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Since launching in San Diego in 2009, the Founder Institute has graduated over 50 companies, including successful local startups like Embarke, Kaliki, DonationMatch, Feetz, Explorence, Green Kid Crafts, and many more. 

The San Diego Founder Institute is now accepting applications for the San Diego - Southern California Fall 2024 Semester.  If you could benefit from expert training and advice to launch a technology startup in San Diego, click here to apply today

Those who apply by the Early Admissions Deadline (Apr 28, 2024) will have their application fees waived (typically $50) and are eligible for Founder Institute Fellowships

In the Founder Institute's four-month, part-time program, promising startup entrepreneurs “learn by doing” and launch a company through structured training courses and expert feedback from a large network of business mentors. Plus, you are not required to quit you day job to participate, so you can begin building a business around your ideas without putting your livelihood at risk.

In order to celebrate the launch, the San Diego Founder Institute will host a “Pre-Curriculum” of free startup events for the general public: 

  • How to Build a Moonshot: Lonestar’s Mission to the Moon: 10:00am, Apr 01, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/339020
  • Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
  • Pitch Lounge: Get Feedback on Your 1-Minute Pitch Idea from Startup Experts: 10:00am, Apr 03, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/338673
  • How Early-Stage AI Startups Will Fix Global Problems: 10:00am, Apr 10, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/338570
  • Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with a Venture Capitalist: 10:00am, Apr 15, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/338408
  • Founder Showcase: Startup Pitch & Networking Event: 10:00am, Apr 18, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/337992
  • How to Acquire your First Customers with Actionable SEO Strategies : 10:00am, Apr 24, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/339075
  • Co-Founders Connect: Find a Business Partner Online: 5:00pm, May 01, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/338069
  • How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas : 10:00am, May 08, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/339368
  • Building a Fundable Start-up Brand: 10:00am, May 20, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/338814
  • Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 5:00pm, May 22, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/340368
  • Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 5:00pm, May 27, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/339411
  • How to Quickly Establish Safe, Reliable, and Compliant AI Startups: 10:00am, May 29, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/340159
  • Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 5:00pm, Jun 05, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/340988
  • How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 5:00pm, Jun 10, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/339734
  • Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 10:00am, Jun 12, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/339788
  • Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 10:00am, Jun 17, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/339944
  • Pitch Lounge: Get Feedback on Your 1-Minute Pitch Idea from Startup Experts: 10:00am, Jun 26, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/339849
  • Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 10:00am, Jul 01, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/340255
  • Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 5:00pm, Jul 15, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/341270
  • Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 10:00am, Jul 17, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/341369

 

The San Diego Chapter will be led by by longtime Founder Institute Director and San Diego Startup advocate, Jeanine Jacobson

In only 14 years of operation, over 7,000 graduate companies across 200 cities have used the Founder Institute to validate their idea, develop their plans, refine their product, build an advisory board, prepare for seed funding, and more. 

                                        We hope you will join us in San Diego and launch a company in 2014.


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