Founder Institute's
Global
Venture Capital Fund
What is Founder Capital
Founder Capital is the Founder Institute's global VC fund, backing high-potential and high-momentum founders before anyone else. Using the proprietary data and network of the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator, Founder Capital finds the best emerging startups and provides them with the capital and connections they need to scale.
How We Support Our Founders Beyond Capital
What you get
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Facilitated access to the FI Venture Network for fundraising and strategic connections.
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Free advanced accelerator programs like Funding Lab and Leadership Lab.
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Monthly check-ins, newsletters with curated resources, and office hours with subject matter experts.
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Visibility through blog posts, investor roundtables, and VIP networking events.
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Coaching sessions and potential follow-on investments.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Founder Capital invests $25,000 - $175,000 into top startups from the Founder Institute Network.
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Not every company that graduates from the Founder Institute Core program will receive investment. However, all companies are reviewed for investment, and the top performers are asked to apply for investment from Founder Capital.
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Founder Capital only invests in companies from the Founder Institute Network. Founders must have completed the Core program to be eligible.
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All Founder Institute Alumni are eligible for investment.
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The ideal Founder Capital applicant will have 1) a strong, full-time team of founders, 2) a fully functional product, and 3) demonstrable traction or validation. We use these criteria as a benchmark, and there are always exceptions to the rules.
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Here is the process:
Application: Founders can apply to Founder Capital through our startup intake form.
Initial Review: The Founder Capital team reviews the details and recommends next steps.
Due Diligence: The team reviews your data room and performs due diligence.
Final Decision: Upon approval, terms are finalized, and funds are wired. -
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Techstars: $220,000 for ~8% equity.
$20,000 for 5% common stock. $200,000 Convertible Note uncapped SAFE, MFN.
Y Combinator: $500,000 for 8 - 13% equity.
$125,000 for a fixed 7%. An additional $375,000 investment using an uncapped MFN SAFE (1 - 6% depending on the Cap used).
500 Global: ~$100,000 for 6% equity.
500 invests $150,000 for 6% equity, but they charge a ~$40,000 program fee, so the actual working capital available after their fee is ~$100,000.
Founder Capital: $175,000 for ~4% equity.
Investment is made in two tranches, starting with a $25,000 accelerator investment for 2.5%, with a follow-on investment of $150,000 following a lead investor in the next round.
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 8,900 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.
