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 7,500 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;
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 12:00pm, Nov 26, 2024 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/356620
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- How to Build a Product-Driven Go-to-Market Strategy : 5:00am, Nov 27, 2024 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/359890
- Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Jacob Jackson: 5:00am, Nov 28, 2024 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/356627
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 5:00am, Dec 03, 2024 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/356633
- What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 5:00am, Dec 05, 2024 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/356639
- Venture Trailblazers, featuring Ilya A. Strebulaev from Stanford: 4:00am, Dec 06, 2024 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/361216
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 5:00am, Dec 10, 2024 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/356645
- Enterprise Sales 101 for Startup Founders: Closing Big Deals: 5:00am, Dec 12, 2024 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/358524
- Get Feedback on Your MVP from Product Experts & Find Early Users: 5:00am, Dec 17, 2024 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/356651
- Pitch Your Startup to Melbourne NoCode/AI Mentors & Experts, Online: 6:00pm, Dec 17, 2024 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/361745
- Founder Showcase: Startup Pitch & Networking Event: 5:00am, Dec 19, 2024 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/356657
- Startup Funding AMA & Founder Institute Info Session, with Jonathan Greechan (CEO, Founder Institute): 5:00am, Dec 31, 2024 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/360269
- Startup Funding AMA & Founder Institute Info Session, with Jonathan Greechan (CEO, Founder Institute): 12:00pm, Jan 03, 2025 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/360310
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Technical Co-Founder: 5:00am, Jan 09, 2025 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/361651
- Startup to Scale-Up: Mastering Sales & Branding with Mark Kosoglow: 5:00am, Jan 14, 2025 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/361340
- What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 12:00pm, Jan 23, 2025 (Australia/Melbourne): https://FI.co/e/361818
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, 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
- Allan Lalic: Co-founder, Kebloom
- Amit Verma: Senior Manager, Listings, ASX
- Anna Cheng: Head of Growth Marketing, Turo Australia. Ex HealthMatch Ex Brighte Ex Spaceship
- Anne Marie Elias: chief disrupter, Founder, PrimeLife Partners, innovating longevity & care
- Annie Le Cavalier: Venture Partner, FI and Former GM & Community, Stone & Chalk
- 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
- Caroline Lepron: CEO & Founder, Skoutli
- Cheryl Mack: CEO & Founder, Aussieangels.com + Activator at SheEO™
- Chris Clark: Co-Founder & CEO of BEERLOVE
- Chris Clark: Chris Clark, GeoSnapShot / Balesk / Pavilion Drinks
- Chris Braine: Founder, Cellr
- Christopher Krainer: Director of Hardware Engineering at Zoomo, & co-founder at rk-collective.com
- Damien Messina: Manager, Impact Angel Network
- Dane Eldridge: CEO, 4mation Technologies
- Daniel Lohrmann: Managing Director, ikaros
- Darsel Keane: Director, University of Auckland
- David Kenney: Director, Start Growth Pty Limited
- 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: CTO & Investor, virtualintegrity.com.au
- Dylan Mc Donnell: CEO, Foodini
- Eitan Bienstock: Managing Director, Techbench Capital
- Elizabeth Kaelin: MSc, RDN & Finance Lecturer, UTS Business School
- Eran Ben Shahar: Tech Advisor, KeyQC - AI & Quantum Computing Powerhub
- 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
- Jack Qi: Director, William Buck
- James Moody: CEO, Sendle
- Jane Cockburn: CEO and Founder, Kairos Now
- Jeeva Suresh: Founder & CEO, Helix
- Jeff Perlman: Founder, Revenue Ninja (revenue.ninja)
- Jeremy Chetty: Co-founder, Student Edge
- Jo Ucukalo: CEO, Handle My Complaint
- Jo Ann Suchard: A/Prof, Sydney Angels & University of New South Wales
- Joanne Jacobs: Co-CEO, Disruptor's Handbook
- Kate Ringvall: Co-Founder, Galactic Cooperative
- Kim McGuinness: Strategic Relationships Director, SBE Australia
- Leila Alem: Chief Design and Innovation and Adj Professor, ArcSense
- Liam Darmody: Fractional Product Leader, Advisor & Coach, liamdarmody.com
- 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
- Neil Smith: CTO, Simple KYC
- Nhat Nguyen: CEO, Otrafy
- 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
- Pete Horsley: Founder, Remarkable Tech
- Peter Van Bruchem: Co-Founder, Techboard
- Peter Browne: Owner, Intangible Communications
- 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: Director & Co-Founder, Digital Crew and PandaMetrics
- Richard Dale: Committee Member, Sydney Angels Inc.
- Roger Do: Co-Founder, QSearch
- Roman Kovalenko: Chief Data Officer, Reserve Bank of Australia
- Ron Hill: Managing Director, sunramp.co
- Ryan Cross: Manager for Prototyping, AWS, ANZ & APAC
- Sam Richards: Managing Director, Brightlight Impact Advisory
- Sameer Babbar: Director, SVB Group
- Sandrina Postorino: Committee Member, Sydney Angels Inc.
- Scott Crowe: Lead Recruiter, Canva
- Scott Glew: Organizer, Morning Startup Perth
- 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
- 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: Growth, beforepay.com.au
- Tony Sinclair: Director of Venture Debt, Cataliize
- Vanessa Ronan Pearce: Head of Growth, Wych Money
- Vern Chan: Certified Startup Coach, Your Pivot
- Will Ericksson: Director, Trainer/Mentor, Momentum Academy / Momentumgroup.tech
- William Mc Cahey: Partner, Think & Grow, and Growth Advisor
- 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 7,500 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.
