beVisioneers: The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship is a 12-month hybrid programme for people aged 18 to 28 with a planet-positive project, run by The DO School Fellowships gGmbH in Hamburg and funded by Mercedes-Benz. Applications for fellowship year 2027/28 close on 31 January 2027 at 23:59:59 CET. Fellows can win project scholarships of up to €15,000. It suits young founders at prototype stage, and it is also worth passing to the young founders you fund or mentor.
At a glance
| Deadline | 31 January 2027, 23:59:59 CET |
| Who can apply | People aged 18 to 28 on the closing date, living in an eligible country, with a planet-positive project or a strong idea for one |
| Funding | Project scholarships of up to €15,000, plus coaching, mentoring and paid travel to key programme events |
| Format | 12 months, hybrid, in English, at least 24 hours per month |
| Cost to apply | No fee is mentioned on the application pages |
| Official link | beVisioneers application portal |
Who can apply
- Age between 18 and 28 on the closing date.
- Residence in an eligible country for the majority of each fellowship year (more than nine months), with the project implemented there.
- A good command of English.
- An existing project, or a strong idea for one, that is truly planet-positive. Prototype-stage projects are the focus. Idea-stage projects are accepted with a high bar. Projects that are already financially sustainable are not accepted.
- Team members must each apply individually. Mercedes-Benz employees and their children are excluded.
The organizer’s FAQ names eligible countries as Europe, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, USA and Zimbabwe. That list may date from an earlier cohort, and the course page names its own list, so confirm your country on the portal before you start. No formal experience is required.
What you get
- Year 1 (12 months): online modules, Local Hubs, Regional Summits, venture coaching and one-to-one mentoring.
- Project scholarships of up to €15,000, with pitches in May. The scholarship is accessed at the end of year 1.
- Travel, accommodation and expenses paid for key programme events.
- Needs-based financial support on request for applicants with income below the country average. No amount is stated.
- An optional Acceleration Year with project scholarships and a cost-of-living stipend. The stipend amount is not stated.
How to apply
- Open the application portal and complete the written application: basic information, your project idea, learning and financial needs, a self-assessment test and a scan of your passport or national ID.
- Record and upload a three-minute video. The organizer says applications without it are not considered.
- Optionally complete the financial support section, which asks for two employed, non-family referees and an income declaration.
The organizer estimates 30 to 40 minutes for the application. It describes the selection as competitive and publishes no stage dates. Cohort 5 starts in June 2027. Questions go to admissions@bevisioneers.world, and the FAQ is the first place to look.
Check the dates before you apply
The organizer’s pages do not agree. The course page and the financial support page carry the 2027/28 date of 31 January 2027. The application steps page and one FAQ page still show 25 January 2026, and the contact page says applications for the current cohort have closed. This post follows the course page, which names fellowship year 2027/28. Confirm the deadline on the portal before you plan around it.
Advice from the Impact DOTS team
- Check the age and residence test first. Both are hard filters, and age is measured on the closing date, not today.
- Show the project is not yet self-funding. The organizer rejects projects that are already financially sustainable, so describe what the scholarship would unlock.
- Treat the video as part of the application. It is mandatory, and the organizer says it will not consider applications without it.
- Funders and mentors: if you back early-stage environmental founders under 29, this is a call to share. Each team member must apply separately.
FAQ
Is there a fee to apply? No fee is mentioned on the pages we read.
Do I need a registered organisation? No legal form is required. The programme is for individuals with a project.
Can a team apply together? Teams can take part, but each member applies individually.
When does the programme start? Cohort 5 kicks off in June 2027, according to the programme portal.
Sources
- beVisioneers: The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship, application portal
- beVisioneers: Fellowship financial support
- beVisioneers: Fellowship overview and FAQ
