Tyler Cowen
Philanthropic organizations are often mired in bureaucracy that can make the process of applying for funding lengthy and tedious. Tyler Cowen, an economist at George Mason University, is pioneering a different approach.
Since 2018, Cowen has run Emergent Ventures, a fellowship and grant program for entrepreneurs working on highly scalable ideas for meaningfully improving society. Applicants answer a handful of questions and get a response in a week or two. To date, the program, which is backed by donors such as Schmidt Futures, has supported over a thousand people—many still in their teens—working on ventures ranging from scientific innovation to personal development. The 2025 cohort includes a University of Chicago research director working on a non-invasive blood glucose monitor and a Vanderbilt University student developing prosthetics and bionic arms.
'I've focused on trying to mobilize talent that otherwise is not discovered or inspired,' says Cowen, who screens most applications himself.Emergent Ventures' successes include funding one of the first COVID-19 saliva tests via its Fast Grants program and a prison reform startup that used data analysis to identify over 150,000 safe candidates for early release. With dedicated tracks for applicants in India, Africa and the Caribbean, Ukraine, and Taiwan, grantees have regular meet-ups across the world. Says Cowen, 'Anyone who wins has a direct line to me.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Eater
an hour ago
- Eater
A New 200-Seat Boat Bar Anchors in Hudson Yards
Sailor's Choice, a breezy seafood bar from Alex and Miles Pincus, opens today at 350 11th Avenue, at 30th Street. It joins a wave of new restaurants in Hudson Yards — a second location of Locanda Verde and Papa San, the Nikkei-style izakaya — following a fleet of post-pandemic failed ventures, including Thomas Keller's TAK Room. Built around a vintage fishing boat-turned-centerpiece bar, the seasonal Sailor's Choice is among the more chill options for drinking and snacking in one of Manhattan's most corporate neighborhoods, where offices like Time Warner and Meta reside. Sailor's Choice is one of a handful of mostly nautical-themed restaurants from the brothers' Crew Hospitality, which includes New York boat bar Grand Banks near Tribeca, West Village waterfront Drift In, boat bar Pilot near Brooklyn Bridge, Island Oyster at Governors Island, and land-based Holywater. There's also High Tide in Dumbo and Fairweather in the High Line Hotel. This new project also features a boat — albeit one that's docked on land. The concept came together quickly after Alex Pincus gave a speech at a Hudson River Park gala and was approached by a Hudson Yards executive. 'At first,' Pincus says, 'it didn't feel like my scene,' he said of Hudson Yards. But a Monday morning visit changed his mind. 'It was packed. I hadn't been there since before COVID. It felt so alive — and I thought, how cool would it be to drop a proper New England seafood shack right in the middle of all this?' The name Sailor's Choice comes from the brothers' post-sailing ritual: a cold beer poured over ice. That unfussy vibe is what the Pincus brothers are going for in a restaurant that can seat around 200 people. As far as the scene, the vintage fishing boat (made by Hinckley, loaned to the brothers by the fancy mariners' club, Barton & Gray) is surrounded by counter seating and a large deck with yellow-and-white striped umbrellas and nautical-looking chairs. A second bar, built into a retro Airstream, handles cocktail service. The menu leans into New England seafood shack offerings, with a lobster BLT ($27), oysters ($23 to $29 for six; $43 to $55 a dozen), caviar tater tots ($27), fish and chips ($29), and a surf club sandwich ($21). Drinks range from a Tropicalia with watermelon and vodka to spritzes. They include 'yacht club' offerings like gin and tonics and martinis ($18 to $21); wines by the glass or bottles, and beers — including any frosty brew over-ice with lime for $7. Sign up for our newsletter.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
China's exports to US plunge as trade talks start
China's exports to the US plunged last month by the most since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, highlighting the stakes for Beijing Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Signs removed at family business pizza takeaway as building listed for sale
SIGNS have been removed from a family business pizza takeaway in Warrington, as the building is listed for sale. Signage has been removed in recent weeks on the Don Quattro building, located at Fearnhead Cross on Insall Road. The business is a sister venue for the ever-popular Donatello Italian restaurant, which opened on Orford Lane in 1996. Don Quattro opened in spring 2022, due to the success of Donatello takeaways during the Covid pandemic, and it was hoped that this would be the first of a few takeaway venues in the town. However, the 982 square-foot building has been listed for sale with estate agents Morgan Williams Commercial, with offers in the region of £120,000 considered. The listing states: 'We are delighted to bring to market this wonderful leasehold business for sale. 'The property is a prominent detached former pizza takeaway, suitable for similar retail trades. 'Inside, the unit is fully refurbished and contains high-quality equipment, which is available for purchase. Signs have been removed from the Don Quattro pizza takeaway building in Fearnhead 'The fixtures and fittings list is extensive, and it includes items such as an artisan rotating base pizza oven, full extraction system, and CCTC. 'The property benefits from its own private car park, which can hold approximately seven cars at one time. 'Kitchen and prep areas are well stocked with equipment that forms part of the sale. 'The property is currently trading by our clients as an established pizzeria business, and it will be ideal for a similar use or other takeaway food businesses. 'Our client is the current owner of the business, and they are looking for offers in the region of £120,000 to take full ownership of the lease and fixtures and fittings. 'The purchaser will be assigned the existing, long-term FRI lease direct from the landlord, whereby the current rent passing is £30,000 per annum. 'The property benefits from planning consent under application number 2021/39225, which permits takeaway trade between the hours of 5pm to 11pm, Monday to Friday, midday to 11.30pm on Saturdays, and midday to 11pm on Sundays and bank holidays.'
