See how an FI graduate built an AI startup from years of industry experience. Live Oct 28. Register Now

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9,000+ companies launched

200+ chapter cities

awaiting new founder...

New Founders Start Here

Go from idea to business faster than ever before with Founder Institute - the world's largest AI-native company builder.
Startups Built
9,000+
Alumni Funding
$2BN+
Chapter Countries
100+
Mentors & Investors
40,000+
Founders Trained
750,000+
Company Exits
200+
Estimated Portfolio Value
$20BN+
Chapters in Developing Nations
26%
Years in Operation
17+

Your 'Someday' Starts Now

The playing field has leveled. If you are ready to work and have the right set of AI tools - there has never been a better time to launch a startup.

The Platform

Become an AI-Native Founder

Founder Institute gives anyone with an idea the AI tools, agents, and feedback to launch a fundable business.

  • Market research

  • Customer outreach

  • 24/7 startup advisor

  • Fundraising

Founder working with AI tools
Busy work completed Customers ready for discovery Pitch deck drafted

Trusted by world-class organizations

From idea to funded, in their words

Graduates from 100+ countries, and founders in the 2026 agentic cohorts, on what the program changed.

My investor materials, my data room, my pitch deck, all of it exists because someone was going to ask for it each Thursday morning. I've never had that kind of forcing function.
  • First funding offer 2 weeks after Funding Day
  • Delaware inc. Aug 2026
Without Founder Institute, Udemy may have never raised any money.
FI's accelerator was tough, but it prepared me for life as an entrepreneur. The support from local leaders, mentors, and ecosystem partners helped us close our first round.
My investor materials, my data room, my pitch deck, all of it exists because someone was going to ask for it each Thursday morning. I've never had that kind of forcing function.
  • First funding offer 2 weeks after Funding Day
  • Delaware inc. Aug 2026
Without Founder Institute, Udemy may have never raised any money.
FI's accelerator was tough, but it prepared me for life as an entrepreneur. The support from local leaders, mentors, and ecosystem partners helped us close our first round.

There’s no better time than the present.

Apply to the Seattle Spring 2027 program today.

Four AI tools on every deliverable

Your program, run by agents

Every Sprint comes with the tools to finish it. Watch one week in the life of a founder on the platform.

  • Playbook: Personalizes your Sprints to your stage, industry and goals.

  • Pitch Gym: A live AI investor that interrupts, pushes back and scores you.

  • AI Assist: Drafts each deliverable with you, from your own answers.

  • Frank: Answers any startup question, at any hour, with your context.

Local support.
Global possibility.

Global businesses start local, so FI builds sustainable startup ecosystems to help aspiring entrepreneurs. Apply to build alongside top local investors, advisors, and mentors.

Nicole Doyle

Founder / CEO, Aspir

Aniket Naravanekar

Skillsheet

Aspen White

Cofounder and CEO, AerwareAI

Marc Krejci

Founder, Pathfinder Foundry

Leila Ergul Demir

Founder, Partner UP

Collin Dayley

Founder, Collin Dayley Coaching

Jonathan Greechan

Co-Founder & CIO, Founder Institute, GP Founder Capital

Kt Mc Bratney

Head of Community, Renew Venture Capital

Komal Kashiramka Bhandari

CEO & Founder, Poshan

David Abu

Snr PM, Microsoft

Evan Poncelet

evan@dreamward.vc, Dreamward Group / Venture Black

Gillian Muessig

Co-Founder, Moz

Symon Perriman

CEO & Founder, FanWide

Carson Nye

Investor, Two Ravens

Carmela Fortin

CEO, Seattle Startup Coaches

Gaurav Malhotra

CMO, PickMyCar USA

Noemi Ceapa

Founder / CEO, The Consulting Studio

Jay Goyal

President, Actively Learn

Michael Avent

Partner, Perkins Coie LLP

Kevin Chan

Director, Product Marketing, Fleetio

Dominique Simmons

Founder and CEO, CX UX Spark

Amit Gupta

Sys Dev Manager, Amazon

Jen Haller

Chief of staff, Ascend VC.

Nishanth Lingamneni

Angel Investor, Family Office

Frequently Asked Questions

Which program should I apply to?

If you have an idea and want to build a company, apply to the FI Agentic Program: 10 sessions plus Funding Day, a Playbook generated for your startup, Pitch Gym and weekly feedback from mentors. It runs in 200+ cities; apply to the chapter nearest you or to an online cohort.

See the program or see the bootcamps.

How much does it cost?

The entrance fee for the Seattle cohort is $899 USD. It is fully refundable before Kickoff and 75 percent refundable before Session 3. Payment plans are available through Partial.ly (5 percent service fee). Teams of 2 to 3 founders pay 1.5 times the fee and teams of 4 to 5 pay 2 times; the 2.5 percent Equity Collective pledge is per company, not per founder.

Is there an equity component?

Yes. About two-thirds of the way through the program, founders pledge 2.5 percent of future equity to the Equity Collective. It activates only at a qualified financing, carries no board seat or voting rights, and dissolves if the company fails. How the Equity Collective works.

Where can I see the agreements?

All program agreements are public at fi.co/agreements, including the Entrance Agreement, the only document you sign to enroll, and the Warrant you sign later in the program.

Can I talk to someone about the program?

Yes. Come to a free event in your city or online at fi.co/events, where local leaders and mentors take questions, or write to us at fi.co/support.

Applications are now open

Build your startup with AI agents doing the work

Join the FI Agentic Program: an AI-powered curriculum, world-class mentors, and free AI agents to turn your idea into a fundable company.

9,000+ companies launched since 2009

Turn your idea into the next unicorn

Our programs helped launch Udemy, Esusu, and thousands more, with a portfolio worth an estimated $20B. Yours could be next.

200+ cities and 95 countries

Join the world's largest agentic company builder

A global network of founders, mentors, and investors building enduring companies, with free AI agents to help you do the work.

Apply Now