Innovator in Residence (IIR)

At this time, all advising sessions are with Marvin Cheung, Head of Research and Strategy, Board Member at Unbuilt Labs.

Marvin Cheung

Marvin Cheung is a global governance scholar and a business executive. He co-directs the Center for Global Agenda (CGA) and directs the Venture Strategy Group (VSG) at Unbuilt Labs. Bringing together his research interests, including the future of global governance, research organizations, and technology, he regularly advises on the ideas, methods, and movements that have the potential to change global dynamics. He chairs the Global Consortium for Systems Research (GCSR), and is a Global Diplomacy Fellow at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), as well as a UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab Expert on SDGs and Strategic Planning. As a Board Member at Unbuilt Labs, he is also a member of the Asian Leaders Alliance, the Institute of Director's Policy Voice, and Chairman's Network, where he regularly presents research to private and public Board of Directors. He studied at the University of Hong Kong, the Parsons School of Design, and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

As a perk we offer to our IIRs, you are welcome to add your advisor Marvin Cheung to your Board of Advisor as a Special Advisor after three advising sessions, until the end of the IIR program, if you so wish. Longer term arrangements can be made depending on need and interest.

Simple - scroll down and schedule a time to chat! We will schedule follow-up meetings as needed after a first conversation.

We take a holistic approach towards evaluating candidates. We access several factors:

1. Experience: We are more inclined to accept candidates who have previous experience in the industry or system they intend to change. This is typically demonstrated through relevant industry experiences, grants, and fellowships.

2. Idea: We look for ideas that have the potential to change the world in 2-5 years. As part of Unbuilt Labs' Think Tank Ecosystem, we look for candidates who can see around corners and produce sharp, actionable insights.

3. Values: Ethics is a cornerstone of Unbuilt Labs’ service. At a basic level, we ask the question whether a project will do more harm than good to shared peace and prosperity for all. This is a difficult question - sometimes even the most well-intentioned people can only do so much within real world constraints and make the best out of a terrible situation. We understand that we should never let perfect be the enemy of good, but we always try our best to understand the unintentional consequences of our actions. We look for responsible actors who actively addresses potential fallouts as a result of proposed changes.

4. Team: A well rounded team is helpful. Typically we look for founders who work with at least two or three other people on a regular basis on the proposed idea.

There are some common reasons and responses if we decide not to accept your application. Please know that just because you might not be a good fit at this time, we still wish you well and we encourage you to try different programs at other institutions!

1. If you already have a product quite far along in development, we may advise you to continue on a traditional VC route instead. We designed the IIR program for very early stage organizations so we can help you with the discovery process and challenge fundamental assumptions together. Generally speaking, we are looking for people who would like to set up a cutting-edge research center prior to developing product, services, or programs. If you are interested in the program but are unsure, please do not hesitate to reach out!

2. There are certain parts we are not sure of and we want to spend some time to get to know the topic. This can take anywhere from two weeks to several months. We will not be able to give you a clear timeline in this scenario.

3. We feel that the idea might not be bold or differentiated enough from existing research organizations. We will encourage you to continue identifying knowledge gaps and apply again at a future date if you so wish.

4. We may not be a good fit for you. We cannot be an expert in every field, and we will be honest if we think our contributions will be limited. We are looking to develop long-term relationships through this program.

5. We think the idea needs a little more thought before we move forward with your application. We might encourage you to reach out to us again in 3-6 months. Of course, in the meantime, you are still welcome to sign up for our regular Advising Sessions.

Please know that we appreciate all applications. Thank you for your work and your interest.

Congrats! We sincerely hope you will join us. If you decide to join our Innovator in Residence program, we will send over a coupon code for twelve free 45-minute advising sessions. You are welcome to pay-what-you-want after you begin raising funds through the Friends of Unbuilt Labs program. Contributions help us continue running this program for future founders like yourself.

How you spend the time is up to you. However and based on our learning, we strongly recommend spending the first two session refining your CV and biography to prepare for pitches or public events such as conferences. See our guide to preparing your resume.