Talos Fellowship
About
Talos Network is a nonprofit organization spun out of Training for Good in 2024, itself founded in 2021 by Cillian Crosson via Charity Entrepreneurship. When Training for Good split into two successor organizations, Talos Network took on the mission of developing the next generation of European AI policy leaders, while Tarbell focused on a complementary field-building mission. The core program is the Talos Fellowship, a three-part pipeline: an 8-week online course covering advanced AI risks, EU regulatory frameworks, geopolitics, and economic integration, in which fellows produce a publishable policy brief; a 7-day Brussels Policymaking Summit featuring expert speakers, workshops, and networking with AI governance practitioners; and an optional 4-6 month paid placement at partner institutions including the OECD AI Division, The Future Society, Centre for European Policy Studies, Centre for Future Generations, Apollo Research, and others. As of late 2025, Talos has supported 83 alumni, with roughly 70% having transitioned into AI safety or AI policy roles. The organization was ranked the number two source of AI policy talent globally in a 2025 80,000 Hours survey. The fellowship runs two cohorts per year, training approximately 50 high-potential individuals annually, with a strong preference for EU citizens given the eligibility requirements for EU institutional roles. Talos Network is registered in Germany as a gUG (haftungsbeschränkt) with its registered address in Berlin, though its fellowship operations are centered on Brussels and European institutions. The organization has received US public charity equivalency through NGOSource. Core funding comes from Coefficient Giving (via Good Ventures), the Future of Life Institute, the Survival and Flourishing Fund, and individual donors. The 2026 projected budget is approximately €2.5 million, with around 80% anticipated from existing funders.
Theory of Change
Talos Network believes that the trajectory of AI governance in Europe is significantly shaped by the quality and values of the policymakers staffing EU institutions and Brussels-based think tanks. By identifying talented early-career professionals, giving them deep training in AI safety and EU governance, and placing them directly in influential roles, Talos aims to increase the share of AI policy positions held by people with strong safety awareness. Over time, a critical mass of Talos alumni in key positions should shift European AI policy in a safer and more risk-aware direction, reducing the probability of harmful or unaligned AI systems being deployed without adequate oversight.
Details
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- Expected Duration
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- Funding Raised to Date
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- Last Updated
- Apr 3, 2026, 2:03 AM UTC
- Created
- Apr 3, 2026, 2:03 AM UTC