Call for The Mozilla Foundation Incubator Democracy x AI Cohort 2026 is open now!!!
Technology—and its place in our lives—has always tested and shaped democratic ideals. The printing press broke monopolies on information, fundamentally altering the architecture of power. The telegraph created high-speed networks that erased the barrier of distance, allowing discovery and dissent to travel across continents in an instant. Radio, television, and eventually the Internet brought voices from the margins into the public square as never before.
But democratic progress is never a fixed win. It ebbs and flows—power recalibrates, adapting to new tools of influence. Today, AI is being used to flood information environments with synthetic content, automate surveillance of activists and organizers, and optimize platforms for engagement over truth. The result: people can’t tell what’s real, institutions are losing credibility, and shared understanding is fracturing. Current applications of AI aren’t just failing democracy—they’re actively undermining it. they are seeking to support working prototypes that prove AI can serve democracy.
That’s why they are launching the Mozilla Foundation Incubator Democracy x AI Cohort for 2026.
They are looking for technologists who look at the current state of democracy and see opportunities to strengthen it. How might AI contribute to the online information ecosystem in a way that is transparent and accountable? How could technology be used to advance a shared understanding of facts? What new spaces might be built to help cultivate conversation and consensus rather than polarization?
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In particular, they are looking for:
- Systems that help people access quality information and that ensure diverse voices can be heard.
- Technologies that make government and institutional decision-making visible, trackable, and accountable to the people affected by those decisions.
- Technologies that protect and expand civic space where people can organize, engage, and build movements without fear of surveillance or repression.
By supporting projects that embody and promote democratic principles, they hope to demonstrate that AI can be leveraged to create a strengthened democratic ecosystem, where technology helps advance mutual understanding, enable institutional accountability, and expand civic engagement.
For decades, Mozilla has defended the Internet as a space for pluralism, participation, and shared power. Democracy and the open web share foundational principles: distributed authority, transparency, accountability to communities, and the conviction that more voices make systems stronger.
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In the same way that Maria Farrell and Robin Berjon call to Rewild The Internet, democracy is in need of rewilding—people need more pathways for decentralized engagement under conditions that enable plurality and a shared reality. Similarly, Deb Chachra has shown us how their built environment shapes our lives, cultures, and societies, and argues for infrastructures of care. Likewise, democracy’s infrastructure is being co-opted to fuel greater concentration of power, and they are seeing its impact play out in our cultures and societies.
Despite the challenges that they are now seeing, they remain optimistic in the long term: they still believe that the Internet and related technologies can help people better understand the facts, the world, and each other. But those technologies need to be identified, supported, and connected to a greater community before they can truly lead to a shift and help strengthen democratic processes and practices globally.
That’s where Mozilla Foundation comes in, and why they are investing in technologists who are building AI systems that strengthen democratic practice. They are not looking for tools that simply promote democratic values – they are looking for technologies that use AI to actively protect and promote democracy, tools that go beyond education and outreach to fundamentally improve democracy around the globe.
Location:
OnlineBenefits
They anticipate funding 10 projects at $50,000 each for 12 months of intensive support.
This is a Build Cohort. The focus is on developing your concept, improving product quality, clarifying user needs, building a foundation for sustainable growth, and connecting with potential supporters.
In addition to project funding, you’ll receive the following supports:
- Monthly cohort calls with peers facing similar challenges.
- Expert mentorship from advisors who’ve navigated the problems you’re facing—from AI accountability to sustainable business models to early-stage funding.
- Skills workshops tailored to what your cohort needs most (past topics: funding landscape navigation, impact measurement, pitch development).
- Network access to Mozilla’s global ecosystem of technologists, activists, and funders.
- Regular 1:1 check-ins with Mozilla staff to discuss milestones, obstacles, and support needs.
Incubator participants are also invited to participate in Mozilla Festival, where teams are often given the opportunity to pitch to potential funders, collaborators, and users.
Follow-On Funding: The strongest projects may be invited to Tier II (Sustain Track) for additional funding ($250,000 per project) and bespoke support focused on securing follow-on funding and building sustainable models. But participation in the Build Track is valuable on its own—not every project will or should continue.
Eligibilities
You should apply if you have:
- A working technology that people can actually use — not just an idea or wireframe. You’ve built something functional, even if it’s at a very early stage, and you’re ready for what comes next.
- A committed team who can execute over 12 months. If you are selected for this grant, you should be able to hit the ground running without having to do any significant hiring.
- A commitment to openness that will expand the impact of your work. At least some of your code is open source (e.g., you use an open core model, your codebase is closed but you publish open datasets, etc.) or you have a clear roadmap for open sourcing at least part of your codebase and will commit to doing so during the grant period. You’ll share learnings publicly, make datasets available where appropriate, and document your process for others to learn from. You believe transparency and community stewardship will make your project stronger. If you’re new to working open, they will provide you with the resources and experts to help you navigate things like licensing and creating on-ramps for participation to outside contributors.
You must also:
- Be legally able to receive funds from Mozilla Foundation, a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Please carefully review Mozilla Foundation’s grant eligibility guidelines before submitting an application.
- Submit applications in English. Translation tools are welcome. We evaluate your ideas, not your language quality.
Application Process
Applications are reviewed through a multi-stage process.
The primary review occurs at the Initial Project Proposal stage, with only a small number of shortlisted applicants invited to submit a full application.
They will also hold an Info Session to answer remaining questions about the Call for Proposals on Thursday, March 5, at 5pm CET/11am ET/8am PT. You can sign up here to take part.
Application timeline:
- Initial Project Proposal Opens: February 12, 2026
- Initial Project Proposal Deadline: March 16, 2026, 11:59pm PT
- Finalists Notified: April 2, 2026
- Full Proposals Due: April 15, 2026
- Selections Announced: June 1, 2026
- Cohort Begins: 12 months beginning June 2026
Application Deadline: March 17, 2026 (21 Days Remaining)
Apply nowOfficial link
