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Spring 2010 Paris

At the Founder Institute, you won't "learn" how to build a business. Rather, you will build your business alongside top startup experts using a proven, structured process that has helped some of the world's fastest growing companies raise over $1.85BN. 

Our core program includes a series of challenging growth sprints, in addition to Weekly Feedback Sessions where you will receive constant feedback on your progress from experienced Mentors and Investors. 

See the schedule for the Spring 2010 Paris program below.

The Final Application Deadline for the Spring 2010 Paris program is Mar 07, 2010, and you can apply to the program at FI.co/join.

Vision & Idees

Develop ideas for your business.

Date: Mar 20, 2010
Starts at: 04:00 am (America/New_York)

Qu'est ce qui vous passionne? Quelle est votre vision? Comment convertir cette passion et vision en un business? Comment trouver des idees? Avec quels outils evaluer vos idees? Qu'est ce qui separe une bonne d'une mauvaise idee? Faut-il essayer plusieurs idees en parallele, et quand se concentrer sur une seule?

Le Marche

Validate your idea and target market

Date: Mar 27, 2010
Starts at: 04:00 am (America/New_York)

Quel marche visez-vous? Est-il assez important? En croissance ou pas? Quelles autres caracteristiques a-t-il, et pourquoi est-ce important? Comment trouver ces informations? Qui sont vos concurrents et comment les definir? Quelles sont des methodes abordables pour trouver ce genre d'information? Comment savoir si vous pouvez devenir leader sur votre marche, et quand il vaut mieux essayer autre chose?

Nom et Marque

Name and brand your business.

Date: Mar 30, 2010
Starts at: 11:00 am (America/New_York)

Quelle est l'importance d'avoir le bon nom? Quels sont les differents types de nom et comment choisir le bon? Quelles sont les meilleures methodes pour chercher, evaluer et selectionner un nom parmi une longue liste de possibilites? Ensuite, comment proteger son nom et sa marque? Comment le nom influence la perception de la marque? Quelle est votre marque?

Company Roadmap

Develop a plan to build your idea.

Date: Apr 13, 2010
Starts at: 11:00 am (America/New_York)

How do you get from an idea to an offering? How do you build an offering? What tactics should you use to ensure success? What is the plan to develop your offering? What are tips and tricks to make that plan accurate? What are common mistakes that every founder makes? What are the best practices? How do you navigate competition, and how do you win?

Earning Revenue

Build a revenue model for your business.

Date: Apr 27, 2010
Starts at: 11:00 am (America/New_York)

How do you get revenue, grow revenue, and track revenue? How do you scale your business from the first dollar earned to the millionth? How important is early revenue versus long-term potential? What are symmetrical versus asymmetrical models, and which type of model holds the most promise for your business? What are the various routes to market that you can take? How do you set your revenue goals, and how do you go about meeting them?

Hiring and Firing

How to find the best people.

Date: May 04, 2010
Starts at: 11:00 am (America/New_York)

What are the right mix of skills that you need to launch a world-class technology company? Should you be looking for cofounders, team members, freelancers or interns? When should you plan to bring on people to help? How do you recruit and interview to find the best resources? What are the compensation guidelines in the beginning for cofounders and other various roles? How do you set expectations, measure results and remove or fire under performing resources?

Intellectual Property

File your provisional patents.

Date: May 11, 2010
Starts at: 11:00 am (America/New_York)

What is the intellectual property of your business? What types of protections are available, and what are the costs? How do you manage your intellectual property using confidentiality, copyrights, and patents? What can and what should you do on your own, and what do you need a lawyer for? What are common intellectual property problems, and how do you deal with them cost effectively?

Startup Legal and Incorporation

Build a legal strategy and incorporate.

Date: May 25, 2010
Starts at: 11:00 am (America/New_York)

Why incorporate? What are the basic legal concepts that you need to know to run a successful company? What are the key legal terms that you need to care about in contracts, with your team, and with your Board? What are common legal mistakes in startups? What are the key legal documents that a startup needs to operate? When do you need to use a lawyer, and when can you handle things on your own? How do you manage a law firm efficiently to get the best work?

Outsourcing, Partners and Suppliers

Select key vendors.

Date: Jun 01, 2010
Starts at: 11:00 am (America/New_York)

What should you outsource, and what do you need to do in-house? What is the core competency of your team, and what should it to be? What vendors do you need? How do you select the best vendors for your business on the best terms? How do you evaluate the economics? What are some horror stories to avoid?

Marketing and Sales

Create a message that resonates.

Date: Jun 16, 2010
Starts at: 11:00 am (America/New_York)

Who are your customers? What audience are you trying to reach? How do you tell the story of your company? How do you create the right messages? What are the best tactics for your outreach: publicity, guerrilla marketing, advertising? How much should you spend on outreach? How do you measure success?

Presentation and Publicity

Get the world to take notice.

Date: Jun 22, 2010
Starts at: 11:00 am (America/New_York)

How do you get the world to take notice of your company? What tools and materials do you need to start doing outreach? How do you identify media to write about your company? What are newsworthy stories? How do you craft a story? What are effective tactics to get social media, blog and press coverage? What tactics should be avoided?

Fundraising

Plan to raise your first round.

Date: Jun 29, 2010
Starts at: 11:00 am (America/New_York)

What is the right amount of money to raise from investors? How do you raise capital for a brand new company? How do you identify angels and other seed-stage investors? What do investors expect from the company? What are typical investment structures and deal terms for seed-stage financings? How do you negotiate terms?

Graduation

Time to celebrate!

Date: Jun 30, 2010
Starts at: 11:30 am (America/New_York)

The Graduation is the beginning of an exciting period for Founders, where the seed of an idea becomes reality. Graduating Founders are invited to bring one guest of their choosing to the session and to the after party. The Institute will continue to provide office hours, add special service provider deals, assist with fundraising, and give guidance on publicity and launch strategies for Graduated Founders.

Post Program Resources

The 4 month Core-Program is just the beginning. We have developed extensive support programs and resources for our Alumni that far exceed any other comparable startup program.

Continued Support

FI Alumni
  • Dedicated Alumni Support Team in Silicon Valley
  • Access to the world's largest network of mentors and investors (35,000+)
  • Private Alumni mailing lists
  • $2M+ in partner discounts
  • Invites to FI sessions & network events
  • Potentail introductions to investors

Post-Programs

Founder Lab
  • A series of virtual advisory programs where you work with our Silicon Valley HQ team to reach next milestones
  • Funding Lab helps get your lead investor within 6 months
  • P/M Fit Lab (2023) helps you get to Product Market Fit
  • FI Venture Network helps you get intros to investors
  • 100% customized and FREE for Alumni