Vibecode a Product Bootcamp Logo

Turn Your Idea into a Product with AI

Use AI tools to build a working product, test it with real customers, and take the first steps of the startup journey — no coding required.

Apply to the Bootcamp

Bootcamp Dates

Jun 10, 2026 to Jun 19, 2026
Sessions take place 9:00AM - 10:30AM Pacific Time

Bootcamp Cost

$449

Bootcamp Format

  • 4 live online sessions with hands-on AI tool demos, expert guidance, and real-time feedback on your product

  • Structured step-by-step process to scope, build, launch, and validate your product with real customers

  • Learning platform with AI tools, templates, and frameworks designed for solo founders

  • Group AMA sessions with the instructors

Who is this for?

AI has made it possible for anyone to build a product. This bootcamp is for:

  • Experienced professionals ready to turn domain expertise into a startup — without needing a technical co-founder

  • Solo founders who have an idea but need a structured process and expert feedback to move forward with confidence

  • AI-curious professionals who want to leverage AI to build a real business, not just tinker with tools

  • Anyone who has been thinking about building an app with AI but does not know where to start

Go from idea to product to first customers — without writing code

In just 10 days, you will follow a proven process to:

  • Define the right product to build and the assumptions you need to test
  • Use AI tools to build a working app without writing a single line of code
  • Avoid the most costly mistakes first-time founders make when building with AI
  • Put your product in front of real customers and gather actionable feedback
  • Connect with a community of fellow aspiring founders building alongside you
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Bootcamp Instructors

Participants will get access to several experienced entrepreneurs from the Founder Institute network, with more TBA.

Mark Montalban

Mark Montalban is a Founder, startup builder, and self-taught AI expert and vibe coder. Currently he is the Co-Founder & CEO of MindfulText, and enterprise text-message delivery system that drives science-backed outcomes like decreased stress, improved teamwork, and better sleep. Previously he ran partnerships and portfolio for the Founder Institute global startup accelerator.

Jonathan Greechan

Jonathan is the Co-Founder & CEO of the Founder Institute, a global startup accelerator that has helped startups raise nearly $2BN worldwide. He has over 15 years of experience with pre-seed and seed-stage startups, accelerators, angels, funds, and LPs.

Janet Todorova

Janet is Head of Expansion at Founder Institute and previously led the Berlin and Eastern Europe chapters. With over 10 years of experience, she has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs across Europe successfully launch their startups.

  • The Vibe Coding Startup Bootcamp has been an incredibly valuable and structured experience. It helped me turn Dora from an abstract idea into a functional MVP with real users and measurable traction. I especially appreciated how the AI coding workflows made it possible to prototype fast with limited time and budget. Overall, this program gave me clarity, momentum, and a real foundation to grow Dora.

    Pietro Semprini
    Dora
  • I cannot thank FI and its mentors enough for helping me go from idea to launch and now a seed round! Their programs really push you to towards your goals. The mentors at FI were always available for help and support: from reviewing cap tables to strategizing about launch. Without FI it would have been difficult to scale!

    Swathi Arulguppe Nagendra
    Bettermeal.ai ($500K+ funding)
  • The real question is: can the Founder Institute be game-changing for your business? The answer is yes. Without FI, Udemy may have never raised any money.

    Gagan Biyani
    Udemy (IPO, 2021)
  • FI's content and structure were extremely helpful to learn everything in a step by step manner. It saved me a significant amount of time and prevented me from making a lot of mistakes!

    Purva Gupta
    Lily ($41M+ funding)
  • The biggest challenge I had during fundraising was explaining our value proposition. It was complicated. The advice I got around everything from FI was spot on!

    Ernest Chan
    PredictNow ($750K+ funding)

Vibecode a Product Bootcamp Schedule

The 10-day online bootcamp consists of live sessions with startup and AI experts, hands-on product-building sprints, customer validation exercises, and multiple networking opportunities.

Program Dates
Jun 10, 2026 to Jun 19, 2026
Module 1
Wed Jun 10, 2026

Kickoff & Scoping Your First Product

The bootcamp starts with an opportunity to share your startup idea, define the scope of your first product, and identify the key assumptions you need to validate with real customers.

Duration: 9:00AM - 10:30AM Pacific Time: Live online kickoff session + networking + 5-10 hours of self-paced work
Goals
  • Learn the bootcamp structure and connect with your cohort
  • Identify the key business assumptions to test with your first product
  • Define your target customer and the problem you are solving for them
  • Outline a simple product spec scoped for fast validation
  • Set up your AI toolkit: Replit (with PostSQL), n8n, OpenAI
Module 2
Fri Jun 12, 2026

Using AI to Build Your Product

Speed is your advantage as a solo founder. This session gives you the hands-on techniques and AI tools to turn your product spec into a working app — no coding required.

Duration: 9:00AM - 10:30AM Pacific Time: Live online demo session + networking + 5-10 hours of self-paced work
Goals
  • Learn how to use AI tools effectively for product development
  • Map your desired user journey from first touch to core action
  • Translate your user flows into effective AI prompts
  • Use AI to generate your core interface and functionality
  • Share your progress and get feedback from your cohort
Module 3
Wed Jun 17, 2026

Refining Your Product & Preparing to Launch

Done is better than perfect — especially when the goal is learning from customers. This session helps you polish your product and prepare it for real users.

Duration: 9:00AM - 10:30AM Pacific Time: Live online demo session + networking + 5-10 hours of self-paced work
Goals
  • Test, iterate, and streamline your product features
  • Enhance the user experience with automations and third-party integrations
  • Overcome common AI product-building challenges
  • Finalize your product for launch
  • Develop your customer outreach plan for validation
Module 4
Fri Jun 19, 2026

Launch, Learn & Validate with Real Customers

Building the product is only half the journey. This session focuses on putting your product in front of real customers using lean startup methods to find out if you have a business.

Duration: 9:00AM - 10:30AM Pacific Time: Live online mentor session + networking + 5-10 hours of self-paced work
Goals
  • Define and identify your early adopters
  • Launch your product and run a real-world validation test
  • Run effective outreach campaigns to start gathering user feedback
  • Define and measure the success metrics that matter
  • Determine next steps and iterations on the path to Product/Market Fit
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Delivered via World Class Tools

Participants get access to the Founder Institute's 'FounderGen Platform' - the world's leading LMS for startup creation.

  • Experiential learning with structured, action-oriented sprints designed for solo founders
  • Embedded videos, templates, and resources to guide every step from idea to validated product
  • State of the art AI tools to help you build, launch, and test your product without a technical co-founder

Powered by the Founder Institute

Based in Silicon Valley, the Founder Institute is the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator. Since 2009, FI's accelerators have helped launch fast-growing, funded technology companies across nearly every geography, industry, and sector.

9,000+

Portfolio Companies

2BN+

Portfolio Company Funding

200+

Chapter Cities

100+

Chapter Countries

6

Continents

40,000+

Global Mentors & Advisors

Frequently Asked Questions

A Bootcamp is a short, focused program designed to help aspiring solo founders build and validate their first product using AI — the critical first steps of the startup journey. The FI Core Program is a long, comprehensive startup accelerator that guides founders through the process of building a fundable, global and enduring business. FI Core Program Alumni get access to a global mentor and investor network, a suite of additional accelerator programs, and much more. In addition, all participants of FI Core programs also get free access to an FI Bootcamp, with a 50% discount thereafter.

No, you don't need a fully formed idea. Many participants join with just a problem they've noticed in their industry or career. The first module guides you through a structured process to define the problem, identify a target customer, and scope a product worth building and testing. If you already have an idea, the process will help you sharpen it — and your idea may evolve as you build and talk to customers.

Yes — that's exactly what this bootcamp is designed for. AI tools have made it possible for non-technical founders to build real, working products. You don't need coding skills or a technical co-founder. Our instructors will walk you through every step with live demos and hands-on guidance.

Replit (with PostSQL), n8n, and OpenAI (or your preferred LLM such as Perplexity, Claude, etc). Any costs associated with these tools are the responsibility of the bootcamp participants.

There are 4 interactive online sessions with instructors including live demo. All sessions will be recorded and available to re-watch. You can skip a session and watch the recording, but we strongly recommend joining live to ask questions, get feedback from instructors, and connect with other aspiring founders in your cohort. The rest is self-paced work on weekly deliverables.

Yes — all bootcamp sessions will be recorded and you'll be able to watch them anytime at your convenience.

The bootcamp workload is approximately 20 hours spread across 2 weeks. You will spend 5-10 hours per sprint on self-paced work: scoping your product, building it with AI, and validating it with real customers. It's designed for people with full-time jobs who are ready to take the first step.

Yes. Every session features an experienced instructor who provides live demos, guidance, and feedback. Between sessions, you can ask questions and get support from instructors during the AMA sessions that follow each bootcamp.

Yes — that's the goal. By the end of the bootcamp, you will have a working product that you've put in front of real potential customers. You'll also have real feedback to help you decide whether to keep going, pivot, or try a different idea. Either way, you'll have the skills and process to keep building.

Complete a brief application and pay the entrance fee. In the application, you'll answer a few questions about your background and the problem or idea you'd like to explore. You can refine or change your idea during the bootcamp.

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 you to take the leap. By making this commitment, you overcome the procrastination that holds most aspiring founders back and take a real step toward building something.

Please email any questions to bootcamps(at)founderinstitute.com with an Email Subject: [Vibecode a Startup Bootcamp Question]

Turn Your Idea into a Product with AI
Apply to the Bootcamp

The Founder Institute is the world’s most proven network to turn ideas into fundable startups, and startups into global businesses. Since 2009, our structured accelerator 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.

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