become a project incubator mentor

Becoming a mentor with Sentient Futures isn’t just a way to give back. It’s also a chance to advance your own work and connections.

As a mentor, you’ll:

  • Gain support for your projects. You may suggest your own ongoing or new projects, and we’ll match you with motivated fellows who can contribute. This can function like having a short-term research assistant or intern - and in some cases, grow into an ongoing collaboration.

  • Work with vetted fellows. Many mentees will have already completed our learning fellowships, so you’ll be engaging with people who have demonstrated commitment and baseline knowledge. In addition, we only accept high-quality mentee applicants, so your time and expertise will be spent on the mentees who will make the most of it.

  • Have a real impact. Mentors play a direct role in guiding new researchers and practitioners. You will help to inspire, develop, and shape the direction of current and future contributors to the wellbeing of sentient beings.

  • Visibility and recognition. Your mentee’s work may be featured on our platforms or at our conferences, and with your approval, we can highlight your mentorship.

Our fellowship is inspired by similar models, such as SPAR, MATS, Pivotal, and FIG.

  • The mentor-mentee relationship is flexible, depending on interests and availability, but we expect mentors to:

    • Meet with mentee(s) once a week for 30-60 minutes (or other pacing, as decided with mentee(s))

    • Provide feedback on mentee(s’) work, including guidance on project development

  • Projects can be on a number of topics within the Sentient Futures scope (broadly construed as anything having to do with nonhuman sentience and welfare). Examples include:

    • AI’s near-term impact on animals

    • Wild animal welfare

    • Transition to a post-AGI society

    • Artificial sentience

    • Longtermism and animals

  • We are open to a range of project formats and types, including but not limited to:

    • Action-guiding research and writing (preprints, journal articles etc.)

    • Popular writing (e.g. blog or forum posts, research distillations, science communication)

    • Content creation (e.g. podcasts, explainers)

    • Technical projects

    • Policy memos and frameworks

    • Field-building and strategic outreach

    • Developing funding proposals

    • Creative works

    • And more!

    1. Once we finalize dates for the program and verify that you'd be a good fit to mentor, we'll reach out and ask you to confirm your participation as a mentor.

    2. Applicants review a list of participating mentors.

    3. Fellows apply by indicating which mentors they’d like to work with and why.

    4. Sentient Futures will provide mentors with a screened list of the most promising applicants.

    5. Mentors indicate their mentee preferences.

    6. We will optimize both mentor and mentee rankings to ensure that everyone’s preferences are met.

    • Optional resources such as vetted project ideas, reading lists, and project timeline/check-in templates

    • Check-in and guidance calls with participants

    • All-participant events, including a kickoff and project showcase

    • Optional mentor check-ins to ensure things are going smoothly

    • In-person coworking space at the Sentient Futures office in San Francisco

Submit an expression of interest

Deadline: July 8, 2026

Tentative program dates: Aug 15 - Oct 30 (10 weeks)