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Today, the Founder Institute, the world's premier idea-stage accelerator and startup launch program, is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the Chicago Winter 2024 Semester!

If you want to build a startup in Chicago and could use expert training and feedback, then apply to the Chicago Founder Institute today, or attend a free event.

Those who apply by the Early Admissions Deadline (Nov 12, 2023) will have their application fees waived (typically $50), and if you enroll by the Early Deadline you are also eligible for Founder Institute Fellowships.

Since launching in Chicago in 2011, the Founder Institute has helped launch several promising companies in the region, like Better WeekdaysDigitalGroundUp, and Easy Beauty, and our efforts in Chicago have also been profiled by several high profile media channels.

To celebrate the launch, the Chicago Founder Institute will several free startup events for the general public, where you can meet top entrepreneurs and learn more about the program:

  • How to Build a Moonshot: Lonestar’s Mission to the Moon: 12:00pm, Apr 01, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/338962
  • Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
  • Pitch Lounge: Get Feedback on Your 1-Minute Pitch Idea from Startup Experts: 12:00pm, Apr 03, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/337391
  • How Early-Stage AI Startups Will Fix Global Problems: 12:00pm, Apr 10, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/338515
  • Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with a Venture Capitalist: 12:00pm, Apr 15, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/340724
  • Founder Showcase: Startup Pitch & Networking Event: 12:00pm, Apr 18, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/337923
  • How to Acquire your First Customers with Actionable SEO Strategies : 12:00pm, Apr 24, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/339037
  • Co-Founders Connect: Find a Business Partner Online: 7:00pm, May 01, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/338021
  • How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas : 12:00pm, May 08, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/339331
  • Building a Fundable Start-up Brand: 12:00pm, May 20, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/338746
  • Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 7:00pm, May 22, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/340337
  • Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 7:00pm, May 27, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/339386
  • How to Quickly Establish Safe, Reliable, and Compliant AI Startups: 12:00pm, May 29, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/340128
  • Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 7:00pm, Jun 05, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/340948
  • How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 7:00pm, Jun 10, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/339707
  • Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 12:00pm, Jun 12, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/339754
  • Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 12:00pm, Jun 17, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/339874
  • Pitch Lounge: Get Feedback on Your 1-Minute Pitch Idea from Startup Experts: 12:00pm, Jun 26, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/339805
  • Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 12:00pm, Jul 01, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/340185

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 UdemyRealty MoguliCarsClubItembasegoplaceit, and Appota. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200 cities and 100 countries, the Founder Institute's mission is to "Globalize Silicon Valley" and create sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.

Running the Founder Institute's efforts in Chicago are local startup leader Jason Jacobsohn, Managing Director of Reliable Venture Partners and an advisor to over 100 emerging businesses on investment and strategy.

In addition, some of Chicago's top entrepreneurs will mentor founders in the program, providing them with expert training, feedback, and evaluation. The list of mentors for the Chicago Winter 2024 includes:

  • Ablorde Ashigbi: CEO, 4Degrees
  • Adeo Ressi: CEO, Decile Group / VC Lab
  • Aditya Nath: Head of Sales NA, Mobilisights, A Stellantis Company
  • Aidan Salvi: Founder, Angel Investor, Advisor, Technologist, Multiple
  • AJ DeLeon: CEO, Innovare
  • Alex Glenn: Founder, Automated.af
  • Alex Gorsuch: Co-founder, CTO, Ascent Integrated Tech
  • Alex Lambert: Venture Capital Manager, mHUB
  • Andrew Lee: CEO, Esper
  • Andrew Loulousis: Vice President of Strategy and Venturing, TechNexus Venture Collaborative
  • Ashish Rangnekar: CEO & Co-Founder, BenchPrep
  • Aviv Shalgi: CEO, Solar Simplified
  • Bart Carlson: CEO, Azuba
  • Blake Allsmith: CEO, Jumpdocs.com
  • Bob Gillespie: Managing Partner, REACH Commercial
  • Bob Matteson: CEO, Relivable
  • Brad Schnitzer: Program Manager, Techstars Chicago
  • Brad Spirrison: CEO, Grown In
  • Brian Lee: Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer, Roamli
  • Cate Brady: Founding Director, Bulk AG Innovations
  • Charles Kwon: Managing Partner, Concitor
  • Chereesca Bejasa: CEO, Zenevate, LLC
  • Chris Sorensen: Founder & CEO, Lake Forest Venture Management
  • Chris Foltz: Entrepreneur In Residence, Founder Institute + Responsible Solutions Ltd + IRG 100 CMO's & Change Agents
  • Cory Warfield: Chief Connection Officer, Coryconnects
  • Dan Ushman: Founder and CEO, TrendSpider
  • Daniel Roberts: Founder, Scout Alarm
  • David Culver: Co-Founder, VentureSHOT
  • David Douglas: Founder & CEO, Yolobe Inc.
  • David Rosen: CEO, Acrelic Group
  • David Zaretsky: CEO, Chief Scientist & Co-Founder, Snips Media
  • David Hurst: CEO, Orbital Transports
  • Derick Jiwan: Innovation and Business Development Manager, WinField United at Land O' Lakes
  • Desiree Vargas Wrigley: Chief Innovation Officer & Executive Director of TechRise, P33
  • Don Bora: Principal Technology/Owner and Co-Founder, Eight Bit Studios
  • Eddie Patzsch: Co-Founder, PartnerPortal.io
  • Eric Broughton: CEO, OK2Charge
  • Fernando DeLeon: Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer, Innovare
  • Garry Cooper: CEO/ Co-Founder , Rheaply
  • Gary Gaessler: SaaS Community Builder, Nylas, Co-Founder of CloudElements
  • Gavenraj Sodhi: Senior Product Manager, Hitach Vantara
  • Gavin Martin: Founding Partner, onPurpose Growth
  • Genevieve Thiers: Founder, Sittercity
  • George Powell: Founder, CEO, Easy Beauty
  • George Khalife: Vice President, U.S. Capital Formation, Toronto Stock Exchange
  • Greg Jaros: Founder & CEO, PocketKnock
  • Jacqueline Kuehl: Managing Director, Digital Marketing Concentration, DePaul University
  • Jason Randolph: Senior Vice President Marketing & Strategic Growth, Tradier
  • Jason Jacobsohn: Managing Director, Propellant Ventures
  • Jed Abernethy: Corporate Innovation and Startup Executive, Entrepreneur / Digital Transformation
  • Jeff Lyons: Operating Director, City Capital Advisors, LLC
  • Jeff Hyman: Chief Talent Officer, Strong Suit Executive Search
  • Jeff Weber: Founder, Chalenj
  • Jeffrey Coney: Executive Coach and Mentor
  • Joe Bezdek: Co-founder, DivX, Inc.
  • Joe Born: CEO, Aiwa Corp.
  • Joe Lee: CEO, Inverse
  • John Dallas: CEO, Enclave Academy and Hillview Partners Network LLC
  • John Ernst: Chief Growth & Technology Officer, Founder, Advisor, Entrepreneur, Executive
  • Katie Hench: Co-Founder, Infiniteach
  • Kelly Fitzsimmons: Co-Founder, Custom Reality Services
  • Kevin Taylor: Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, Stetson University
  • Kim Rubenstein: Cofounder, Chief Research + Product, Compatibility
  • Kord Kutchins: Principal, Base-K Venture Partners
  • Laurence Hayward: Partner, Independence Equity
  • Louis Morales: President, The Catnip Times
  • Marisa Bryce: CEO, Lightning Snow
  • Mark Achler: Managing Director, Math Venture Partners
  • Marsha McVicker: Founder & CEO, Lyla
  • Marshall Stanton: Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer, Catalina Marketing Corporation
  • Matt Mandell: Principal, PayNerd.com
  • Matthew Miller: Director, Product Strategy & UX, Digital Intent
  • Meghan Hoover: CEO, SceneSave
  • Michael Carruth: President/Founder, Fiodan Corporation
  • Michael Kramer: Founder and CEO, ManageHub, Inc.
  • Michael Kelly: CEO , DeveloperTown
  • Michael Carney: President, MWC Accounting
  • Michael Lamb: Co-Founder & President, nativeMSG
  • Mike Kritzman: Founder & CEO, SkillNet
  • Mike Anguiano: Founder, SupplyHive
  • Mindi Knebel: Founder & CEO, Kaizan Health
  • Neil Kane: Founder & President, Illinois Partners, LLC
  • Nicholas Freemen: Co-founder & Chief Growth Officer, Innovare
  • Nicole Loftus: Founder & CEO, Pop Venture
  • Parminder Batra: CEO, TraknProtect
  • Patricia Riskind: Head of Global Healthcare, Qualtrics
  • Peter Tapling: Managing Director, PTap Advisory, LLC
  • Phil Leslie: Managing Partner, Workbox Ventures
  • Pinaki Saha: Founder & CEO, Anshar Labs
  • Rajesh Voddiraju: Founder & Group President, HealthiPASS Inc
  • Reva Minkoff: Founder and President, DigitalGroundUp Inc. and Digital4Startups Inc.
  • Rinku Patel: Independent Consultant, Board Advisor
  • Ronald Franczyk: CTO & Partner, Red Foundry
  • Ross Kimbarovsky: Founder and CEO, crowdspring
  • Ryan Jeffery: MR, gener8tor
  • Scott Issen: President & CEO, Future Founders
  • Shaniqua Davis: CEO and Founder, Noirefy
  • Stephen Meade: Founder & CEO, MonetaPro
  • Sukhi Singh: Managing Director, SSS Ventures
  • Timothy Kelley: CEO, TeleRay
  • Tom Giles: Founder, Megatron Ventures
  • Ujjwal Gupta: Cofounder & COO, BenchPrep
  • William Furlong: Founder & CEO, SquareStack
  • William Mortimore: CEO, Project Foundry
  • Yarin Gaon: Strategy & Marketing Specialist, Y.G.

  • And many more to be announced.

The Founder Institute is the most challenging and effective step-by-step startup launch program for talented and motivated aspiring entrepreneurs. If you are serious about launching a startup, the Founder Institute can give you the structured process, constant feedback and evaluation from expert mentors, and global network of entrepreneurs you need to start an enduring company. In addition, the Founder Institute is the only program of its kind that focuses on people versus ideas, accepts founders with day jobs, and shares equity with all participants.

                                  We hope you will join us in Chicago and launch a company in 2017.

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