people and communities, and we plant seeds of radical change by funding projects that push forward new tech paradigms.
Mozilla Foundation’s Incubator is a catalyst for this movement. All too often, promising alternatives launch, but fail to bridge the “valley of death” between prototyping and sustainability. We help build a community around promising ideas, finding the right users, contributors, mentors, and funders to sustain the work of technologists without compromising their values. We call this “product-community fit.”
Every sustainable alternative we help build becomes proof that technology can work differently. By helping viable alternatives reach their full potential, we change what's possible: one successful alternative at a time.
“While traditional funding optimizes for profit, we invest in technologies that put people first.”
Incubator Cohorts
Democracy x AI cohort
We believe that a better, more democratic tech future isn’t just possible—it’s still ours to build.
Technology has always tested and shaped democratic life, and today, AI is already reshaping societies faster than institutions can adapt. But this isn’t just about AI—it’s about power: who gets it, and who has a say in how it shapes democracy.
Our Democracy x AI cohort is made up of builders who are creating alternatives that give power back to people and communities, turning imagination into infrastructure for resistance, reinvention, and renewal.
The Democracy x AI cohort will be announced soon. Stay tuned to meet the people and projects imagining—and building—a better, more democratic tech future.
2025 Cohort: Making the invisible visible
We believe that a better technology future is underpinned by infrastructure and systems that open and empower, not obscure.
Imagine if developers could see exactly how their code affects the climate—and write cleaner software because of it. What if job seekers could understand why AI systems make hiring decisions—and challenge unfair rejections? What if communities could predict pollution spikes before they happen—and take action to protect themselves?
The breakthrough technologies that make this all possible are emerging. Early prototypes are proving the concept, communities are demanding access, and the potential for immense impact is clear. But these technologies are stuck in the gap between "proof of concept" and "ready for widespread use.”
Our inaugural Incubator cohort is helped four pioneering projects navigate this critical transition, building the pathways that put game-changing information directly into the hands of the people who needed it most.
The Incubator experience
Technologies that put people first don't just need funding—they need the right community connections to thrive. Our incubator participants join a global network of technologists, advocates, and domain experts who understand that lasting impact comes from working with communities, not extracting from them.
The Incubator offers two pathways of support. Across both tiers of support, participants are connected to mentors who've navigated similar challenges, collaborators who can accelerate their work, and sustainable funding sources that align with their values. This isn't about scaling at any cost—it's about finding the community that will help nascent technology succeed on its own terms.
Build Track: From Working Technology to Product/Community Fit
We source projects through thematically-focused open calls, bringing together cohorts working on shared challenges, like climate impacts of AI or data transparency. This track supports teams who have built functioning technology with early user traction and clear momentum, providing funding, mentorship, and community connections to grow their user base, pay down technical debt, and sharpen their focus on the specific communities their technology serves.
Want to be notified when future calls for proposals open?
Sustain Track: From Proven Technology to Sustainable Long-Term Futures
Selected from our strongest Build Track projects, this intensive track provides deeper investment and bespoke support to help proven technologies chart clear pathways to long-term sustainability.
Join a global network of innovators tackling similar challenges. Through regular convenings and collaborative problem-solving, you'll build lasting relationships with peers who understand the unique challenges of transitioning from prototype to sustainability.
Participate in expert and peer-led sessions including mini-demos, design reviews, and knowledge shares that promote mutual learning across the cohort. These collaborative workshops help surface cross-cutting insights and create space to learn from each other's challenges and breakthroughs.
Learn from practitioners who've navigated the path from promising technology to sustainable impact. Our mentors provide strategic guidance on product strategy, community building, and scaling—helping you avoid common pitfalls and accelerate your growth.
Amplify your work through Mozilla Foundation's global reach, helping you attract users, contributors, and supporters who will sustain your project beyond the incubator. Through MozFest and other platforms, you’ll find new audiences to support your work.
Strategic matchmaking to foundations, and mission-aligned investors who can help take your project to the next level once you graduate from the program. We position you for the funding relationships that will sustain your work long-term.
Advisory Committee
The Mozilla Foundation Incubator is guided by a committee of expert advisors. These field leaders meet with teams to provide advice, mentorship and connections, and they also advise Mozilla on the overall program design.
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