Validate Your Startup Idea With AI in 2 Weeks
The Midwest Startup Ideation Bootcamp pairs AI powered research and validation tools with direct feedback from real entrepreneurs and investors, so you know if your idea holds up before you spend months building it.
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First-time founders and aspiring entrepreneurs considering launching a startup -
Anyone with rough ideas that need feedback and guidance -
Anyone ready to take the first steps of entrepreneurship but doesn't know where to start -
Anyone who wants to use AI to test and sharpen their idea instead of relying on guesswork
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Use AI to research your market, map competitors, and pressure test your idea before writing a line of code -
Run AI assisted customer interviews and synthesize the feedback in minutes instead of weeks -
Build and refine your pitch with AI, then stress test it with 10+ real mentors and investors -
Connect with potential co-founders, advisors, and partners -
De-risk your decision on whether to pursue this idea, backed by data instead of just intuition
Jason Jacobsohn
Jason is the Managing Director of Founder Institute Midwest, where he has led the Chicago chapter since 2011 and helped countless entrepreneurs launch companies. He is also the Founder & Managing Partner of Propellant Ventures, a seed-stage VC fund investing in B2B startups across the Midwest, and teaches entrepreneurship at DePaul University.
Jonathan Greechan
Jonathan is the Co-Founder & CEO of the Founder Institute. Since co-founding FI in 2009, he has personally mentored thousands of founders, built a global network of mentors, and scaled the program into one of the most recognized names in early-stage entrepreneurship. His mission: give every aspiring entrepreneur on the planet the tools, network, and structure to build a company that changes the world.
Andy Cwik
Andy is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and storyteller, and Managing Director of Solanus Capital Partners, a $5M early-stage venture fund backing U.S. pre-seed and seed founders. He is the Co-Founder & COO of Jolo.ai, a next-generation job search and hiring platform, and Co-Founder & CEO of hubub, an AI-powered digital concierge for business client entertainment.
Bootcamp Structure
A 2-week online bootcamp with 4 live sessions, AI powered exercises, and multiple networking opportunities.
Live Expert Sessions
- Mentor Guidance: 4 online sessions over 2 weeks with expert startup mentors, to provide guidance and feedback on your idea and progress
- Step-by-Step Process: Intensive, step-by-step process to brainstorm and validate startup ideas - and keep you accountable!
Learning Platform
- AI Tools: AI tools, templates, and frameworks to help you move faster
- Structured Sprints: Experiential learning and structured, action-oriented sprints with embedded videos, templates, and resources
Mentorship & Community
- Mentor Feedback: Pitch your idea to 10+ different mentors and collect feedback, advice and multiple points of view
- Networking: Networking and pitch events to help you meet potential co-founders, advisors and collaborators
Upcoming Cohorts
Bootcamp Cost
From Dream to Unicorn: Ideation with AI Bootcamp Schedule
The 2-week online bootcamp consists of 4 live sessions with startup experts, practical exercises, and multiple networking opportunities.
Kickoff & Ideation
Customer Validation
Startup Idea Feedback 1
Startup Idea Feedback 2
Bootcamp Alumni
Read what past bootcamp participants have to say
Powered by the Founder Institute
The Founder Institute is the World’s Largest AI-Native Company Builder, giving idea-stage, first-time founders, and employees making the leap to entrepreneurship the tools, global network, and proven methodology to build an AI-powered startup from zero to funding.
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Grads
40,000+
Mentors & Investors
200+
Cities
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Countries
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Alumni Funding
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Company Exits
Bootcamps and AI-Native Accelerators, together
FI Core AI-Native Accelerators take you through the full journey of building an AI powered, fundable business, while FI Bootcamps are focused sprints using AI tools to move fast on one specific part of that journey
Frequently Asked Questions
Midwest Startup Ideation Bootcamp FAQ
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This bootcamp is for anyone in the Midwest with an idea (or even just the itch to build something) who wants a structured way to test it before going all-in. It's ideal for aspiring founders, professionals navigating layoffs or career transitions, corporate intrapreneurs, researchers, and domain experts. You do not need a co-founder, a pitch deck, or even a finished idea to join. You just need to be serious about testing whether your idea could become a company.
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No. The bootcamp is designed to sharpen, test, or even completely change your idea. Many participants come in with nothing more than a problem they care about. By the end, you will have a validated concept, or the clarity to know this one is not the one, which is just as valuable.
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Yes. Many employers reimburse the bootcamp fee as part of professional development, innovation training, or entrepreneurship enablement programs. Upon request, we can provide an invoice and a short summary of the bootcamp for your employer's L&D or HR team.
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Yes. You are exactly the type of person we built this for. The Midwest is going through significant economic shifts, and many of its future founders are people who are in transition right now. The bootcamp gives you a structured, low-risk way to explore whether your next chapter could be as a founder, with a direct pathway into the FI Core Accelerator if your idea holds up.
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It is simple. Sign up with your name and email, and pay the entrance fee. You'll receive a welcome email with everything you need to know before Session 1.
Bootcamp FAQs
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All FI bootcamps consist of (1) live feedback and training sessions with experts, (2) a comprehensive catalogue of self-serve videos and training materials, (3) powerful AI tools to help you make progress, and (4) a structured, step-by-step series of "sprints" to guide you through your learning, all delivered via our proprietary "FounderGen" online learning platform.
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The FI Core program is a comprehensive 10 session program, followed by a series of advanced accelerators, to help pre-seed founders build a fundable, enduring business for the full lifecycle of their company. Alternatively, FI bootcamps are short, intense, focused educational programs around specific topics relevant to entrepreneurs. Bootcamps are designed to be both standalone AND complimentary to the FI Core program.
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Yes - all bootcamp participants receive the video recording shortly after each bootcamp session.
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Enrolled Founders are able to enroll in one bootcamp for free and additional bootcamps with a 50% discount. These bootcamps are designed to provide even more value, feedback, and connections to the founders in our accelerator programs worldwide.
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Yes - but only participants that complete all of the bootcamp sprints will receive certificates. Simply attending the live sessions is not enough. All FI programs are intensive and designed to push you to make real progress, so you'll only get a certificate if you actually do the work!
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Yes! The programs are meant to be complimentary. However, if you are going through FI Core you will be expected to complete all the sprints and attend all the sessions just like everyone else in your cohort, whether or not you are going through a bootcamp. So if the live bootcamp session conflicts with the live FI Core session, you should definitely attend the live FI Core session instead and watch the bootcamp video afterwards.
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The bootcamps are virtual and can be attended online.
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No, there is no equity component to the bootcamps.
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Once the entrance fee is paid, participants are automatically enrolled in the bootcamp, and the fee is non-refundable. This policy is designed to encourage founders to take the leap and begin their startup journey. By making this commitment, participants overcome procrastination and take a crucial step toward building their business and achieving success. If you pay for the Core Program and also participate in a bootcamp, your Core Program refund (if applicable) will be reduced by the cost of the bootcamp.
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Yes! You will be able to log in to your account on the FounderGen platform at any time in the future to access your work and all the resources provided throughout the bootcamp. What's more - your learning dashboard will even grow over time with all the new resources and AI tools that FI continues to release.
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Please email any questions to bootcamps@founderinstitute.com
The Founder Institute is the world’s most proven network to turn ideas into fundable startups, and startups into global businesses. Since 2009, our AI-native company-building programs have helped over 9,000 entrepreneurs raise over 2BN in funding. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 100 countries, our mission is to empower communities of talented and motivated people to build impactful technology companies worldwide.
