Name the situation
Define the problem, the people affected, the existing context and the assumption that needs testing.
06 / XTF programs
Programs are tools inside the Foundation’s wider mission. XTF is being built to support early work through incubation, people and networks, and knowledge that remains useful beyond a single cohort.
01 / Common program method
Every confirmed XTF program is designed to make the work more legible: what is being investigated, how it is tested, what changed and what the next responsible step is.
02 / Inside the method
The program method is a sequence of questions, not a promise that every project will follow the same timeline or reach the same outcome.
Define the problem, the people affected, the existing context and the assumption that needs testing.
Find relevant work, identify sources and decide what evidence would strengthen or revise the idea.
Create an experiment, prototype, system or public piece that makes the question testable.
Invite critique of the method, not only reaction to the presentation.
Record what was observed, what remains uncertain and how the work changed.
Identify whether the work needs more research, development, collaboration, publication or a deliberate pause.
03 / Flagship pathway
Designed for early work that has a meaningful question but still needs research, testing, critique or technical development.

XTF Incubation is the Foundation’s core pathway for giving early work a clearer research and development structure.
Each confirmed cycle publishes its focus, format, selection criteria, responsibilities and support package before applications open.
No public XTF Incubation application cycle is currently listed on this website. New opportunities will be published on the Get Involved page.
Explore XTF Incubation04 / What the work should show
Program outputs vary, but the record of the work should help another person understand what was attempted and why.
A specific problem or opportunity, placed in enough context to examine.
The existing work, people, evidence and assumptions that informed the approach.
The observation, comparison, test or making process used to learn.
A form appropriate to the question—not a requirement to imitate a finished product.
The uncertainty, risks and claims the current work cannot support.
A realistic proposal for what should be investigated, built or decided next.
05 / Program transparency
Every active program page must state who it is for, what participation requires, what support is confirmed and how decisions and data are handled.
Age, geography, stage and individual or team requirements.
Application, review, participation and completion dates.
Mentorship, facilities, technical resources or financial support—only when confirmed.
Criteria, process, decision roles and conflicts handling.
Intellectual property, publication, privacy, consent and safeguarding.
A single, unambiguous application state and a clear source for any update.
06 / Foundation program portfolio
The Foundation’s program architecture separates long-term support from periodic opportunities. Each route has a different role, but all share the same standard for clarity, evidence and participant responsibility.
Structured investigation, testing, critique and documentation for early work that needs a credible next path.
Framework in development / no public callExplore incubation 02 / People & communityStage-matched critique, peer learning and longer-term development centred on the people carrying the work.
Model in developmentSee the people standard 03 / Knowledge & ecosystemMethods, tools and public learning that strengthen practice beyond one project, programme or cohort.
Publishing framework in developmentExplore research & methods07 / Platform roadmap
The platform develops in two stages. Stage one uses the current public website and reviewed contact routes; stage two adds private workspaces only after identity, consent, access and retention controls are ready.
Project library, mentor framework, monthly roadshow records, competition information, news and a structured project-submission route.
Public information + reviewed email intakeAccounts, material uploads, AI-assisted PPT and business-plan drafting, and a mentor-review workbench.
Requires product, privacy and safeguarding buildUse a structured, non-confidential summary for initial routing. Submission is not acceptance, an award or an investment decision.
Open the submission routeStage two must define account roles, age checks, guardian consent where required, authentication, recovery and account deletion.
File type, access, encryption, retention, deletion, intellectual property and incident handling must be published before uploads open.
AI output must be labelled as a draft, checked for accuracy and rights, and never presented as evidence, approval or professional advice.
Roles, conflicts, conduct, feedback visibility and escalation must be clear before a mentor can access private project material.
07 / Programs FAQ
General information helps visitors understand the model. Only a confirmed program call defines participation.
Eligibility differs by program. Age, geography, project stage and team requirements will appear on the relevant active program page.
No public XTF application call is currently listed. The opportunities section is the place to check.
No general funding promise is made. A confirmed program will state any financial or in-kind support, together with the relevant conditions.
Not as a general rule. A program may begin with a question, research, an experiment or a prototype. The required stage will be stated in the call.
A confirmed program will publish criteria, review stages, decision roles and conflicts handling before applications open.
The project record should identify a responsible next path. Any further XTF support depends on a separately confirmed program or agreement.