Solo Grants

Quick Facts

• ·Type: 100% non-dilutive grant — $100–$1,000
• ·Eligibility: open to all ages and nationalities
• ·Process: rolling applications, 15-minute interview
• ·Inquiries: kai@joinodf.com

Mission

Solo Grants is a microgrant program for solo builders. We cut a belief check — $100 to $1,000 — for the parts, compute, and materials that turn a passion project into the first version that works. It's a vote of confidence with a dollar amount attached, not an investment: no equity, no repayment, no board seat.

What it funds

Things that move the build:

• ·The part you couldn't afford
• ·A weekend of compute
• ·The PCB / board run
• ·Materials for v1
• ·Domain + first month of hosting
• ·The tool that finishes the prototype

Not salaries, runway, pitch decks, a nicer logo, conference travel, or "market research." Parts, not payroll.

Application Guide

Written application

Keep it real. The strongest applications read like a text to a friend — plain words, real detail, obvious energy. Cover:

Personal background

• ·Your story and what pulls you toward this project
• ·Where you are right now
• ·Anything you've built before (broken counts)

Project description

• ·The problem, in one breath
• ·What you're making and why it's uniquely compelling
• ·Current progress — sketches, prototypes, commits
• ·What happens after the money lands

Budget breakdown

Itemize it like a bill of materials. Every line should be a real part with a real price:

Actuators: $260
- Linear actuator x4: $260

Frame: $160
- Aluminum extrusion: $90
- Battery pack x1: $70

Total: $420

Be specific. Lean, researched budgets get funded — we size the check to the build, not the dream.

Application Process

1. 01Submit the form — about five minutes, no deck, no warm intro.
2. 02Review — we read everything and reply by email.
3. 03Interview — 15 relaxed minutes, builder to builder.
4. 04Decision — on average, about ten days from application to funded; money wired the same week we say yes.

Tips from Recipients

"The application is very straightforward, taking only an hour or two. The interview is incredibly relaxed — you're speaking founder-to-founder about your vision for building."

Key advice from the room:

• ·Itemize the budget — real parts, real prices
• ·Show conviction in the thing, not the pitch
• ·Don't hide early-stage mistakes; show what they taught you
• ·Know what the very next dollar unlocks

Example Recipients

• ·Ryan Morrissey — a 6-axis robotic arm for people with degenerative motor conditions
• ·Kevin Gong — the world's first volleyball setter robot
• ·Santiago Del Solar — a 3D-printed strength-augmenting exoskeleton
• ·Richa Pandya — an open-source wearable that lets people with severe motor disorders communicate with tongue movements
• ·Aaryan Harshith — the largest public database of phages
• ·Jayant Raj — AI speech therapy for stuttering

Dozens of funded builds are in the funded ledger, line-item receipts included.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who's running this? Solo Grants is run out of the Solo Founders community, affiliated with ODF — the accelerator whose flagship program has helped launch 1,000+ startups. Solo Grants backs builders even earlier: day one, sketch in hand.

Who is eligible? Anyone blocked from self-funding their build. All ages, all nationalities, all disciplines — hardware, software, weird science.

What exactly is "no strings attached"? You get $100–$1,000 plus the community, with zero equity or future obligations. We only expect the money to go into the build.

Can I apply multiple times? Yes, though priority goes to new applicants. Different project, different stage — both fine.

Why do you ask about finances? To make sure we fund builders who've pushed as far as they can before money became the wall.