Side Quest to Start-Up: 3 Funding Opportunities this Summer
VC, Big Tech, and Community: 3 Sources of Funding and Support to Launch Your Ideas This Summer.
I always tell VCs that Summer is the time that the student entrepreneurship ecosystem truly flourishes. With classes finally wrapped up, student founders have more time than ever to start growing and scaling their startup before the Fall begins, while others who are new to the world of entrepreneurship have the space to test and try out ideas that they may not have had time to pursue previously.
This article is for everyone who’s been tinkering around with an idea and is looking at how they can launch it over the next few months. If that’s you, here are three funding opportunities that can turn your late-night brainstorm into something real.
1. Afore Capital’s $1,000 “No Excuses” Grant
Afore Capital’s microgrant is exactly what it sounds like: $1,000 to explore an idea this summer. No strings, no dilution, and no pressure to build a billion-dollar unicorn (yet). Just room to think, experiment, and maybe stumble into something brilliant.
Here’s what makes it special:
12 weeks of mentorship from actual investors and operators
Office space in SF if you’re nearby
Weekly founder talks and the option to join a demo day
Open to anyone in North America, 21 or under
Apply before May 26 or June 23 to join the June or July cohorts, respectively.
2. Google’s AI Futures Fund
If you’ve been hacking with GPTs, playing with Cursor, or imagining your own AI-powered startup, this one’s for you. Google’s AI Futures Fund is less “here’s some money, go build” and more “here’s a backstage pass to the future of AI.” Google’s AI Future Fund, by Google Labs, offers access to their cutting-edge technology and mentorship with their researchers and engineers to build your dream AI project.
You get:
Early access to DeepMind’s bleeding-edge models (Gemini, Imagen, Veo)
Mentorship and collaboration with Google’s actual researchers and engineers
Cloud credits + infrastructure support to actually scale
And yes, equity funding is available if things go well
They’ve already backed projects from AI comic translators to meme generators to virtual 3D room designers. If you’re building something that could benefit from the support of an established player in the AI space and the tools at their disposal, I would seriously consider Google’s program.
3. The Amber Grant – For Women Who Dare to Dream
There’s something quietly powerful about the Amber Grant. It’s not backed by a tech giant. It doesn’t come with office space or demo days. But it does come with something often missing from the start-up world: heart.
WomensNet created this grant in memory of Amber Wigdahl, a 19-year-old who passed away before getting the chance to launch her business. The grant exists to make sure other women don’t have to wait.
Here’s how it works:
Every month, three women-owned businesses get $10,000
At year-end, three of those recipients are awarded $25,000 more
One simple application gets you considered for all of it
Whether you're selling hand-grown greens, launching an eco bandage, or building the next big thing—if you're a woman with a dream, this grant is for you. They’re theme for May is “Mental & Emotional Support”, so if you’re building in the space, it’s definitely worth checking out!
Deadline for this round: May 31st
As someone who loves side-questing, it can be hard to imagine what the next steps are to take your project from side-quest to start-up. Each of these three opportunities represents a different path and type of support that is available for those trying to build this Summer. Whether it’s through VC, tech giants, or the community itself, there are tons of opportunities this Summer for you to pursue the projects that you are passionate about.
A Personal Update…
As many of you know, I started my entrepreneurial journey at 13, launching Ascendance to help Gen Z turn their passions into real-world careers and solve problems in their communities.
Today, I’m thrilled to introduce our next big leap: expop — a 6-month challenge to help high schoolers learn about start-ups and launch their own ventures with expert guidance from industry experts from Google, LinkedIn, HP, Slack, and more.
Over 6 months, we’re helping ambitious teens:
✅ Find a million-dollar idea worth building
✅ Build their prototype
✅ Learn directly from founders, investors & experts from Google, LinkedIn, and more
✅ Win awards, prizes, and launch real ventures
We invite any students, parents, educators, or those interested in joining our journey to join our waitlist now at expop.io (Spots are limited)!
More opportunities and insights weekly!
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If you want to chat 1:1 about your fundraising or Go-To-Market plans, you can book a slot here. I’m happy to share my thoughts and tailored resources from my experiences as a founder + venture scout.
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