On Thursday, December 10th 2020 the Founder Institute hosted Accelerate North America, a digital conference bringing together accelerator managers, ecosystem builders, and venture capitalists from across the continent, idea-stage to Series A.
The first session kicked off with Founder Institute CEO Adeo Ressi giving a welcome, and soon joined onstage by Sunil Sharma for a conversation centered around startup ecosystems integration and developments across Canada.
Watch to learn best practices on integrating accelerators, venture builders, and venture capitalists from Sunil Sharma, MD at Techstars Toronto & FI Toronto.
If you are a startup community-builder or actively advising founders, learn more about becoming a Founder Institute accelerator program Director, and building an equity portfolio by adding value to startups in your own entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Ecosystem Building: Across North America
The second session focused on best practices for building across startup ecosystems in nascent and budding startup ecosystems from across North America, featuring three top accelerator program managers that are helping founders create impactful and enduring companies in New York, Texas, and across Mexico.
Watch to learn from startup leaders Martín Martinez (MD, FI Texas), Lorena Sanchez (MD, FI Mexico) and Stefan Klotzbuecher (MD, FI New York), who join FI Global Marketing Manager Rachel Sheppard for a discussion on innovation ecosystem-building in the turbulent year of 2020.
- Lorena Sanchez is the Managing Director of Founder Institute Mexico, and co-Founder co-CEO at Urban Guilt, a hair color cosmetics brand for dark-haired wash-out use. Previously Director of FI Mexico City, Sanchez is now making an impact across the entire country of Mexico, facilitating new FI programs and partnerships launches in Sonora, Chihuahua, and more.
- Martin Martinez is the Managing Director of Founder Institute Texas, SXSW Advisory Board member, and founder of A-Player Media. Originally joining the FI leader network from his base in Austin, Martinez now also co-manages programs in Houston, and Dallas/FW. See the recent 1:1 interview with Martinez here full of new and prospective accelerator program manager FAQs.
- Stefan Klotzbuecher is the Director of the New York Founder Institute, Sales Director at Audicus, and previously Business Development Manager at Startup Builder. Based in NYC, Klotzbuecher is a serial entrepreneur, who himself is also an Alumni of the 2015 FI New York program cohort.
If you are helping to build startups or advise founders across your own entrepreneurial community, learn more here about becoming a Founder Institute accelerator program Director.
Graduates of the Founder Institute are creating some of the world's fastest growing startups, having raised over $1.75BN in funding, and building products people love across over 200 cities worldwide.
See the most recent news from our Grads at FI.co/news, or learn more about their stories at FI.co/journey.
