The Founder Institute (http://fi.co), the World’s Largest Startup Accelerator, announced today that it is exploring a new chapter launch in Melbourne this Autumn 2014.
Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200 cities and 100 countries, the Founder Institute has helped launch over 8,100 companies, which have created over 30,000 new jobs. The company's mission is to “Globalize (Melbourne photo from Shutterstock) Silicon Valley” and create sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.
If you'd like to help bring this great program to Melbourne, then fill out an Interest Form. If enough people complete this form by Sunday, March 16th 2014, then the Founder Institute will formally launch a Melbourne Chapter for the Autumn of 2014.
Melbourne would be the Founder Institute's third location in Australia, joining existing programs in Sydney and Perth. Since launching in Sydney in 2010, the Founder Institute has helped launch over 35 Australian companies, including highly-publicized startups like Slidefish, FoodOrbit, GeoMoby, and many more. The Melbourne launch was covered by StartupSmart editor Gavin Lower in an article titled The Founder Institute considering starting a chapter in Melbourne.
In the Founder Institute's four-month, part-time program, promising entrepreneurs “learn by doing” and launch a company through structured training courses, practical business-building assignments, and expert feedback from a large network of business mentors. Plus, aspiring founders are not required to quit their day job to participate, so they can begin building a business around their ideas without putting their livelihood at risk.
In order to test demand in Melbourne, the Founder Institute will host several free startup events;
- Responsible AI for Startups: Frameworks You Can Apply from Day One: 3:00am, Sep 16, 2025 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/379011
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- How to Get Investors to Notice Your Startup: AMA with Marta Marrucco: 3:00am, Sep 18, 2025 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/379025
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 3:00am, Sep 23, 2025 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/379061
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 4:00am, Oct 07, 2025 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/379050
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 4:00am, Oct 28, 2025 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/379037
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 12:00pm, Nov 11, 2025 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/378910
- Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Kirby Winfield: 5:00am, Nov 18, 2025 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/379452
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 5:00am, Nov 25, 2025 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/379590
Leading the Founder Institute’s efforts in Melbourne is Matt Allen, and Sebastian von Conrad. Matt has been running startups since the mid 90s, and is now focussed on helping startups avoid the same mistakes he made.
“I’m excited to bring FI to Melbourne. Having mentored the last two Sydney FI classes myself, it’s time to make it a reality in Melbourne" - Matt Allen
Sebastian von Conrad works as development manager at Envato, a Melbourne-based company running some of the world's largest online marketplaces and education sites.
"Melbourne is a quickly growing technology hub, and the focus is shifting from Sydney to Melbourne" - Sebastian von Conrad
Other successful entrepreneurs who have signed on to mentor founders in the program include:
- Adam Long: CEO, TheEthicalCEO.com
- Adeline Chu: Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Western Sydney University
- Adrian Bunter: Corporate Advisor | Angel Investor | Non-exec Director, Modus Partners
- Aivee Robinson: Co-Founder, Catalyser
- Albert Bielinko: Venture / growth investor, Titanium Ventures (Former Telstra Ventures)
- Alejandro Patterson: Principal Product Manager , Honey Insurance
- Alex Samson: Founder & CEO, dvhb
- Alex Guyer: Partner Firemark Ventures, Associate Partner Black Nova Venture Capital
- Alex Sy: Managing Director, ATLAS Business Consulting and Mentoring Services
- Alex Xu: Co-Founder & Idea Builder, 100 Bad Ideas
- Allan Lalic: Co-founder, Kebloom
- Amit Verma: Senior Manager, Listings, ASX
- Anna Cheng: Head of Growth & Engagement Marketing, Turo Australia. Ex HealthMatch Ex Brighte Ex Spaceship
- Anne Marie Elias: chief disrupter, Founder, PrimeLife Partners, innovating longevity & care
- Annie Le Cavalier: Program Manager - Ecosystem & Partnerships, CSIRO's ON Innovation Programs
- Ant Moorehouse: CEO and Co-Founder, EarthTech
- Ash Ma: Product Manager, Zip Co.
- Asher Vukelic: Chair, Southwest Angels
- Ashton Bishop: CEO, Step Change hellostepchange.com
- Ben Pecotich: Design & Innovation Director/Founder, Dynamic4
- Benjamin Ranck: Principal, MacroReactor
- Benjamin Chong: Partner, Right Click Capital
- Bill Trestrail: CEO, Market Momentum Pty Ltd
- Bill Trestrail: Venture Partner, Black Nova Venture Capital
- Bjorn Halfmann: Founder & Experience Design Director, muteo.co
- Brendan Yell: Former Director, Twilio Startups
- Brodie Mc Culloch: Founder, Spacecubed, Perth, WA
- Brodie Mc Culloch: Founder and Managing Director, Spacecubed
- Bronwen Kaspers: Customer Success Coach, Culture Amp cultureamp.com
- Cam Walshe: Director, Pitchblak
- Carl Maiorana: Founder, Business Growth & Change Consultant, 5Y
- Caroline Lepron: CEO & Founder, Skoutli
- Cheryl Mack: CEO & Founder, Aussieangels.com + Activator at SheEO™
- Chris Clark: Serial Entrepreneur , Teem
- Chris Clark: Chris Clark, Teem / GeoSnapShot
- Chris Braine: Founder, Cellr
- Chris Gillings: Venture Capital @ Five V Capital, & Founder @ Cut Through Venture
- Christopher Krainer: Director of Hardware Engineering at Zoomo, & co-founder at rk-collective.com
- Damien Messina: Manager, Impact Angel Network
- Dane Eldridge: Founder & CEO, StackUp www.stackup.tech
- Daniel Lohrmann: Managing Director, ikaros
- Darsel Keane: Director, University of Auckland
- David Kenney: Founder, Epic Execution Pty Ltd
- Dean Mc Evoy: Non Executive Director, Investor and Adviser, TechSydney
- Debra Taylor: Non Executive Director, Stone and Chalk
- Dennis Kibirev: Chief Growth Officer, Mesh Ai
- Dmitri Voronenko: Technology Leader | Advisor | Mentor, virtualintegrity.com.au
- Dylan Mc Donnell: CEO, Foodini
- Edward Liu: Mr, EasyIOT
- Eitan Bienstock: Managing Director, Techbench Capital
- Elizabeth Kaelin: MSc, RDN & Finance Lecturer, UTS Business School
- Erwin Van Der Koogh: Founder/CEO, Linc
- Franziska Iseli: Founder, Basic Bananas
- Gautam Mishra: Founder / CEO, inkl
- Gawin Fernando: Co-Founder, CreativeCubes.Co
- George Hedon: Founder & CEO, Pause Fest
- Greg Campbell: entrepreneur, former Ops Director, information security specialist, Current Head of InfoSec and Compliance
- Harshu Deshpande: Start-up & Scale-up Advisor, Google
- Hendrik Remigereau: Venture Partner, NZVC
- Hugh Treseder: Founder, Floatspace
- Jack Qi: Director, William Buck
- Jakomi Mathews: CEO, goto.health
- James Moody: CEO, Sendle
- Jane Cockburn: CEO and Founder, Kairos Now
- Jeeva Suresh: Founder & CEO, Helix
- Jeremy Chetty: Co-founder, Student Edge
- Jo Ucukalo: CEO, Handle My Complaint
- Jo Ann Suchard: Angel investor, Sydney Angels
- Joanne Jacobs: Co-CEO, Disruptor's Handbook
- Jonathon Wilkinson: Co-founder, Equitise
- Julian Luca: Startups | Investments | Community Building, Previously Fishburners & Innovation Bay
- Kate Ringvall: Co-Founder, Galactic Cooperative
- Katherine Gokavi Whaley: Founder, SheLeads Coaching
- Kenny Wong, 1in100 Ventures
- Kim McGuinness: Strategic Relationships Director, SBE Australia
- Leila Alem: Chief Innovation Officer, ArcSense
- Libby Roberts: Founder, LeapForward.ai
- Lisa Cotton: Fractional, Advisory and Coaching, Lisa Cotton
- Magdalena Reith: Startup- and Business Consultant, Magdalena Reith Pitch Decks
- Marshall Hughes: Freight Manager, Freight Companies Australia
- Marshall Hughes: Consultant, Freight Companies Australia
- Matt Allen: CEO, Tractor Ventures
- Matthew Browne: Co-Founder @Upflowy upflowy.com, @Donesafe donesafe.com, @Whispli, Investor @Black Nova Group etc
- Maxine Lee: COO & Investment Director, Skalata Ventures
- Michelle Gilmore: CEO, heyjuno.co
- Mitchell Pham: Chairperson, NZTech
- Naily Makangu: Founder & Director, Athena Leaders
- Natalie Nguyen: Founder, Hyper Anna
- Neil Smith DUPLICATE PROFILE: CTO, Simple KYC
- Neil Smith: CTO, Simple KYC
- Oliver Ranck: Co-Founder | CMO | Exec Director, Future Neutral | MYSALE | Octomedia
- Paul Wenck: Chair, Co-Founder Checkbox
- Paul Krajewski: Product Management professional, Co-Director Founder Institute Australia+NZ
- Paul Grimes: CTO & Founder, OK200
- Paula Taylor: Executive Director and Co-Founder, West Tech Fest
- Pavel Reddy: Former Managing Director, Clearpoint Ventures Pty Ltd (Formerly)
- Pete Cooper: Founder, The Start Society
- Pete Cooper: Former CIO, KBZ Bank
- Peter Van Bruchem: Co-Founder, Techboard
- Peter Browne: Owner, Intangible Communications
- Peter Mc William: Fractional CFO, Former CFO, jayride.com
- Prashant Gami: CEO & Founder, x•enabler
- Rachel White: CFO, Part time CFO / fractional CFO
- Rajeev Gupta: Managing Partner, Alium Capital
- Rayn Ong: Director, Ong Heng Investments
- Rebecca Dooley: Partner, Addisons
- Reheen Guin: CEO and Co-Founder, Finoya.ai
- Richard Dale: Committee Member, Sydney Angels Inc.
- Ritesh Garg: Country Head, Urban Home Experts Pty Ltd
- Roger Do: CEO, Co-Founder, Watchdog Cyber Defense
- Romain Bonjean: Founder, CEO, RoseRx
- Roman Kovalenko: Chief Data Officer, Reserve Bank of Australia
- Romane Delvallee: Venture Capital, Gandel Invest
- Ron Hill: Managing Director, sunramp.co
- Ruben Martin: Co-Founder, GraniteStack
- Ryan Cross: Manager for Prototyping, AWS, ANZ & APAC
- Sam Richards: Managing Director, Brightlight Impact Advisory
- Sameer Babbar: Director, SVB Group
- Sameer Karulkar: Founder and Partner, Coverpage Ventures Advisory LLP
- Sandrina Postorino: Committee Member, Sydney Angels Inc.
- Scott Crowe: Lead Recruiter, Canva
- Scott Glew: Organizer, Morning Startup Perth
- Scott Dommett: Former Investor, Rampersand
- Sean Geoghegan: Cofounder and former-CTO, Sendle, Tech and People Leader, Iconoclast.
- Simon Litchfield: CTO, and serial Founder
- Simone Joyce: CEO/Founder, Paypa Plane
- Sorrel Kesby: Head of Global Commercial Operations, GumGum
- Srikanth Muthyala: Investor, Melbourne Angels
- Stefan Korn: General Manager, Callaghan Innovation
- Stella Xu: Founder, Lucky Lock
- Stuart Reynolds: CEO & Founder, Fullstack Advisory
- Tal Rotbart: Former Chief Technology Officer, Marketplacer (until Oct-‘23)
- Tim Silverwood: Co-Founder, Ocean Impact Organisation
- Timo Kugler: Co-Founder, NASH + BANKS
- Tom Dawkins: Founder/CEO, StartSomeGood
- Tomaj Bayat: previous founder & previously Growth, beforepay.com.au
- Tony Sinclair: Director of Venture Debt, Cataliize
- Vanessa Ronan Pearce: Head of Growth, Wych Money
- Vanessa Mouledous: Brand-built Growth Expert, Mentor, Advisor to startups, North
- Vern Chan: Certified Startup Coach, Your Pivot
- Will Davies: CEO, Car Next Door
- Will Ericksson: Director, Trainer/Mentor, Momentum Academy / Momentumgroup.tech
- William Wang: Exited Founder/CEO, Scale Tribe
- William Mc Cahey: Partner, Think & Grow, and Growth Advisor
- Yash Varma: Founder & General Partner, Empress Capital
- And many more to be announced.
Help bring the Founder Institute to Melbourne and fill out an Interest Form today.
About The Founder Institute
The Founder Institute (www.FI.co) is the world’s largest entrepreneur training and startup launch program, helping aspiring founders across the globe build enduring technology companies. In the Founder Institute's four-month, part-time program, promising startup entrepreneurs “learn by doing” and launch a company through structured training courses, practical business-building assignments, and expert feedback from a large network of business mentors. Plus, aspiring founders are not required to quit their day job to participate, so they can begin building a business around their ideas without putting their livelihood at risk.
Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200 cities and 100 countries, the Founder Institute has helped launch over 8,100 companies, which have created over 30,000 new jobs. The company's mission is to “Globalize Silicon Valley” and create sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.
The Founder Institute was founded in 2009 by serial entrepreneur Adeo Ressi.
