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system.status // ilab_intake_open · 2026

Join or Launch a Think Tank

The 2150 iLABs are working think tanks convening students, researchers, and industry around the sectors shaping the next decade. Choose a pathway to plug in — or propose a new lab of your own.

LAB_01 // student.enrollopen

Track 01 · Emerging Talent

Student Researcher

Learn inside a live think tank.

Commitment
Semester or year-long fellowship
Format
Hybrid · campus lab + virtual convenings

Undergraduate and graduate students at HBCUs and partner institutions who want hands-on research inside a working iLAB.

  • 01Placement into a sector iLAB — Decision Intelligence, Retail, Finance, Manufacturing, Infrastructure, Energy, or Public Policy
  • 02Faculty and industry mentors from the 2150 network
  • 03Published research, case studies, and demo-day showcases
  • 04Direct pipeline into 2150 founder and funder circles
LAB_02 // researcher.enrollopen

Track 02 · Faculty & Research

Researcher / Principal Investigator

Lead the inquiry.

Commitment
1–3 year appointment
Format
Cross-institution · convenes at Miles, FAMU, JCSU, JSU + partner sites

Faculty, postdocs, and independent researchers ready to lead or co-lead a workstream inside a 2150 iLAB.

  • 01Co-author white papers with the 2150 Public Policy iLAB and partners
  • 02Access to corporate datasets, testbeds, and pilot deployments
  • 03Grant-writing support and shared institutional infrastructure
  • 04National platform through 2150 press, films, and convenings
LAB_03 // corporate.enrollopen

Track 03 · Industry Partners

Corporate Partner

Bring the problem. We bring the network.

Commitment
Multi-year partnership
Format
Sponsored lab · joint research + talent pipeline

Corporations, foundations, and government agencies that want to sponsor, co-brand, or launch an iLAB around a specific challenge.

  • 01Sector iLAB co-branded with your organization (see Alabama Power · Macquarie · Mercedes-Benz · LSE)
  • 02Direct access to HBCU research talent and student-builders
  • 03Applied R&D on live business, policy, or infrastructure problems
  • 04Published thought leadership and convening presence at 2150 events

active.labs

Sector iLABs currently accepting

propose.new_lab

Launch a new think tank inside 2150.

If your organization is ready to convene a new sector lab — anchored by an HBCU partner, funded through a corporate sponsor, or led by a faculty PI — we co-design it with you: charter, cohort, deliverables, and public convenings.

  • Co-branded sector iLAB with a named institutional lead
  • Recruited student and faculty cohort across the HBCU network
  • Research agenda, publications, and demo-day showcase
Talk with the team

Already know which cohort fits? See Founders cohorts