Who can apply?

Anyone. We're looking for the best proposals and talent. No credentials needed.

What type of projects do you accept?

We fund both new endeavors and existing efforts, though we expect a major deliverable within 90 days. The majority of our applications are from individuals though we also accept team projects.

Where does the funding come from?

Cosmos Institute is a 501c(3) non-profit that is funded by philanthropic donations. It was founded in 2024 by Brendan McCord.

FIRE is partnering on funding for the truth-seeking grant round.

How do you select grantees?

We look for individuals with talent and potential, and ideas that can make tractable progress against the focus areas for each grant round. Applications have historically been very competitive, and so we expect there to be many more projects worth backing than we have capacity to accept via this program.

What benefits are there beside funding?

Cosmos Institute is building a community of technologists committed to elevating human potential through projects that expand autonomy, foster decentralization, and enable truth-seeking in the age of AI.

We can help provide connections to like-minded builders and researchers through introductions, in-person meetups, and Demo Days.

I'd love to help! Can I provide additional funding, hardware, compute, or mentorship?

Yes! If you're keen to help contribute to our fast grants program, please contact Avantika Mehra at avantika@cosmos-institute.org

What else does the Cosmos Institute do?

We also run numerous educational initiatives, a Fellowship, and produce content at the intersection of AI and philosophy. You can stay up-to-date by signing up to our Substack mailing list.

I have further questions! How can I reach you?

Feel free to reach out to Avantika Mehra at avantika@cosmos-institute.org.