Thiel fellowship

Thanks to my loyal blog contributor for sharing this! To those students/youths with innovative idea, this would be great way for you to make your breakthrough in Silicon Valley!

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http://www.thielfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18&Itemid=22

The Thiel Foundation will award up to 20 people under 20 years old cash grants of $100,000 to further their innovative scientific and technical ideas. In addition, over a two year period, our network of tech entrepreneurs and philanthropists—drawn from PayPal, Facebook, Palantir Technologies, Founders Fund, the Singularity Institute, the Seasteading Institute, and others—will teach the recipients about creating disruptive technologies and offer mentorship, employment opportunities, support, and training.

Though applicants may already have in mind scientific or technical ideas, the Thiel Fellowship is not limited to those with developed innovations. The purpose of the Fellowship program is broad: the grants are intended to enable the recipients to achieve a specific objective, produce a report or other similar project, or improve or enhance a scientific, technical, or charitable capacity, skill, or talent.

Teams of up to four persons may also apply. Each member of a selected team would receive the full fellowship; therefore, each team member must fill out the application and the team will be judged on the strength of all members.

Applications must be submitted by December 15, 2010. Applicants must be under 20 years old as of December 15, 2010. Applicants may be from anywhere in the world, except from certain countries whose residents are banned by the United States Government from participation. 

The Foundation will begin announcing Fellows in January 2011. Fellowships must be accepted within one week of being offered. Offers to teams may be contingent on all members accepting. All members of a team must accept the fellowship, or the others may forfeit eligibility. Recipients may begin their two-year fellowship at any point in 2011. If currently a student, a recipient must stop active enrollment in school during the fellowship. During the two-year fellowship, recipients should not have any other employment or educational enrollment except as approved by the Thiel Foundation.