In/Tend Incubator Program
Incubator Progam
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Are you passionate about transforming adolescent sexual and reproductive health?
Do you want to use human-centered design to address real-world challenges?
If so, the In/Tend Incubator Hub is your opportunity to make a lasting impact.
Human-centered design is a creative problem-solving approach that begins by understanding the experiences of the people you’re designing for, leading to solutions tailored to their unique needs.
Limited spots available—apply starting April 7 and let your creativity flourish!
In the Weeds (FAQs and More)
The In/Tend Incubator program is a fun, 7-month experience that helps teams of three use human-centered design to create solutions for real-world challenges in adolescent sexual and reproductive health.
Teams will enjoy a guided journey with coaching, resources, a supportive community, and hands-on experience to spark creativity and make a real difference.
The program starts in May 2025 and goes through January 2026. Active time in the program is about 7 months; there are at least 4 weeks of time off during holidays. Tentative schedule (dates subject to change):
- May 26, 2025 – Program Starts
- Summer 2025 (Dates TBD) – In-Person Training #1
- October 6 to October 8, 2025 – Healthy Teen Network Conference
- November 3-6, 2025 – In-Person Training #2
- January 31, 2026 – Program Ends
Please note that attendance at in-person trainings is mandatory.
The program requires intensive, dedicated work throughout the 7 months. This program isn’t something you can squeeze in on the side; all team members must be fully engaged.
Teams can expect to spend at least 6 hours per month meeting with their coach and participating in cohort meetings. Additionally, teams can expect to spend at least 21 hours per person in trainings.
We aim to create an exciting virtual environment with some in-person meetups to boost teamwork and creativity. The incubator program will mostly be online, but you’ll have at least 2 chances to meet in-person with your cohort. In-person event locations will be as centrally located as possible, for the cohort as a whole, for ease of travel.
Selected teams will receive up to $90,000 in funding to prototype and test their ideas. As part of the application, teams must fill out a budget template. If selected, you will have the opportunity to make budget changes, but you need to provide budgetary information based on what you know so far.
The budget template provides further guidance on how the funding should be allocated, including the following:
- Teams can only allocate up to 10% of the total funding for indirect costs.
- Funds must cover travel and accommodation for the whole team to attend two in-person events, each lasting four days. Teams are also encouraged to allocate funds to attend Healthy Teen Network’s conference.
- Funds should be used to provide appropriate incentives or payments to end-users, key stakeholders, and subject matter experts who will help test and inform your ideas.
Funding is given in 4 installments:
- $15,000 at the start of the project,
- 2 installments of $30,000 during the project, and
- $15,000 at the end of the project.
All funding installments are contingent on completing project milestones and maintaining satisfactory progress according to the plan developed with your coaches.
We’re looking for teams with innovative ideas that have yet to come to life, meaning these ideas are not yet fully developed, prototyped, tested, or refined with real end-users. In your application, please let us know which challenge your idea aims to address and how you arrived at your concept.
These ideas should come from genuine insights gathered from end users (e.g., interviews, community engagement, research, or direct observations. No worries if your idea is still rough around the edges—we’re here to help you shape it. We encourage teams to stay flexible and open to new directions, so if the process leads you to pivot, that’s okay!
Our incubator program is designed to get you to a prototype stage with some useful data for further iteration; in the incubator program, you will not be fully developing and implementing your idea.
Teams should be passionate about adolescent health, work well together, embrace and learn from failure, and be ready to adapt to new challenges. Teams must consist of 3 members who have previously worked together and are willing to commit to the intensive 7-month program.
We seek teams that represent a range of backgrounds, experiences, and areas of expertise. All team members must reside in the United States and be at least 18 years old.
Go to the Apply page and click the Apply button. You will be redirected to our application form. After answering the initial logistical questions, teams will be asked to answer the first set of short answer questions as a video, and then the remaining questions with written answers. Teams who have any sort of draft material of a prototype, such as sketches or demos, will also be asked to upload those materials for consideration. By providing different ways to answer questions, we hope to cater to different learning and sharing modalities, allowing applicants to showcase their team with more creative freedom.
The application portal will close and stop accepting further applications once we receive 50 submissions, or upon reaching April 20th at 11:59 PM ET, whichever comes first. We highly encourage and recommend interested teams to apply as soon as possible.
Teams who successfully complete our program will emerge with valuable skills, insights, and tangible outcomes. Each team will have developed at least one user-tested prototype, equipped with access to networks and resources. Additionally, teams will leave with a concrete action plan outlining their next steps, tailored to their goals. This plan may include preparation to secure future funding or applying to accelerator programs to further advance innovative solutions.
This application is for the In/Tend Incubator Hub’s second cohort. If you wish to be notified of future opportunities relating to the In/Tend Incubator Hub, including when the next Sprout: A Design Challenge happens or when the In/Tend Incubator Hub Innovation application opens, we encourage you to sign up for our email list.
Is In/Tend Right For Me?
Do any of the following scenarios sound like you, where you have an idea that came from extensive research with end users? If so, In/Tend may be the opportunity for you!
Requirements to Apply
Here’s what you need to know to join the fun:
- Application must be submitted through the portal.
- Teams must be made up of 3 people.
- Team members do not have to come from the same organization but must have prior experience working together.
- The team should bring a mix of talents, where each member brings something unique to the table.
- The team should be passionate about improving adolescent sexual and reproductive health.
- Team members should be adventurous and willing to work with ambiguity.
- Team members should be adaptable, open to learning, and willing to embrace uncertainty.
- All team members must fully commit to the intensive 7-month program, starting in early May 2025 and going through the end of January 2026.
- All team members must be at least 18 years old.
- All team members must reside in the United States.
- All team members must attend and fully participate in at least 2 in-person events and at least 4 events online.
- All team members must use the funds provided to cover the costs to and from any in-person programming.
- All team’s values and goals must be in alignment with Healthy Teen Network and the In/Tend Incubator Hub’s guiding principles and goals.
Don’t check off every box in the requirements listed above? Please apply anyway!
Studies have shown that individuals whose voices have faced barriers are less likely to apply for opportunities unless they meet every single qualification. We understand that feeling—and we want you to know that you don’t have to be perfect. We are committed to creating a welcoming environment where everybody feels valued and supported. So, if you are excited about this opportunity, please apply anyway.
Application Timeline
All dates are subject to change.
Application Timeline
All dates are subject to change.
Share
March 6
We first share information about the In/Tend incubator program application.
Prepare
March 6 – April 6
Use this time to gather your teams and prepare your application! We intentionally provide this period to provide more opportunities for all interested teams to prepare.
Learn
April 4, 8, 14, and 18
We host office hours where you can learn more about the application process and what to expect in the program. Register to attend.
April 4th, 2:30 PM ET – 3:30 PM ET
April 8th, 8:30 PM ET – 9:30 PM ET
April 14th, 12:00 PM ET – 1:00 PM ET
April 18th, 3:00 PM ET – 4:00 PM ET
Apply
April 7–20, 11:59 PM ET
The application portal opens. Submit your application ASAP. The portal closes once we receive 50 submissions, or upon the deadline, whichever comes first.
Review
April 21 – May 2
We review applications.
Interview
May 5-9
We will reach out to a short list of teams to be interviewed and considered for this cohort. Interviews will be conducted during this week.
Invite
May 12
We send invitations to selected teams.
Commit
May 19
Selected teams must sign their contract and confirm participation by this date.
Related Dates
February 17 – March 2 (tentative)
In/Tend Incubator Hub Application opens.
Teams that show great promise during Sprout: A Design Challenge will be encouraged to apply as an Innovation Development Team (IDT) with the In/Tend Incubator Hub and will be given special consideration during the IDT application process.
Selection
Applications are carefully reviewed by an independent selection committee. This committee is made up of experts in innovation and adolescent sexual and reproductive health.
To provide all teams with a dedicated, equitable, and timely review by our selection committee, we must limit the number of submissions to 50. We understand that this is an uncommon application process, and in the spirit of innovation and transparency, we welcome any feedback on this process. To help all teams prepare, we offer an application preview period, so everyone has a fair chance to prepare and submit their application.
The application portal will close and stop accepting further applications once we receive 50 submissions, or upon reaching April 20th at 11:59 PM ET, whichever comes first. We highly encourage and recommend any teams interested to apply as soon as possible.
Applicants will be notified of their application status no later than May 5, 2025. Teams must confirm their participation no later than May 19, 2025. Teams who accept the invitation to join the In/Tend Incubator Hub must then be able to participate in program activities, starting May 26, 2025.
The Selection Committee will be evaluating applications based on:
- Team Cohesion: Are individual strengths, areas of growth, and contributions clearly detailed?
- Support: Does the team clearly explain why they are interested in In/Tend and what type of support they anticipate needing?
- Motivation: Is the team’s excitement about participating in the In/Tend incubator program clearly conveyed?
- Challenge: Does the team clearly describe the challenge they are aiming to address?
- Idea: How clearly does the team describe the idea for prototyping or testing, and how well does it connect to the challenge that they aim to address?
- Creativity and Adaptability: Does the team clearly demonstrate innovation and the ability to adapt to unforeseen challenges?
- Willingness to Pivot: Does the team demonstrate openness to change based on new insights, feedback, and the iterative nature of the incubator program? Has the team acknowledged that their initial idea may evolve and demonstrated a willingness to pivot?
- Outstanding Qualities: What unique qualities set the team apart from others?
- Team Composition: Does the team include individuals whose voices have faced barriers to opportunity, including young people ages 18-24?
The Selection Committee will be looking for applications that creatively illustrate who the team is and how they effectively work together. We are seeking teams who embody the potential for innovation and show the promise of putting it into action if given the opportunity.
The Selection Committee aims to select teams that demonstrate a genuine passion for their challenge, clear and cohesive communication, strong team dynamics, creativity and adaptability in problem-solving, and alignment with the goals and guiding principles of Healthy Teen Network and the In/Tend Incubator Hub.
The Healthy Teen Network In/Tend Incubator Hub is supported by the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,886,783 with 100 percent funded by OPA/OASH/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, OPA/OASH/HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit opa.hhs.gov.