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Interplay Fellows

Work on your venture after graduation through an Interplay Fellows award 

The Interplay Fellows program, funded by a $1 million gift from Interplay, a NYC-based startup ecosystem, is a prestigious award offered by Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship that provides funding to a graduating student founder from any Duke degree program, with a preference for students with demonstrated financial need. Designed for high-potential ventures, this one-time, non-dilutive award of up to $40,000 empowers graduating student founders to dedicate themselves full time to their startups and provides a critical runway for recent graduate founders.  

Alleviate Health John Xu '25
2025 Interplay Fellow John Xu '25

2025 INTERPLAY FELLOW

Congratulations to John Xu ’25, the first-ever Interplay Fellow, who’s building a venture powered by Generative AI and big vision. Alleviate Health is focused on streamlining doctor-patient communication. Its software platform transcribes incoming patient voicemails, automatically drafts responses, and triages messages by category and urgency. By reducing the time doctors and staff spend on administrative follow-up, Alleviate Health helps medical teams focus more on in-person patient care.

Who is eligible for this award 

  • Graduating Duke students from any Duke degree program who are pursuing a for-profit or not-for-profit venture.
  • Preference for students with demonstrated financial need.
  • Preference for students who have who have demonstrated high engagement with Duke I&E (e.g., Melissa & Doug Entrepreneurs, New Ventures courses). 
  • Able to collect funds in the US. Any international enterprise applicant must also have an established presence in the U.S., whereby they are a United States Taxpayer and hold a federal taxpayer identification number. This could include an organization recognized as an organization exempt from federal income tax under IRC section 501(c)3 status. 

Benefits of being an Interplay Fellow 

  • Up to $40,000 in funding (disbursed in two installments, 6 months apart)  
  • Support from Interplay team members and Duke I&E staff and faculty through coaching, access to industry expertise, and guidance in identifying additional funding opportunities, including scheduled quarterly check-ins 
  • A strong Duke entrepreneurial community to help navigate post-graduation challenges  

Expectations of Interplay Fellows 

  • Commit to spending at least 40 hours per week working on your venture for 12 months after graduation 
  • Provide quarterly updates to Duke I&E on your progress 
  • Submit an Annual Impact Report one year after graduation showcasing your progress to date and demonstrating how the Interplay Fellows award has impacted your venture
  • If you stop working on your venture before the 12-month period ends, you must return a pro-rated portion of the award.  

HOW TO APPLY

To be considered for the Interplay Fellows Award, you must complete an online application and upload a slide deck (or other documentation) that articulates:  

  • The problem your venture is trying to solve
  • The solution your venture provides
  • Your go-to-market strategy and/or current traction 
  • Your plan for the next 6 and 12 months  

Apply here for the Interplay Fellows Award 

LEARN MORE

Have questions about the Interplay Fellows program or the application process? Contact Amy Linnane, Managing Director, Co-Curricular Programs, Duke I&E. 

Interested in supporting the Interplay Fellows program through philanthropy? Contact Erin Gasch '95 MBA '03, Senior Director, External Relations, Duke I&E.

Categories

Duke I&E Funding