We are the Centre for Enabling EA Learning and Research (CEEALAR) (formerly known as the ‘EA Hotel’).

TLDR

• Minimum critical need: £30k for essential roof repairs to prevent building damage.

• Full 2026 budget: £270k ($355k) to run operations, launch structured programs, and expand capacity

• What we do: Cost-effective residential incubator supporting ~20 EA researchers and entrepreneurs at a time, at half the cost of major cities. We're the only year-round space in EA where people can live, work, and be in community. We also host retreats and events for EA organizations.

• Recent wins: Thus far, 66 grantees in 2025 (+36% YoY), 106% productivity increase vs. the counterfactual, 89% say CEEALAR is more impactful than EAG.

• 2026 plans: Launch 3-month AI safety fellowship, host 2 hackathons, sign 5+ partner MOUs, build KPI infrastructure for impact measurement, extend runway and diversify funding, and complete infrastructure improvements.

Background: Why CEEALAR Exists and What it Does

The Gap in EA's Talent Pipeline

CEEALAR was founded in 2018 to address a gap in the EA talent and project pipeline. We believe there are many more altruistically minded, talented, and motivated individuals than are given the chance to develop and test their ideas. Funders sensibly optimize for legibility and track record, but this approach overlooks a significant number of high-potential people:

• Entrepreneurs building something early-stage that institutional funders are too risk-averse to support

• Career transitioners with raw talent but insufficient EA credentials

• Researchers with unconventional or pre-paradigmatic ideas that don't fit neatly into existing categories

Many of these people don't get rejected because they lack potential or good ideas – they get filtered out because they lack legibility. Many of them probably don’t even get to the point of seeking funding, as they expect they would be unsuccessful given their credentials or track record. As a result, the EA ecosystem misses out on talent and projects that could do a lot of good.

CEEALAR’s Model

CEEALAR exists to make speculative bets on these individuals. We provide space, community, support, and networking in Blackpool at roughly half the cost of London or SF. But factor in the embedded support (mentorship, peer learning, networking events, and operational infrastructure that would cost £20-30k+ to access separately), and residents are getting a serious value package at hostel prices. By removing financial constraints, residents gain the freedom to pursue their work–whether transitioning into EA careers, conducting research, or launching new organizations.

One reason this model works is the embedded, day-to-day evaluation it enables. By living and working alongside residents, we get an unusually comprehensive view of their potential — not just their outputs, but how they think, collaborate, and respond to setbacks over time. Paired with short initial stays and clear evidence requirements for extensions, this gives us a way to make high-risk, high-reward bets more cost-effectively than would be feasible for most of the wider EA ecosystem.

“I want to thank the entire CEEALAR team from the bottom of my heart. Without you, I might still be editing videos for toxic online business courses right now. Instead, I’m hosting the largest French-language podcast on AI safety. It’s crazy.” – CEEALAR alumnus

EA's Only Year-Round Community Infrastructure

To our knowledge, CEEALAR is the only place in the EA ecosystem where people can show up year-round and be in community with others doing impactful work, day and night. 

We believe this is very important. Conferences happen a few times per year; retreats last a weekend or week; coworking spaces close in the evenings. But meaningful collaborations, career transitions, and genuine community formation need time and continuity. We provide what cannot be replicated remotely:

• Living and working alongside others wrestling with similar questions

• Embedded evaluation where staff see and support your work patterns, collaboration style, and character development daily

• Serendipitous collisions that lead to unexpected collaborations and insights

• Holistic support: not your outputs, but your wellbeing, relationships, and emotional and psychological growth

• A supportive community of value-aligned peers who can cheer you on when you succeed and pick you up when you stumble

• A safe space for experimentation where you can try ideas, fail, and pivot without losing your livelihood

“[Staying at CEEALAR was] utterly transformative in my impact journey - I can’t conceive of my path having gone better or close to this well had I done something else with my time.” – CEEALAR alumnus

Our Plans for 2026

Since the summer, we’ve been under new leadership. Having spent the last few months strengthening our organisational foundations and making some much-needed infrastructure improvements, we’re ready for a new phase in 2026. We plan to continue our normal residencies while capitalising on our unique advantages to deliver even more value to our grantees and the wider EA community.

Here are our top goals for 2026:

1. Introduce structured programming 

• AI Safety Fellowship: A 3-month program for 10–15 people with diverse policy, technical, legal, and operations expertise. Includes mentorship, networking, and expert talks, while keeping space for spontaneous collaborations.

• Extended Hackathons: Two extended hackathons (1–2 weeks each) tackling real-world problems, co-developed with sponsor organisations, with follow-on incubation for promising teams.

2. Enhance support for residents

• Structured mentorship with partner organisations, and regular check-ins with staff.

• Referrals to mental health and career development support.

• Greater community connections through events and peer-led skill sharing.

• Provide well-being support that helps residents sustain high-impact careers long-term (addressing the burnout problem that causes EA attrition).

3. Impact Measurement Infrastructure

This is a major focus for 2026. To demonstrate ROI to funders and improve our own operations, we're building:

• Comprehensive KPI dashboard tracking resident outcomes, career transitions, and project launches

• Alumni tracking system with 6/12/24-month follow-ups on career paths and impact

• Theory of Change validation with measurable intermediate outcomes

• Cost-per-outcome metrics allow rigorous comparison with alternative interventions

4. Develop partnerships with other EA-aligned organisations

Instead of duplicating efforts and creating redundancy in the ecosystem, we intend to cultivate relationships with partner organisations. We're actively seeking 5-7 strategic partnerships with EA organisations to deepen our impact and expand the services we can offer our residents. If you're reading this and thinking "we could collaborate," please reach out!

Partnership models include:

• Programs

  • Host your cohort (Bring their fellowship, intensive, or retreat to CEEALAR. We provide subsidized accommodation, community infrastructure, operational assistance, and meals while they focus on content delivery)

  • Co-deliver programming (They provide curriculum and mentorship; we provide space, community, and operational support. Co-host hackathons, workshops, or intensive programs)

  • Curriculum sharing (Integrate their training materials into our fellowship programs)

• Talent Pipelines

  • Resident referrals (We can host participants from their programs who need focused time for projects or transitions)

  • Alumni pipeline (First access to our pre-vetted resident talent pool for hiring, grantmaking, or program placement, leveraging our embedded evaluation model.)

• Mentorship

  • Mentorship exchange (experts provide guidance to our residents in technical AI safety, policy, operations, or other domains)

  • Resource sharing (give residents access to their tools, databases, or professional networks)

5. Financial resilience and diversification

• By December 2026, we would like to achieve operational stability through:

  • Extending our runway from the current ~4 months to 18+ months

  • Increasing non-institutional funding from 16% to 30% of the budget (via hackathon sponsorships, alumni, and patron donations)

  • Securing a multi-year commitment from at least one major funder 

Our Current Funding Gap and Our Ask for Marginal Funding Week

We’re currently facing a funding gap of £330,000 ($430,000) for 2026 (i.e., we’re missing ~90% of our projected budget). As of this month, we have about ~4 months of runway remaining. 

Our Minimum Critical Ask: £30,000 ($39,000) for roof repairs

Unfortunately, the (original!) roof of our 19th century building is at risk of collapse. For the health and safety of our residents and staff, and to prevent further building damage, this is an urgent issue we must address soon. Using our current funds would significantly shorten our already very limited runway, increasing the risk of operational closure before (and if!) we are able to raise more funds to continue our operations into 2026.  

How to Donate

Direct Donations: Visit ceealar.org/donate or contact us at contact@ceealar.org

Alumni & Community: If CEEALAR helped your career or project, consider supporting the next cohort. Even £500-1000 from multiple alumni adds up.