Odyssey Fellowship Prospectus

Where the world of work meets the world of school

Fellowship Prospectus

“interest-fit” with their profession thrive in their careers and lives. People who find their purpose lead happier and more successful lives.

Then, why is it that we don’t spend enough time exploring what our real interests are? Studies done in multiple countries show that middle school presents the best opportunity for career exploration. Proactively exploring the world of work in a hands-on way broadens students’ horizons to the possibilities that may be of interest to them. And that’s why we’ve created

Odyssey - a year-long fellowship designed to help middle schoolers explore the world of work.

Odyssey takes middle schoolers on an exploration of future-ready careers while helping them discover their unique strengths and passions and building critical interdisciplinary skills.

Odyssey helped me see a connection between what we are doing at school and the real world.

Avana Mubayi Grade 8, Pathways School, Gurgaon

The Odyssey Experience

The Odyssey Fellowship is designed as a structured, year-long learning journey for middle schoolers, providing them with practical exposure to the world of work.

Explore four future-ready careers

Fellows dive into four career domains: design, business, and two chosen fields from healthcare, software & AI, engineering, or law & policy. Each 8-week module involves real projects, industry interaction, and expert coaching.

Learn from industry leaders

Participants connect with global industry leaders, absorbing real-world insights and inspiring stories. These encounters foster deep learning and memorable "aha" moments that resonate beyond the program.

Get one-on-one coaching

Each fellow is matched with an experienced coach, ensuring personalized guidance throughout the fellowship. Coaches provide strategic feedback and reflection opportunities, enhancing the learning process.

Solve real-world problems

During each career exploration, fellows work in teams to solve real problem statements from the companies they admire. They choose their projects basis their common interest areas and present their solutions to an audience of industry mentors and parents.

Go behind the scenes at iconic companies

During the summer, fellows participate in a week-long immersive experience in Bengaluru. They visit top companies, engage in expert-led workshops, and build connections through shared experiences.

Fellowship outcomes

The Odyssey Fellowship prepares students for academic and career challenges, providing impactful, tangible outcomes. Here are the key achievements each fellow gains: Together, these elements form a powerful toolkit, equipping them with not just knowledge and skills, but with concrete evidence of their accomplishments and a clear vision for their future.

Create your personal brand & website

Fellows compile a personal portfolio showcasing their projects and achievements during the fellowship. This portfolio includes a certificate of completion, serving as a lasting testament to their skills and experiences.

Build transferable skills

Through a structured skills rubric, fellows enhance key professional and life skills, highlighting their capabilities in critical thinking, collaboration, and leadership.

Collect your micro-certifications & rewards

Each fellow receives micro-certificates for excellent project work and a main certificate at the end of the fellowship, formally recognising their overall achievements.

Receive recommendation letters

Industry experts provide personalized recommendation letters that endorse the fellows' achievements, supporting their future academic and career opportunities.

Develop a personalized roadmap

Fellows are guided to create a Personalised Roadmap, outlining potential career paths and setting milestones based on their unique interests and strengths.

Parent feedback

These students have not only grasped the concepts but have also dived deep into them, presenting their work with a depth that exceeded my expectations. A lot of credit goes to Odyssey for facilitating such high-quality engagement.

Sanjay Suri Former CTO, Nykaa

Odyssey has added another dimension to my son's education. To him it is a beautiful journey of exploration. He enrolled at his own will and is thoroughly enjoying it.

Kaashik Bansal Founder, The Nest

Students have discovered new aspects about themselves. It's been a great self-discovery journey. Their listening skills have improved much more than at school. You guys really speak their language and connect so well.

Shivali Nair Senior Vice President, Ogilvy & Mather

Samarth has been able to use what he has learnt at Odyssey to ace his design project in school. He has picked up Figma from his Odyssey project & used it to design the website for his school portfolio.

Pankhuri Jiwarajka Co Founder and CMO, Kirana247

Our Teaching Team

Our teaching team brings a rich diversity of experience across domains which ensures that our fellows have a learning journey to remember.

Business & Entrepreneurship

Design

Engineering

Laura McBain MD, Hasso Plattner Institute, Stanford D School

Aravind Prasad

Head - Charging Infrastructure Business, Aether

Siddharth Menon

Ex-Chief Marketing Officer, Epigamia

Nikhil Narayan

Ex-Director, IDEO

Parameswaran Venkataraman

Shreyasi Singh Founder & CEO, Harappa Education

Sandeep Karmarkar Design Leader, Uber

Professor Ranjit Akolekar

Clinical Lead for Foetal Medicine

Seema Chowdhry Chief Learning Officer

Ex-Principal Research Scientist, Sony Research India

Sid Dhodhi GPU Hardware Lead, Nvidia

Sanath Kumar P B. Partner - SEA Healthcare Lead, Kearney

Kazim Rizvi Founder, The Dialogue and CoFounder, DeepStrat

Dr. Rohini Srivathsa CT O, Microsoft India & South Asia

Continuous 1:1 Coaching

Each Odyssey Fellow receives personalised guidance and mentoring from our dedicated coaches. Odyssey coaches are seasoned educators with industry experience, putting them in a unique position to scaffold and guide learning.

Meet Our Coaches

Co-Founder at Odyssey

Ex-COO at Harappa, where he designed learning experiences for brands like Apple and Disney

Coached students who are pursuing careers at SpaceX, Google and Nvidia

Career Coach at Odyssey

Course Director across companies in the Middle East & US Masters in Education & Innovation

Our coaches meet with fellows on a regular basis and follow a structured coaching framework to make sure that every student is progressing on their journey.

Goal setting

Coaches work 1:1 with fellows to help them define clear goals and the steps towards achieving those goals

Accountability and Progress

Regular check ins and discussions help students stay on track and motivated throughout the fellowship journey

Personal Growth

Coaches provide fellows with 1:1 guidance to help them handle setbacks and uncertainties, so they can develop self awareness and resilience

Nikhil Gumbhir

Shivani Gandhi

Hands-on Career Explorations

Odyssey fellows dive into different career domains through 8-week-long experiential learning journeys. Each journey is meticulously crafted to help students build foundational skills through hands-on projects and interactions with industry experts.

Choose your path and dive into four different career domains from:

How does a typical career exploration work?

Studio Sessions

Masterjam Sessions

Coach Check-Ins

Showcases

Reflections

Interactive sessions focusing on career-specific skills and projects.

Engaging seminars with industry experts to deepen understanding of each career domain.

Regular meetings with coaches to discuss progress, set goals, and receive tailored advice.

Students present their projects to an audience, demonstrating their learning and achievements.

Structured reflection sessions to contemplate experiences, learnings, and future aspirations.

Why Business & Entrepreneurship?

Business and entrepreneurship lie at the heart of economic growth and innovation. They not only create jobs but also foster societal changes by introducing new products and services that challenge the status quo. With global venture capital investment reaching nearly $300 billion in recent years, the entrepreneurial landscape continues to thrive, driving advancements in technology, sustainability, and consumer experience.

How will fellows explore the world of Business & Entrepreneurship?

Focus skills

Ahuja CA, LinkedIn Influencer, Medalist, ISB

Fellows will undertake the process of ideating, developing, and pitching a business idea. They'll simulate the entrepreneurial journey from concept to market, including market analysis, financial planning, and pitching to the investors.

Sarthak

Siddharth Menon

Ex-Chief Marketing Officer, Epigamia

Why Design?

Design isn't just about aesthetics; it's the pulse of user experience and innovation. From intricate microchips to one-click shopping apps, design is omnipresent. With the global design services market expected to grow at 10% CAGR over the next 5 years, it's clear that design is shaping our world like never before.

How will fellows explore the world of design?

Fellows will follow the human centred design process to create a website for their chosen project. They will use Figma to design their creations and present their work to an audience of experts and parents at the end of the design simulation.

Focus skills

Projects

Experts

Laura McBain MD, Hasso Plattner Institute, Stanford D School

How will fellows explore the world of Engineering?

Focus skills

Projects

Green audit for public infrastructure in your city

Experts

Aravind Prasad Head - Charging Infrastructure Business, Aether

Fellows will discover the world of Engineering through the lens of sustainability & clean technology. They will learn to calculate carbon footprint of their actions and engineer solutions to reduce it. They will present the the technical design & solution in the final showcase.

Smart water filter prototype to recycle kitchen discharge

Alternate home cooling system to replace Air Conditioners

Why Healthcare?

As populations age and new challenges such as global pandemics emerge, the importance of healthcare innovation becomes more apparent. The sector, expected to reach over $10 trillion, is at the forefront of integrating advanced technologies such as genomics and AI to revolutionize patient care.

How will fellows explore the world of Healthcare?

Fellows will learn how the patient-centric healthcare from disease prevention, diagnosis to treatment. Fellows will explore case studies from global pharmaceutical and healthcare players. They will work with industry experts to design public health campaigns, develop tele-medicine solutions, or research new treatments.

Focus skills

Projects

Experts

Dr Manu Chaudhary Consultant, Infectious Diseases and Pediatrics

Dengue eradication plan/ campaign for your city

Study impact of increased screen time on young children

Mental healthcare mobile application for young students

Law and Policy

Why Law and Policy?

Law and policy form the backbone of societal governance, influencing every aspect of personal and public life. These fields ensure justice, maintain order, and regulate the complex interactions within societies. With the rise of global issues such as digital privacy, environmental conservation, and international trade agreements, the demand for robust legal frameworks and policies is more crucial than ever.

How will fellows explore the world of Law and Policy?

Focus skills

Fellows will learn through case discussion on themes like landmark legal decisions, global trade negotiations and key public reforms. Fellows will draft legislations/ policy documents and participate in mock-trials.

White paper on the impact of polar ice cap melting on global trade routes

analysis of India’s new National Education Policy (NEP)

Software & AI

Why Software & AI?

In an era defined by rapid technological advancement, Software and AI stand out as primary drivers of change, influencing everything from how we manage daily tasks to complex decision-making processes. The AI market alone is projected to exceed $500 billion by 2024, underscoring its critical role in the future of tech.

How will fellows explore the world of Software & AI?

Fellows will dive into the world of software & AI learning how to transform data into meaningful insights. They will unravel the mysteries of neural networks and deep learning, the lifeblood of AI. At the end of the simulation, they will create their personalised AI model and launch an interactive chatbot.

Focus skills

Projects

Experts

Nikhil Narayan Ex-Principal Research Scientist, Sony Research India

Our students' work

Discover how Odyssey fellows apply their learning through dynamic, real-world projects that showcase their creativity, problem-solving skills, and technical expertise:

Build the next big feature on the Swiggy app

Students conducted user interviews, gained insights into consumer preferences, and conducted brainstorming sessions. They developed detailed user personas, crafted wireframes, and created interactive prototypes using Figma.

Skills:

Empathy User Research Ideation Problem Solving

Prototyping

This project was designed by team Wayfarer Intellectuals (Armaan, Arnav, and Darsh) and won the Design Discovery Award at the Showcase.

Present sustainability solutions for IIM Ahmedabad

Leveraging collaboration with IIM Ahmedabad's administrative staff, students developed a sustainability action plan focused on energy conservation, waste management, and sustainable infrastructure.

Skills:

Collaboration Strategic Planning Sustainability Practices

Public Speaking

This sustainability audit was performed by team Green Beans (Hrishita, Gauri, and Vivek).

Our students' work

Discover how Odyssey fellows apply their learning through dynamic, real-world projects that showcase their creativity, problem-solving skills, and technical expertise:

Create an investment portfolio to fund your college experience

Students tackled the practical challenge of planning for the future by creating their own college fund investment strategy. They researched various investment options, analyzed risk factors, and used financial planning tools to maximize potential returns.

Skills:

Financial Literacy Strategic Planning Risk Analysis

Decision-making

This annual college budget plan is developed by Agastya from team Multideators.

Help a local business improve its operations

In partnership with Buttercup – a local bakery, students optimized operations by enhancing ingredient usage and improving energy efficiency. They designed solutions to reuse leftover ingredients and installed motion sensors to reduce electricity costs.

Skills:

Problem-solving Innovation Operational Efficiency

Technical Application

This initiative was undertaken by team Prometheus (Aarav, Shivam, and Devdath).

A transformative week at our Bengaluru Basecamp

During the summer break of 2025, our fellows will unite for a week of unparalleled learning in Bengaluru. They will visit leading companies and learn from industry experts, all while bonding through shared living experiences.

The agenda for our basecamp is a thoughtfully designed mix of hands-on learning, fun activities, group projects, and opportunities to collaborate with experts. Our basecamp has three distinctive features:

Company Visits

Fellows will embark on 4 extensive day-long journeys to leading companies. They will witness firsthand companies’ organisational structures and delve into the daily challenges they tackle. These visits will offer our fellows a doorway into the world of corporate operations.

Expert Workshops

Students will join sessions led by industry leaders. They’ll explore topics from the science behind their favourite games to how to build a cattle trading app for rural India, connecting classroom knowledge to real-world situations.

Shared Living Experience

Students will live and work together, fostering friendships and teamwork. Evenings will be packed with fun activities, group projects, and opportunities to learn from each other and mentors.

Fellowship Schedule

The second cohort of the Odyssey fellowship will run for a period of 40 weeks from September ’24 to August ’25. The graphic below summarises what fellows will be doing at different points in time through the year.

Admission Process

Who should apply?

What are we looking for?

Curiosity

We love interacting with young minds who are always willing to question and explore

How to apply?

We have a two step application process.

Step 01

We believe that Odyssey will be a great fit for students of ages 13-16. Students from Grades 7, 8, 9 have joined us for the fellowship in past editions.

Grit

We seek adventurers who relish challenges and push boundaries

Fill the application form. It takes less than 30 mins to complete it. Be your authentic self and do not overthink your responses.

Discipline & Commitment

Most importantly, we value a strong work ethic over everything else

Step 02

Once we review your responses in the application, you will receive a call for a personal interview with our admissions team.

Visit odyssey.club/apply to start your application process. In case you have any questions, please reach out to us at . admissions@odyssey.school

Application Deadline

Last date for application submission is 30th August, 2024. Personal interviews for applicants will be conducted on a rolling basis so the earlier you apply, the higher your chances of getting in.

Fellowship Details & Fee

Fellowship Start Date

15th September, 2024

Fee Structure

ote:

$2500

Fellowship Duration 40 weeks over 12 months Time Commitment 2-3 hours per week

Fellowship fee

Fee mentioned is excl sive o taxes

The ellowship ee can be paid in installments.

Financial Aid

Live Online + In-person in Bengaluru, India for the Basecamp

The fee structure for the Odyssey Fellowship is as follows:

Basecamp fee

$1500

Basecamp ee incl des accommodation, meals & local transport. Flights to and ro Bengal r are not incl ded.

We believe that finances should not hinder a deserving student's path to success. After completing the application form, students can apply for financial aid by writing an additional essay and submitting relevant financial documents. Our admission process is need-blind i.e. students applying for financial aid will in no way jeopardise their chances of admission. For further queries regarding financial aid, please write to us at admissions@odyssey.school

Students Odyssey

Read firsthand how our students have been transformed by their unique experiences in the Odyssey fellowship, discovering new passions and gaining invaluable insights.

Odyssey has made me more open to feedback and ideas from others. I know why working well in a team is so important.

Shivaan Patwa

Grade 7, Oberoi International School, Mumbai

The fellowship has been an eye opening experience for me. At first I thought, Design is about aesthetics and arts, now I know it’s so much more.

Alya Chandhok

Grade 8, Heritage International Xperiential School, Gurgaon

Hearing first hand from Pramath about his journey starting from his childhood, including his failures, was such a profound learning experience.

Aisha Chaddha

Grade 8, Pathways School, Gurgaon

After participating in the design programme at Odyssey, I am now considering pursuing it during my undergraduate studies. It’s incredibly enriching to work with like-minded peers who bring diverse perspectives from cities across India.

Pur vi Kaasam

8th Grade, Sreenidhi International School, Hyderabad

(n) A journey marked by adventure, exploration, and personal growth.

(v) To embark on a transformative path, discovering one's passion and purpose.

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