Esther Ikoro awarded an O’Shaughnessy Fellowship to expand Wait, What?!, a hand-drawn science series created with artist Moriz Oberberger
GREENWICH, Conn., Aug. 6, 2026 — O’Shaughnessy Ventures LLC (OSV), an investment firm that empowers creators, has awarded an O’Shaughnessy Fellowship to Esther Ikoro, a science communicator based in Trail Creek, Indiana.
Ikoro will use the fellowship to expand Wait, What?!, an animated series that depicts scientific concepts and processes that are usually too small, slow, abstract or vast to see. Each episode unfolds in an original, hand-drawn world illustrated and animated by Moriz Oberberger, bringing a single scientific idea to life through narration, metaphor and visual storytelling. The first five videos in the series have drawn more than 700,000 views online. Over the next 12 months, Ikoro plans to publish multiple new episodes exploring the intricacies of plants, animals and natural phenomena.
Ikoro created and hosts the natural science YouTube channel See You Outside. She works with Discovery Education’s Mystery Science, helping students think like scientists by answering their submitted questions, and has appeared in the Nature Side Quest segment on CBS’s Mission Unstoppable with Miranda Cosgrove. As a 2023-24 fellow of the John Templeton Foundation and Public Radio Exchange’s Big Questions Project, she co-created Second Sunday, a podcast on faith through a queer Black lens that won a Silver Signal Award in the religion and spirituality category and three Black Podcasting Awards, including Podcast of the Year. She came to science communication from public health, holding a Master of Public Health from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and earlier working in education and health programs in Chicago.
OSV’s founder and CEO, Jim O’Shaughnessy, commented, “Esther’s animated approach to complex ideas makes science tangible in a way words alone can’t. We’re thrilled to be backing her.”
“I want to contribute to the landscape of iconic science media,” said Ikoro. “The O’Shaughnessy Fellowship is helping me bring that vision to life.”
About the O’Shaughnessy Fellowships Program
Launched in 2023, the O’Shaughnessy Fellowships program discovers and empowers the world’s boldest creatives, builders and researchers. Fellows receive a grant of up to $100,000 and gain access to OSV’s network of founders, investors and experts. OSV will award up to 20 fellowships in 2026.
Ikoro is the eighteenth fellow announced in 2026. More information about previous fellows is available at OSV’s website.
Applications for the O’Shaughnessy Fellowships are now closed and will reopen on Jan. 1, 2027. Individuals interested in applying can do so via OSV’s website.
About O’Shaughnessy Ventures
OSV is a creative investment firm that empowers creators to bring their ideas to life. Founded by Jim O’Shaughnessy, a pioneer in quantitative investing, founder of O’Shaughnessy Asset Management, and author of five books, OSV aims to provide financial support and to partner in growing the next life-changing creative ideas.
OSV combines Jim’s deeply rooted interest in all things art, science, investing and technology with his long-held desire to establish scenarios designed to help promising creators and their inspiring ideas succeed, regardless of age, location, job history or level of education. For more information, visit OSV’s website.
Media Contact:
Ena Gong
O’Shaughnessy Ventures LLC
(917) 355-7420
[email protected]
SOURCE O’Shaughnessy Ventures
