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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 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.
Proven Methodology
The Rule of One
Step-by-step business-building sprints to eliminate 'analysis paralysis'. Bootstrap the business and get to work - no theory.
See our Methodology 
40,000+ Mentors
Constant Mentor Feedback
Hundreds of feedback touchpoints from entrepreneurs and investors when you need it the most - at the earliest stages.
Meet the mentors 
Funding
Founder Capital
Increase your chances for first funding through the FI Venture Network (a global network of 'first-check investors') and 'Founder Capital' (FI's global VC fund).
Explore funding 
200+ Cities
Global Community
You don't have to do it alone. Join the world's largest network of idea and early-stage founders, ecosystem builders, and investors empowering new entrepreneurs.
Learn about our Mission 
Trusted by world-class organizations
- Microsoft
- NASA
- e
- Accenture
- USAID
- UNDP
- UN Women
- Joint SDG Fund
- Government of Bermuda
- Startup Portugal
- Corfo
- BEDC
- California State University
- DePaul University
- Claremont
- NUS
Oddbox wouldn't exist without the Founder Institute. FI gave me the structure I needed to take Oddbox from idea to an MVP.
Emilie Vanpoperinghe
Founder, Oddbox
Without Founder Institute, Udemy may have never raised any money.
Gagan Biyani
Founder, Udemy
I had the most incredible learning experience. I wouldn't be the founder I am today without Founder Institute as my backbone.
Evan Wong
Founder, Checkbox
Success stories across Six Continents
Real stories from Alumni who turned ideas into global, funded companies.
Joining the Founder Institute was a defining chapter in my founder journey. The experience, the pressure, and most importantly the mentorship shaped how I think, build, and lead TransTRACK today.
Anggia Meisesari
Founder, TransTRACK
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.
Renata Redondo
Founder, SleepUp
Grateful to the FI team for their support and belief in our journey, and proud of what we're building at Tespire as we keep pushing forward.
Abdulkadir Suleiman Lapai
Founder, Tespire
There's no better time than the present.
Apply to the Abidjan 2016 program today.
AI Has Rewritten the Rules of Company Building
Skills are no longer a barrier to entry. Your domain expertise is your unfair advantage, but only if you become AI-enabled.
RECRUIT A TEAM TO START
No Co-Founder? No Problem.
AI tools and agents can get you to first traction and funding. Solo founders can go further than ever without funding or a team.
6 MONTHS TO LAUNCH AN MVP
Launch an MVP tomorrow
Building product is no longer a barrier to entry with AI tools. Every founder can be AI-enabled, and speed is the new moat.
RAISE FUNDING TO LAUNCH
Bootstrap to prove
Bootstrapping is no longer optional - it's required. Prove your business case with real metrics and then raise funding or hire from a position of strength.
The World's Largest Network of Startup Founders & Investors
- AF
- AL
- AO
- AR
- AM
- AU
- AT
- AZ
- BD
- BE
- BT
- BO
- BR
- BG
- BF
- CM
- CA
- TD
- CL
- CN
- CO
- CG
- CR
- HR
- CY
- CZ
- DK
- DZ
- EC
- EG
- EE
- FI
- FR
- GE
- DE
- GH
- GR
- GT
- HN
- HK
- HU
- IN
- ID
- IQ
- IE
- IL
- IT
- CI
- JM
- JP
- JO
- KZ
- KE
- LB
- LU
- MY
- MV
- MX
- MD
- MN
- MA
- MM
- NP
- NL
- NZ
- NG
- NO
- PK
- PS
- PA
- PE
- PH
- PL
- PT
- QA
- RO
- RW
- SA
- SN
- RS
- SG
- ZA
- KR
- ES
- LK
- SE
- CH
- TW
- TH
- TN
- TR
- AE
- GB
- US
- UG
- UA
- UY
- VE
- VN
- ZW
...with Abidjan Support
Global businesses start local, so FI builds sustainable startup ecosystems to help aspiring entrepreneurs.
Founder Institute Abidjan
Apply to build alongside top local investors, advisors, and mentors.
Local Leaders & Mentors
Mohamed Diaby
Founder & CEO, DIVAM INTEGRA SYSTEMS
Free Startup Events
Learn from the world's best founders and investors, for free.
We run 1,000+ free online startup workshops, pitch events, investor meetups, and networking mixers per year. 750,000+ attendees to date.
Start your journey today.
View all events Founder Bootcamps
Ready to build? Join a Founder Bootcamp.
Intensive, virtual program to level up your skills.
Canada Startup Ideation Bootcamp
The Canada Startup Ideation Bootcamp is an intensive 2-week program to help anyone in Canada test their startup idea using AI tools and feedback from top entrepreneurs and investors.
Hong Kong Startup Ideation Bootcamp
The Hong Kong Startup Ideation Bootcamp is an intensive 2-week program to help anyone in Hong Kong test their startup idea using AI tools and feedback from top entrepreneurs and investors.
Insights
Lessons from 17+ years of building founders.
Deep-dive essays, data stories, and tactical playbooks on launching and funding startups.
Great Founders Start Here
Our mission is to activate entrepreneurial potential, so we work with founders at the very earliest-stages.
Employee to Entrepreneur
The Career Changer
You have experience, domain knowledge, and a network in your industry - but don't know where to start.
Solo Founder
The First-Time Founder
You have the idea, but lack the confidence, team, process, or all the skills to move forward.
AI-Curious
The AI-Curious Professional
You see the AI revolution reshaping every industry and you want to be on the building side, not the sidelines.
Your industry expertise is your unfair advantage
We'll give you the tools and feedback to launch and get funded.
No co-founder or technical background needed
Leverage our AI tools and network to get moving, fast.
From spectator to builder — start from scratch
We'll give you the feedback and support network to get from zero to funded.
Applications Open · Abidjan 2016
Stop Planning.
Start Building.
Join thousands of founders who turned their ideas into funded startups. AI rewrote the rules — you bring the vision, we bring everything else.
