Starting a Company in San Francisco? Great Startup Mentors Confirmed for the San Francisco Founder Institute

In the Founder Institute's challenging, four-month startup launch program, aspiring entrepreneurs are provided with weekly training, feedback, and evaluation by Founder Institute Mentors.

Our Mentors provide the passion, experience, and support that helps our Founders launch meaningful and enduring companies.

The mandate for our Mentors is to share their vast experience with the next generation of entrepreneurs, outlining the latest tactics, and providing critical feedback. In a confidential setting, they share horror stories, best practices, and candid feedback to help our Founders avoid "rookie mistakes" and be successful. In addition, through our unique Shared Liquidity Pool, Mentors are strongly incentivized to help our companies after Graduation, and many have become formal advisors to our Graduate companies. 

In the upcoming San Francisco Fall 2023 Semester, we have secured a truly exceptional roster of Founder Institute Mentors, including many from out of town.

See the full list below:

• Abby Sugar: CEO, Play Out Apparel
• Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO Platform
• Abhishek Garg: Head of Growth, TheCapitalNet
• Adeo Ressi: CEO, Decile Group / VC Lab
• Alex Brough: Partner, Keneh
• Alex Oakley
• Alexa Meyer: Co-Founder and CEO, Beam
• Alexander Sumin: co-founder, Chief Marketing Officer, ClaimCompass
• Ali Ahmed: CEO, Robomart
• Allen Saakyan: Interviewing the Greatest Minds, Simulation
• Allison Ayer
• Altif Brown: User Strategist, Constellation Network
• Andy Van Valer: COO, Esaiyo, Inc.
• Andy Billings: Profitable Creativity, Electronic Arts
• Andy Marse: Director of Customer Success, Ecology Action
• Angela Rastegar: Director, West Coast and Asia Pacific, Circle Surrogacy and Egg Donation
• Anna Lindbäck: CEO & Founder, Startup Strats
• Anne Cocquyt: Founder & CEO, The GUILD
• Anu Shultes: CEO, LendUp
• Arun Nithyanandam: Co-founder and CEO, Cappius Technologies
• Ashli Weiss: Attorney, Weiss Law LLP
• Asya Bradley: VP | Channel Partnerships, Socure - Real Identity Verification
• Atsuko Jenks: Founder & CEO, Japan Accelerator
• Austin Stevenson: Managing Director, Thomas Green Holdings
• Avery Lyford: Chief Customer Officer, Infostretch
• Aviv Shalgi: CEO, Solar Simplified
• Ayodeji Agboola: Founder, Akowe
• Ayush Bharti: CoFounder/CTO, Our Health Mate
• Bade Aluko: Managing Partner, White Hibiscus Capital
• Barbara Timm Brock: CEO, eTrack Tech
• Bastien Berthon: Sr. Director of Product, Head of Data, GM of Prism fund, Yieldstreet
• Ben Larson: Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Vertosa
• Ben York: Director of Corporate Strategy, RampRate
• Ben Larralde: Founder, Hackster.io
• Bill Reichert: Partner
• Blair Mandell: Director of Talent Acquisition, Velodyne Lidar
• Bow Rodgers: CEO
• Bradley Mora: CEO, Spacestation
• Brandon Steelman: Founder, Clear Gene, Inc.
• Brennan Woodruff: Co-Founder, Chief Business Officer, GoCharlie.ai
• Brett Yokom
• Bryan Fields: Cofounder & CEO, Eighth Revolution
• Bryan Talebi: CEO, Ahura A.I.
• Carlos Ochoa: Founder & CEO, Alpha Impact 8
• Caroline Yeh: Director of Procurement, Kiva Confections
• Charles Warner: Editor in Chief, Cannabis and Tech Today
• Charles Becker: Attorney, Hanson Bridgett
• Chase Harmer: CEO, Wishes
• Chinara Askerzade: Managing Partner at PocketVC early-stage VC, PocketVC Studio and PocketVC Technologies Inc
• Chris Hawkins: Founder, SignNow
• Chris Foltz: Entrepreneur In Residence, Founder Institute + Responsible Solutions Ltd + IRG 100 CMO's & Change Agents
• Chris Cromwell: UX Motion Designer, Indeed.com
• Chris Miller: CEO, ScratchSpace Inc.
• Chris Frost: Director of Technology and Infrastructure, Cruzio Internet
• Ciaran Byrne: President, Creeslon
• Cory Wang: CoDirector, Founder Institute SF
• Dada Nabhaniilananda The Monk Dude: Mindfullness & Meditation Leader, Google
• Dan Arkind: Founder & CEO, JobScore
• Dan Rubins: Founder & CEO, Legal Robot
• Daniel Takabayashi: CTO, Laguro.com
• Daniel Idzkowski: Co-Founder & CEO, SkunkLock, Inc.
• Dave Tran: Co-Founder, Farechild
• David Gibbons: Managing Director, ESA/ESTEC
• David Gimpelevich: Venture Scout, Kilby Silicon Valley Labs at Texas Instruments
• David Kuchar: CEO, Coral
• David Carvajal: Founder & CEO, Cannavest
• David Chung: Regional VP Sales, VirnetX
• David Dennis: Co-Founder, Microsoft
• Deborah Lindsay: VP of Sales and Business Development, SellHound
• Derek Andersen: Co-Founder, Bevy / Startup Grind
• Dianthe Skurko: Principal, GVC Partners
• Diego Roman: Founder & CEO, Pelotea Inc
• Diogo Ruiz: CEO and Founder, Bluezup
• Dj Saul: CEO, Khalifa Kush
• Dj Gregory: Project Manager, Skybridge Construction
• Dominique Kim, MPH: Health and Healthcare Transformation Leader, InnovatorMD
• Don Samoil: COO, Blacksite Solutions
• Elio Asuncao: Founder, Venture Capital World Summit Inc
• Elizabeth Di Gaetano Andrew: Senior Sales, HelloSign
• Emna Ghariani: Chapter Lead Director, The Founder Institute
• Eren Bali: Chairman & Co-founder, Udemy
• Eric Anderson: President , And One Technologies
• Erwin Hosono: Partner, Kilby Silicon Valley Labs at Texas Instruments
• Fabian Geyrhalter: Founder and Principal, FINIEN
• Faye Sahai: General Founding Partner, Telosity Ventures
• Felipe Castro Quiles: CEO, Emerging Rule
• Feron Mcgurrin: Creative Team Lead - Product Innovation Team, Samsung USA
• Francisco Cruz Mendoza: Community Manager, Notion
• Frank Mastronuzzi: Founding Partner, Punch Financial
• Frank Hysa: Senior Innovation Manager , Volvo Group
• Frederic Voyer: Senior Product Innovation Lead, Multiple (HR, BVI & SWAAAP)
• Gabriela Covay: Agency Owner, Bright Valley Marketing
• Gabriela Covay Moore: Founder of a Digital Marketing Company - I can Help Companies Leverage SEO and Digital Marketing to Grow, Bright Valley Marketing, LLC
• Gagan Biyani: Co-Founder, Udemy, Spring, Maven
• Gautam Tandon: CEO, Ellipsis Marketing
• Genau L. Jr.: Founder & CEO, Yoobe.me
• Gil Allouche: Founder & CEO, metadata.io
• Gina Cavuoto: Media Specialist, Believe Agency
• Giselle Bisson: Managing Director, Chain Reaction PR
• Grace Robinson: Director of Business Development, Ello Capital
• Gregory Rickman: Executive Coach, Greg Rickman Leadership Coaching, LLC
• Haden Kirkpatrick: Head of Marketing Strategy and Innovation, Esurance
• Harmony Oswald: Founder & CEO, Legalucy, Inc.
• Helene Servillon: Founding Partner, JourneyOne Ventures
• Henry Lin: Managing Director, Point B Capital
• Ian Richards: CEO, Fitchburg Management
• Ian Gordon: DevOps, Orcale
• Ignacio Castro: Managing Director, Founder Institute Boston
• Irina Berkon: Member, Golden Seeds
• Isaac Bock: Managing Director, AlphaRoot
• Ishwar Persad: Funder. Executive Coach, Insight Coaching
• Ivan Goldensohn: CEO, Valis Bioscience
• Jake Kuczeruk: Business Development, The Arcview Group
• Jake Wall: Chief Innovation Officer, avec bloom
• Jake Tital: Co-Founder, Sproutways
• J. Allie Morse: Head of Expansion, Postmates
• James Leaverton: Partner Marketing Manager, Startups, Equinix
• Jason Jacobsohn
• Jason Jacobsohn: Managing Director, Propellant Ventures
• Javid Jamae: Director of Growth, Postman
• Jay Rooke: Executive Coach, Jay Rooke Coaching
• Jean Garcia Periche: Co-Founder, GENIA Latinoamérica
• Jean-Claude Junqua: CEO, CE2Innovate
• Jeanne Sullivan: Investor, RampRate
• Jed Katz: Managing Partner, Javelin Venture Partners
• Jeffrey Mazer: Chief Financial Officer, WYLD
• Jeffrey Finkle: CEO, Arcview Ventures
• Jeni Chang: Founder | Investor | Mentor, .
• Jeremy Glassenberg: Product Management, APIs, Developer Experiences, Marketplaces, API Strategist
• Jimmy Ku: Head of Growth, Flutterwave
• Joanna Hildebrand: Owner and Principal Designer, Joanna Hildebrand Design
• Johannon Olson: Partner, Kilby Silicon Valley Labs at Texas Instruments
• John Cleveland: Lead Advisor, SkyDeck Berkeley
• John Avilla: Founder & CEO, Sound Union
• John Frye: Founder, Finesse Media
• John B Graham: CEO/Co-Founder, iObjx
• Jon O'connell: Partner, Crowell & Moring
• Jon Baer: Managing Partner, StoneHearth Ventures
• Jon Mechan: Executive Coach and Leader, JM Coaching
• Jonathan Lu: Managing Partner, Transformation Equity Partners
• Jordan Crawford: Founder & CEO, Scout
• Jordan Layman: Co-Founder, Idea Fabrication Labs, LLC.
• Jose Ostolaza: Co-Founder, Red Rock Rebels
• Josh Jacques: COO, Mautto Handbags
• Joshua Krammes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuakrammes/, Equinix
• Juan Polanco: Founder & CEO, Optimo Capital
• Julia Selander: Vice President S.F, Essen International
• Julio Casado: Founder, Full Funnel Growth
• Justine Reichman: Founder, NextGenChef
• Karl Shaikh: Founder , Interpreters-On-Call
• Kate Bunina: Managing Director of Bay Area, U+
• Katrin Jakob: Managing Partner, California Business Associates, LLC
• Kelli Peterson: Principal, Managing Director, The Change Project
• Ken Kruszka: CEO, SnapCheck
• Kerry Jones: Former Co-Founder / CTO, HubHaus
• Kevin Noble: Co-Founder, Red Rock Rebels
• Kimberly Wiefling: Founding Member, Silicon Valley Alliances
• Kirill Satanovsky: Co-Lead, FI Santa Cruz
• Lavinia Herbei: MD, MBA, InnovatorMD, JMMG
• Lesa Hammond: CEO, ProfHire
• Liz Wald: Executive, Board Director, Good Earth Organics
• Liz Skalla: Co-Founder & EVP, GIVN Goods
• Lizette De Arkos: Chief Strategy Officer, Phenotopia
• Luba Lesiva: Partner, Palumni VC
• Madeline Duva: Board Member, Fluxx.io and Wishes.inc
• Madeline Ulivieri: Chapter Lead: Europe, North America, & LATAM, Startup Grind
• Maha Baimyrzaeva: Associate Professor of Organizational Development, Change, and Leadership, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
• Mahad Ahmad Sheikh: Co-founder & CEO, remoty.dev
• Maia Bittner: Hustler, Serial Entrepreneur
• Mara Rada: CEO & Chief of Strategy, Feral (thinkferal.com)
• Marc Gelfo: Founder & CEO, Modacity
• Marcos Polanco: CTO, Bellwether Coffee
• Marius Ursache: CEO & Co-founder, MetaBeta
• Mark Montalban: Founder & CEO, MindfulText
• Mark Busch: Director of Corporate Development, Unity Rd.
• Mark Ciotola: CEO, SustainSpace
• Maryam Salehijam: Business Expert, MS Consulting
• Matt Martin: Co-Founder, Startup Oasis
• Matt Mc Ginn: CEO, Fly Beverage
• Matthew Bradley: VP Machine Learning, SynapseFI
• Matthew Pelnar: VC & Startup Attourney, Crowell & Moring
• Matthew Coombs: VP of Business Development, Cidi Labs
• Matt.M.Hill@Gmail.Com Hill: Founder & CEO, Elegen
• Maurits Werdmuller Von Elgg: CMO, Blacksite Solutions
• Melonee Hawkins: Certified Public Accountant, Hawkins CPA, Inc.
• Mercedes Bankston: Founder, Funderstar LTD
• Michael Gorback: Partner, Corporate Group Chair, Hanson Bridgett LLP
• Michael Zaytsev: Founder, High NY
• Michael Sidgmore: Partner, Broadhaven Ventures
• Mike Suprovici: Head of Acceleration, VC Lab
• Mike Lingle: Entrepreneur / Mentor, Rocket Pro Forma
• Mike Siebold: Advisor, FlowerHire
• Mike Simpson: CEO, Omura
• Mikhail Holst: Program Manager, CITRIS Foundry
• Molly Pyle: Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Lead, Center on Rural Innovation
• Monica Phillips: President, Spark Plug Labs
• Munjal Shah: CEO, Like.com
• Nada Miljkovic: Entrepreneurship Instructor, University of California, Santa Cruz
• Nancy Wang: CEO, Advancing Women in Product
• Nancy Birnbaum: Founding Publisher, Market Director, Sensi Media Group
• Natalie Wilson: Senior Counsel, Hanson Bridgett
• Nathan Yagoda: VP of Marketing, PLUS Products
• Neil Gehani: Principal Founder, Katen.AI
• Neil Cohen: Marketing Therapist, Brand, Marketing & Sales Consulting
• Newton Paskin: President & CEO, Explorer Technologies
• Nicholas Larkins Perez: Innovation Manager, Samsung America
• Nicole De Meo: Founder, Outfront Solutions
• Nitin Pachisia: Founding Partner, Unshackled
• Noah Wallach: Founder, Hope OS
• Olga Mack: CEO | Startup Advisor | Author | Speaker | Women's Advocate, Parley Pro
• Omar Valle: Startup Business Development, Innovation Bay
• Pascale Diaine: Principal, Storm Ventures
• Patrick McCullough: Impact Coach, Patrick McCullough
• Patrick Reilly: CEO, Intellectual Property Society
• Paul D'souza: President and CEO, The D'Souza Group
• Paul Rosen: Executive Chairman, Global Go
• Pete Biggam: Director / Mentor / Advisor, Founder Institute
• Peter Cardilla: Web Developer, Bay Photo
• Phil Libin: Founder & CEO, All Turtles
• Phnam Bagley: Partner and Creative Director, Nonfiction Design
• Pilar Fernandez Hermida: Founder i-Expand (We help Health Tech companies go global), i-expand
• Pranay Suresh: Engineering Leader, Rivian Automotive
• Qasim Salam: CEO, CreativeMorph
• Rachele Keech: Training Coordinator, CrowdStrike
• Rafael Viana: Co-Founder, Bee Family
• Rajesh Setty: Rajesh Setty - Serial Entrepreneur and Author, WittyParrot
• Renata George: Managing Director, Zenmen VC
• Renee Niemi: Venture Partner, Mighty Capital
• Reza Taheri: Helping Founders Create the Future |Founder | Mentor | Executive Coach, Higher Potential
• Richard Cristina: Co-founder (MentorLabs), Founder (Bloom), Principal Director (Founder Institute)
• Rishi Mallik: Senior Product Manager, Mobile
• Robb Maddox: COO, Startup Oasis
• Rohan Sampath: Cofounder & CEO, Copilot
• Roman Martynenko: Co-Founder, Astound Commerce Corporation
• Ron Gentile: Founder, Moodfit
• Russell Brand: CEO & Founder, Responsible Solutions Limited
• Rustam Hashimov: Engineering Manager, Google
• Ryan Vinyard: Hardware Startup Consultant, Vinyard Product Development
• Ryan Mendoza: Partner, Scrum Ventures
• Ryan Coonerty: 3rd District Supervisor, County of Santa Cruz
• Sam Gichuru: CEO/founder, Kidato
• Sameer Sortur: Founding Partner, SquareCircle Ventures
• Sana Keshtkaran: Executive Caoch, Sana Keshtkaran Coaching
• SANDRO TUZZO: Consultant, Sandro Tuzzo Mediation and Professional Consulting
• Sarah Falvo: Director of Community, Arcview
• Sascha Karstädt: MD Germany
• Sc Moatti: Managing Partner, Kilby Silicon Valley Labs at Texas Instruments
• Scout Tweedie Yates: Regional Manager , The Founder Institute HQ
• Sean Casey: Managing Director, Silicon Valley Space Center
• Shahar Matorin: CEO, Crumbiz
• Shubhi Nigam: Product, Carta Inc.
• Sidd Gavirneni: CEO and Co-Founder, Zeguro
• Simone Bertolone: Managing Director and Partner , Orka Ventures
• Stephen Meade: Founder & CEO, MonetaPro
• Stephen Pieraldi: Founder, Pieraldi, LLC.
• Steven Morley: Business Advisor, Success4Execs
• Subramaniam Eassuwaren: Co-Founder, The Carbon Consulting Company
• Sumit Mehta: CEO, MAZAKALI
• Sven Eenmaa: Director, Investment and Economic Analysis, ISS U.S. National Laboratory
• Tarun Gulati: Founder & CEO, Adios
• Ted Holladay: CEO, Studio Holladay
• Theodore Moskovitz: Founder, AMMA
• Theron Mc Collough: CEO, fiifi
• Tiago Gavassi: Founder, PANIC LOBSTER
• Tiarne Hawkins: Vice President, Playable
• Tijan Watt: Managing Director, African Tech Leaders
• Tom Charman: Co-Founder/CEO, Rassa
• Torrey Smith: Co-Founder & CEO, Endiatx
• Travis Scadron: VP Business Development, Surfside
• Uli Chettipally, MD: Founder, InnovatorMD
• Usama Abid: Founder & CEO, Inventhub
• Veronica Guzman: Founder | Innovation Catalyst, WAMVentures
• Vic Kapur: Founder & Managing Member, VisionPassage
• Vincent Diallo: Partner, Interlace Ventures
• Walter Roth: CEO, Moment Sales, LLC
• Wayne Willis: Managing Partner, Nodal Partners
• Wilson Jian: Co-Founder, SumoDash
• Yasmeen Turayhi: Global Product Marketing Lead, AdRoll
• Yemi Oluseun: Founder/ CEO - Fintech, SaaS Business Growth, Automation & Change Management, The Change Hive
• Yuwei Shi: Academic Director, Blue Pioneers Accelerator, University of California, Santa Cruz
• Zaina Orbai: Chief People Officer, The RealReal

• And many more to be announced. 

If you could use expert training feedback from Mentors like the ones listed above, then be sure to apply the San Francisco Founder Institute soon. There is limited space in the program, and time in running out. 

Leaders of the world’s fastest-growing startups have used the Founder Institute to transition from employee to entrepreneur, test their startup ideas, build a team, get their first customers, raise funding, and more - like Udemy, Realty Mogul, iCarsClub, Itembase, goplaceit, and Appota.