SIS Youth fellows
A multi-month studio for high-school students paired with active researchers.
Cohorts ship a working prototype, scientific poster, and public demo. Sessions meet weekly with paired mentors and culminate in a public showcase.
MissionA 501(c)(3) nonprofit · Lexington, MA
Where the next generation turns ideas into impact.
We connect aspiring students and future entrepreneurs with innovators, scientists, and industry leaders across academia and industry through education, mentorship, and community engagement. Our programs expose participants to real-world entrepreneurship and equip them with the leadership skills and tools needed to turn scientific ideas into impactful ventures.
Programs
Our programs connect participants directly with innovators, founders, and industry experts — learning from real-life experiences that no textbook can replicate.
Programs are tuition-free for accepted students. Mentor and partner participation is voluntary and non-equity.
SIS Network Studio
Public conversations on the science shaping our near future.
A bi-annual initiative that brings together students, academic professionals, and industry experts to connect, share knowledge, and inspire one another. Held twice a year, it gives students direct access to field experts from both academia and industry — opening doors to mentorship, real-world insight, and professional relationships that go beyond the classroom.
Fellows
2025 Fellows
Our inaugural fellows went from identifying an unmet need to pitching a real product to a live audience in one year.
Working on the WISER tDCS device, a non-invasive brain stimulation technology with potential applications in cognitive enhancement and neurological rehabilitation, students tackled the full venture-building arc:
- Conducted market research to validate real-world need
- Built an IP portfolio and mapped regulatory pathways
- Created and refined a tDCS scientific review paper
- Delivered a public pitch with live Q&A
- Collaborated with world-renowned founders, engineers, and entrepreneurs
This is what we mean by learning by doing.
2025 fellows list:
Aaminah Shams, Aarush Naik, Manha Shams, Neil Suman, Nisha Nandy, Saifan Iftear, Sankaran Menon, and Shruti Venkatesh.
Alumnae
What our fellows
do next.
“SIS gave me the confidence to defend bold ideas, the skills to collaborate across strengths, and a deeper passion for biotech innovation — I'm taking all of it to Boston University.”
— Shruti Venkatesh
“Building a financial model for a real medical device — and figuring out how to price it affordably in India, showed me that finance isn't just numbers, it's impact.”
— Sankaran Menon
About
A nonprofit building an inclusive ecosystem.
01Mission
Science Innovation Studio is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to build and strengthen a vibrant science and innovation ecosystem by empowering the next generation of thinkers, creators, and entrepreneurs.
We sit between the classroom, the lab, and the company — three institutions that, in our view, no longer connect tightly enough for an ambitious student. Our programs put real scientists, real founders, and real venues in front of young people early, and often.
Five principles guide
everything we run.
Practice over preview
Students should ship something real, not just hear about science.
Mentors as peers
We treat mentors as collaborators — never volunteers asked to lecture.
Open access
No tuition, no equity, no gatekeeping by zip code or family.
Slow programs
Long arcs over flashy weekends. Trust compounds.
Local roots
We work where we live, with the institutions around us.
02Origin
How we started.
In 2025 a handful of educators, scientists, and parents in Lexington noticed the same thing: bright students kept asking how to “get into” science, but the most useful thing — sustained access to a working scientist — was the hardest to provide.
So we built the studio. The first cohort was eight students and four mentors meeting in cafés and conference rooms. Today it's a year-round network of cohorts, salons, and mentorships — all still tuition-free, still local-first.
Entrepreneurship sits at the center of everything we do. We don't just teach students the science — we show them how a discovery becomes a biotech or technology venture: identifying an unmet need, building a prototype, navigating IP and regulatory pathways, and finding the courage to pitch to investors and partners. Every program ends with students building real ventures, not just learning about them.
Donate
We are a 501(c)(3). Every dollar covers lab access, materials, transit, and stipends for students who otherwise could not afford to participate. Donations are tax-deductible. EIN 41-3337197.
Why give
Science Innovation Studio launched as a nonprofit dedicated to building and strengthening a vibrant science and innovation ecosystem — empowering the next generation of thinkers, creators, and entrepreneurs. Much has changed since we began, but young people across our communities still struggle to access the labs, mentors, and capital that turn curiosity into a career. SIS is a unique model and approach, dedicated to leveling the playing field for the students who come next.
When one student succeeds, we all do. SIS alumni are exceptional young people with extraordinary ideas — changing the world for the better through innovation in health, technology, life sciences, climate response, and more.
SIS is made possible by donors like you. By supporting SIS, you are investing in groundbreaking advancements in key industries, and you are helping build a more equitable, just, and robust economy for all.
We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies on supporters like you. Donate now to help SIS build a future where every young innovator has what they need to lead and succeed.
Make a gift
Please contact us for donations to info@scistudio.org.