SF Residency
A fast-paced, intensive residency in San Francisco which brings a cohort of talented, motivated people from all backgrounds to work for 10 to 15 weeks on technical and community building projects that improve the welfare of sentient beings in the era of rapidly developing artificial intelligence.
Who this program is for
Builders and AI engineers
You have already developed the technical skills, but you never had the network to work on something meaningful. The residency pays you to go full-time, alongside a cohort doing the same.
Organizers and field builders
Not every project here is technical. If your work is bringing people together (e.g. running programs, building networks, growing a young field) the residency funds that too.
Founders-to-be
You have an idea that might need to become an organization. A funded season of full-time work is how you find out, in a city full of all the collaborators and funders you need.
Program details
June – September 2026. 12-15 weeks, in-person
We’d like residents to work on their projects in the office from M-F while they’re here.
An educational and professional development program during the morning and afternoon. Residents participate in structured programming, workshops, mentorships, networking, and independent project work.
Accommodation, food outside of program-provided meals, local transportation, and other expenses are all covered.
Why now?
Openness
Every day in San Francisco, we discover new opportunities to work with AI labs, biotech companies, and frontier tech organizations.
Momentum
This field is gaining recognition. The SF Standard and MIT Technology Review have both recently highlighted this growing space.
Urgency
Transformative technologies are developing fast. The opportunities we see across this city far outpace our ability to act on them.
What you leave with
A completed project
Over the residency you’ll take one piece of work from an idea to something finished (a working tool, a published paper, or a program) with the time and support to do it properly.
A lasting base in SF
The residency is built for people who want to stay. By the end you’ll have working relationships across the city’s labs, organizations, and community. This is a foundation for all the years after.
A community that outlasts the program
The residency ends, but the community doesn’t. Residents stay part of an active group of people working on the welfare of sentient beings.
Frequently asked questions
No. The residency is an educational and professional development program, and so there's no employment relationship and no salary. Instead, each resident has a monthly budget covering the costs of being here.
Housing, food beyond what the program provides, travel to and from San Francisco (including visa fees), local transportation, travel medical insurance, and other expenses that support your relocation and project.
We arrange housing options near the office, from affordable shared setups to private rooms, and your housing cost comes out of your program budget.
We prioritize people who can be here for the full program, and especially those interested in staying local afterward. If you can only do part of it, we can still consider you, but a full commitment is weighted more heavily.
Yes. For residents who need a visa or travel authorization, we provide an invitation letter and guidance well before the start date, and visa fees are a qualifying program expense.
Yes, fill out the form anyway. We're planning future cohorts and will consider you for those.
No, but the strongest applications come from people who've already thought hard about where they could do the most good in this space, and who have the skills to bring that vision to life. You don't need a polished plan, but you do need a direction.
We will get back to you on a rolling basis, once the program begins accepting applications.