Entertainment · Sports · Music
The LaunchPad Fellowship
A year-long Fellowship built to give you a real foundation in the sports, entertainment, and music industries. Completely free.
Our mission
learn. experience. work.
LaunchPad helps underserved young adults enter the sports, entertainment, and music industries. We provide the playbooks, access, and knowledge to help you get ready, plus the professional skills and networks it takes to get in.
LaunchPad is a completely free program made possible by our board, donors, and corporate partners.
How the Fellowship works
Find your intersection.
Every LaunchPad Fellow builds their career at one intersection: the industry you want to break into, plus the platform where you'll get hands-on experience. Put them together and that's your pathway.
Choose your industry
What world do you want to work in?
Choose your functional area
Where you'll get hands-on experience.
Build your pathway
Here's what your intersection could look like.
Sports Videography & Social Content
Capture game-day moments, cut highlights, and create social content for sports audiences.
Applications for the 2026–27 cohort are closed. Stay tuned for the next one.
The year ahead
What Fellows can expect.
The LaunchPad Fellowship is a year-long career development accelerator for young adults ready to work in the next two years, including right now. It blends hands-on learning, skill-building, and real-world industry exposure, all leading to gigs, internships, and full-time roles. Fellows may participate in up to two cohorts.
- 01Events & access. Attend most LaunchPad events and programs, including site visits, professional networking, career accelerator services, mock interviews, and more.
- 02Workshops & training. Participate in workshops, competitions, and training exercises.
- 03Portfolio & experience. Build a portfolio and gain professional experience, including a marquee portfolio project, through freelancing and internships.
- 04Coaching & mentoring. Receive one-on-one coaching and mentoring, and build direct, professional relationships in your industry.
- 05LaunchPad Studios & more. Fellows may participate in LaunchPad Studios and additional professional opportunities.
Fellows in the field
Where they landed this year.
Real Fellows. Real intersections. Tap a profile to see their path.
Applications
That's a wrap on applications.
Applications for the 2026–27 cohort are closed. Thank you to everyone who applied! Follow LaunchPad to be the first to know when the next cohort opens.
FAQ
What's the difference between an industry, a functional area, and a pathway?
Your industry is the world you want to work in: entertainment, sports, or music. Your functional area is where you get hands-on experience: LaunchPad Production, LaunchPad Digital, or LaunchPad Pro. Your pathway is the specific role you build where those two meet, like Production Assistant, Videography, or Executive Assistant.
Do I need to know my intersection before I apply?
No. Tell us what you're interested in on your application, and we'll help you find the right fit.
Can I explore more than one pathway?
Your interests can grow during the Fellowship. Talk with your LaunchPad coach about exploring a different industry, functional area, or pathway.
Do I need experience?
No industry experience required. The Fellowship is built for young adults ready to work in the next two years, including right now.
Does it cost anything?
No. LaunchPad is completely free, made possible by our board, donors, and corporate partners.
What does "underserved" mean? How is it determined?
"Underserved" means the applicant is currently facing one or more of these qualifying socioeconomic circumstances for the majority of the last 5+ years:
- Pending or actual loss of housing
- Food insecurity
- One or both parents did not obtain a bachelor's degree
- Awarded a financial need-based scholarship by an accredited institution or agency
- Family's or individual's household income is below a living wage while living there or in school full time, as defined by livingwage.mit.edu
Can I still apply if I am younger than 20 or older than 24?
Yes. 20–24 years old is LaunchPad's target age range, but each application is reviewed on its own merit and acceptance is determined considering all factors.
Can I apply for the Fellowship more than once?
Yes, multiple applications are encouraged.
How is acceptance determined?
LaunchPad's program committee, made up of staff and Board members, reviews all applications. After determining eligibility, the committee selects up to 200 Fellows per year, per region.