Applications Now Open for the Lisbon Founder Institute

The Founder Institute, the world's largest startup accelerator, is now accepting applications for the Portugal 2025 Semester. 

If you could benefit from expert training and advice to launch a technology startup in Lisbon, click here to apply today. 

Those who apply by the Early Admissions Deadline (jun 22, 2025) will have their application fees waived (typically $50) and are eligible for Founder Institute Fellowships. 

In the Founder Institute's four-month, part-time program, promising startup entrepreneurs “learn by doing” and launch a company through structured training courses and expert feedback from a large network of business mentors. Plus, you are not required to quit you day job to participate, so you can begin building a business around your ideas without putting your livelihood at risk.

In order to celebrate the launch, the Lisbon Founder Institute will host a “Pre-Curriculum” of free startup events for the general public: 

Portugal Events:

• Startup Funding in Portugal, featuring Plug and Play, Antler & PV: 6:30pm, abr 29, 2025 (Europe/Lisbon): https://FI.co/e/364157

Global or Regional Events:

• Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
• How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 1:00am, abr 29, 2025 (Europe/Lisbon): https://FI.co/e/366684
• Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 1:00am, mai 06, 2025 (Europe/Lisbon): https://FI.co/e/370028
• What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 1:00am, mai 08, 2025 (Europe/Lisbon): https://FI.co/e/366648
• Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Nathan Beckord: 6:00pm, mai 12, 2025 (Europe/Lisbon): https://FI.co/e/366460
• Future-proofing CPG Brands: Key Strategies for Sustainable Growth: 3:00pm, mai 15, 2025 (Europe/Lisbon): https://FI.co/e/371027
• Launching and Scaling Startups in Europe: Insights from FI Founders: 6:00pm, mai 19, 2025 (Europe/Lisbon): https://FI.co/e/368389
• Lessons Learned Raising from Top Silicon Valley VCs: AMA with Rajeev Behera: 5:00pm, mai 29, 2025 (Europe/Lisbon): https://FI.co/e/371270
• How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 6:00pm, jun 02, 2025 (Europe/Lisbon): https://FI.co/e/370623
• How to Build Your MVP Using Artificial Intelligence : 6:00pm, jun 04, 2025 (Europe/Lisbon): https://FI.co/e/371391
• Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 1:00am, jun 10, 2025 (Europe/Lisbon): https://FI.co/e/370802
• Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 6:00pm, jul 07, 2025 (Europe/Lisbon): https://FI.co/e/370384

• See all upcoming events

Leading the Founder Institute's efforts in Lisbon are led by Carlos DaSilva, a successful entrepreneur who has taught at the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California, and Jose Soares, a successful local technology entrepreneur. 

Other successful entrepreneurs who have signed on to mentor founders in the program include:

• Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO PLATFORM
• Alex Santos: Founder and General Partner, Chamaeleon
• Alexandre Veiga: Strategic Innovation Partner, Elephant Ventures LLC
• Alexandre Bezerra: CEO & Founder, Amachains
• Alexandre Uehara: Palestrante e Conselheiro de Inovação Corporativa | Top 3 e Top10 mentor do Ano Startup Awards 2022/23//24, Innov8
• Alexandre Augusto Mosquim: Gerente de Inovação, Hospital Albert Einstein
• Aline Catiusce: COO, Softsul Sistemas
• Alisson Mendonça: CEO & Founder, FAARO
• Altair Emboava de Araujo: Gestor, Hitt - Hub de Inovação Tecnológico de Taubaté
• Amanda Martins: Founder, ciclou
• Ana Julia Ferreira: Project Management Officer (PMO), Radix Investimentos
• Ana Paula Zamper: Director, Leading Digital Reinvention program, Saint Paul School
• Ana Paula Vitelli: President and Chairwoman of the Board, British Chamber of Commerce in Brazil
• Ana Teresa Maia: CEO, expressTEC
• ANDRE TCHERNOBILSKY: Board member, Founder, CEO, Innovation and Impact Projects
• André Costenaro: Head Of Digital & Innovation , Louis Dreyfus Company
• André Forte: Head of Business Development for the Arts, UPTEC
• André Flórido: VC, Antler
• Andrea Monti: Managing Director Impact and Sustainability, Founder Institute
• Andrea Cerqueira: Sales, Marketing and Customer Success Director, Motivart
• Anshul Punhani: Fractional CMO, Subjektiv
• António Santos: Founder, Windcredible
• Augusto Terra, Food Venture Hub
• Bernando Tavares: CTO, Granter.ai
• Bruna Marchi: CEO & Founder, Descomplicando o Inglês Jurídico
• Bruna Losada: Vice-Diretora-Geral | Deputy Dean & COO, Saint Paul Escola de Negócios
• Bruno Okamoto: Founder, EUNERD
• Bruno Avillez: Partner, Adsum Business Consultoria
• Caetano Maffra: Co Founder, Cuia Tech
• Carla De Calvo Dantas: CLV Founder and Lawyer, CLV Advogados
• Carlos Nogueira: Head of Sales, Donnelley Financial Solutions (DFIN)
• Carmine Masiello: Entrepreneur and Angel Investor
• Carolin Wais: Partner, Plug and Play Ventures
• Carolina Amorim: Ex-Founder , Emotai
• CAROLINE FARIA: Sustainability Specialist, Schneider Electric
• Cesar Thomé: CFO, Levitar
• Cesar Tureta: Founder, iLTDA (Creativity Unltd)
• Cintia Mano: CEO, COREANGELS
• Claudio Las Casas Alelaf: CEO, Argenprom Brasil
• Claudio Colucci: Managing Director, FocusMarket R C M
• Clovis Castelo Junior: Head of Research /Member of the Board /Lecturer, FATEC USA / ClienteSA
• Cristina Santos: Comunicação e Gestão do Conhecimento de TI, Braskem
• Daniel Dinelli
• Daniela Motta: Co-Founder, Clinica Motta & Almeida
• Daniela Simão: Audit Committee Member, BANCO NACIONAL DE ANGOLA
• Denise Pereira: CEO, Denise Curi, Phd
• Diego Perez: Legal, Compliance & Co-Founder, StartMeUp Crowdfunding
• Don Samoil: Managing Partner, Trusted Scale
• Eder Campos: Mentor e Investidor Anjo | CX | Modelo de negócios | Cultura, FDC - Fundação Dom Cabral
• Eduardo Iwai: CPO - Investor, Alice Education
• Eduardo Martucci: Product Owner, Exactaworks · Full-time
• Eduardo Mendes: Senior Sales Executive - Financial Services , SAS
• Elcio Morelli: Founder, Health Angels Br
• Eliana Miadaira: CEO & Founder, Portal do Sorriso
• Elisa Tarzia: Co-Founder & Vice President of the Board of Directors, 351 Portuguese Startup Association
• Emily Coelho: Head da Jornada do Empreendedor , SMU Investimentos
• Erica Fridman Stul: Managing Partner, Sororité
• Fabiano Porto: Executive Director, Global Regeneration Institute
• Fabiano Rangel: Head : Organizational and Institutional Development , Leão Alimentos e Bebidas
• Fabio D´Novaes: Co-Founder e CEO, Born Global Partner
• Fabio Frazão: Founder and Director, Mexeri.ca
• FABIO TOMAZ: COO, ENERGY REVIEW
• Fábio Póvoa: Managing Director, Smart Money Ventures
• Fábio De Faria: Advogado, N Partners
• Fahima Farahi: Co-Founder & CEO, WiseWorld.ai
• Felipe Wasserman: PARTNER , BABUXCA
• Felipe Giannetti: Managing Partner, StartSe
• Fernando Zago: CEO, Grupo Zago: Banco Afro ; IVUUP ; Levee ; ÉSSE ; Zago Consultoria, Engenharia e Meio Ambiente
• Fernando Jardim: President, 351 Portuguese Startup Association
• Filipa Carvalho, AGPC
• Flavio Galvão: CEO & Founder, ECP Ambiental / StayEasy / Canal Poluição
• Franco Torres: Associate, Brunel Partners
• Franklin Kamnang Ngansop: Cofounder , Vitamin C&S Coaching
• Franklin Ribeiro: Head Startup Ecosystem, Investe Sao Paulo
• Gabriela Marques Teixeira: Head of Digital Solutions, Stefanini
• Gil Belford: Director, Corporate and Business Development, City Storage Systems
• Giovanna Claro: Founder & General manager, eHeadset
• Gonçalo Consiglieri: COO & Co-Founder, Visor.ai
• Guilherme Cabral: Founder/CEO, Vacalabs
• Guilherme Terrengui: Founder, Sumsub
• Gustavo Maierá: BizDev, mesttra
• Gustavo Bakai: CEO, Voit
• Henrique Macedo: Socio/Partner, GAAP Auditores & Consultores
• Henry Suzuky: CEO & Founder, Axonal Consultoria Tecnológica
• In Hsieh: Empreendedor especialista em Ecommerce
• Isaque Gabriel Da Silva: Co-founder e CLO , ENERGY REVIEW
• Janet Todorova: Head of Expansion, Founder Institute
• Joana Pinto: CEO & Co-Founder, Clynx Health
• João Cerqueira: Co-Founder and CEO, 4H Knowledge Management
• João Nunes Rosado: Head of Portfolio, Unicorn Factory Lisboa
• João Afonso: Startup Founder and Head of Business Development - CCI, UPTEC
• João Gabriel Chebante: Consultor, Sucellos
• Jonathan Alba
• Jorge Azevedo: Angel Investor and Author, Como nasce uma startup
• Jose Maria Rodríguez Perez: CEO & Founder, CINN
• Junior Borneli: CEO e Fundador da StartSe, StartSe
• Lais Fonseca Alves: Founder & CEO , Precavida
• Laura Gurgel: Founder, Clube de Negócios
• Laurent Serafini: CEO
• Leo Gmeiner: Program Director, Founder Institute Brasil
• Licinio Januario: Co-Founder, WOLO TV
• Lilian Natal: Head of Communication, DISTRITO
• Lilian Natal: Co-founder
• Lucas De Lima Neto: Executive Diretcor MME & ESG / Partner, Empírica
• Lucas Galvanini: Co-Founder & Sales Director, KnowCode
• Lucas Oliveira: Portfolio Manager, COREangels Atlantic
• Luis Valente: CEO and Co-Founder, iLoF
• Luis Felipe Adaime: CEO & Founder, Moss.Earth
• Luiz Fernando Silva: Especialista em Gestão Estratégica, Ltrainning Planejando Ideias e Negócios
• Lurdes Gramaxo: Partner, Bynd Venture Capital
• Marcelo Costa: Owner, Founder, Valoração Consultoria
• Marcelo Vivacqua: Founder and CEO, Associação Brasil Internacional de Inventores, Cientistas e Empreendedores Inovadores - ABIPIR
• Marcelo Bella: C-Level, Mentor e Investidor Anjo, Picpay
• Marcelo Lebre: President, Remote
• Marcio Mendes: CEO & Founder, Marketing Sustentável
• Marco De Biasi: Startups Investor & Advisor /Program Director, FI/LGA /LAAS
• Marcos Cacalis: Head of Innovation and Optimization, Kashimir Consultoria e Gestão Empresarial
• Marcos Avila: CEO & Founder, THERA CONSULTING
• Marcus Maida: socio, PMM
• Mariana Guarini: Membro do Conselho de Administração , MAM - Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo
• Mario Rodrigues: CEO , IBNVendas
• Maurizio Calcopietro: Managing Partner, Core Angels Atlantic
• Mayra Castro: Ambassador, Seedstars
• Miguel Amador: Chief Innovation Officer, Complear
• Miguel Alves Ribeiro: Founder and CEO, sheerME
• Monica Lobenschuss: CEO, Vendas Exponenciais
• Nando Gaspar: CEO, Conexão Empreendedora
• Nara Iachan: CMO, Cuponeria
• Neusa Andrade: CEO & Founder, Indiip- Intelligent Drug Information and knowledge Integration Platform LLC
• Nima Kaz: Co Founder, JUPTER & Director, Founder Institute Brazil
• Nuno Fernandes: Co-Founder and CEO, Dig-IN
• Nuno Madeira do Ó: Managing Director, Sciencehouse Consultancy
• Odete Afonso Duarte: Corporate Communication Branding , ESG Executive, Consultant
• Otávio César Cafundo De Moraes: CEO , Brasil Diverso
• Paloma Lecheta: Regional Director - LatAm, Founder Institute
• Pâmela Ponce: CEO, IAPRENDI & ELA S/A
• Pâmela Ponce: Founder e CEO, IAPRENDI
• Patricia Lacerda: CEO & Founder, FOL Solutions
• Paula Machado: CEO & Founder, Meister Safe System
• Paulo Faria: CEO & Founder, OTSE
• Pedro Henriques: Founder and CEO, BRIDGE IN
• Pedro Almeida: Venture Capital Investor, Armilar
• Pedro Rocha: Founder and CEO, Sagescan
• Pedro Grilo: Investment Manager, Portugal Ventures
• Rafael Sampaio: CEO Brasil, NovaRed
• Rafael Campos: VC Portfolio Manager, VOX Capital
• Raquel Molina: CEO, Futuriste Tecnologias Inovadoras
• Reinaldo Azevedo: CEO, ENERGY REVIEW
• Renan Basso: CTO | Digital Strategist | Startup Builder, MB LABS
• Renata Bonaldi: CEO & Founder, Sleep Up
• Renata Tomazeli: CEO & Founder, Youfeel
• Renata Marques: CIO Latin America, Natura &Co
• Renato Simon: Managing Partner, LAAS Latin American Angels Society
• Renato Alckmin Lombardi: CEO , REAL INTELLIGENCE Consultoria e Gestão Empresarial
• Ricardo Oliani: Director, Counselor e Co Founder, ABRAPS - Associação Brasileira dos Profissionais pelo Desenvolvimento Sustentável
• Ricardo Abiz: CEO & Founder, Sppock | polo di innovazione
• Rodrigo Huback De Azevedo: Founder/CEO, ISBrasil e IBND
• Rodrigo Oliveira: CRO, StayApp
• Rodrigo Oliveira: CEO e Diretor de Estratégias, Plástico Virtual, Blob e Álamo Inteligência Comercial
• Rodrigo Bombonati S. Moraes: Deputy Director, Samambaia Technological Park - PTS-UFG
• Rodrigo Saad Rodrigues: CEO & Founder, Monitoragua
• Rodrigo Grossi: Co-founder Startups Global LInk, Partner and COO, Dynadok
• Rogerio Augusto Cortes: CEO, Catalisar
• Rui Gouveia: CEO, Build Up Labs
• Sara Gonçalves: Founder & CEO, Actif
• Sean Tierney: Founder, Problemattic
• Sedef Sahin: Founders’ Mentor | Unlocking Leadership & Growth, Talent Based Co.
• Semi Kim: Sr. Fintech Business Development Manager, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Sergio Escobar: CEO & Partner, BCF Ventures, Managing Director, Lalotte Ventures
• Sergio Emanuel Cusmai: CEO and Founder, AIpha-G
• Simone De Carvalho Soares: Founder & Executive Director, Simone Soares Comunicação e Sustentabilidade
• Tais Scaroni: Especialista em Inovação Aberta, Cogna
• Thiago Pereira: Founder, Advisor BPO
• Thiago Garcia: CEO & General Partner, 10X Partners
• Tiago Silva: CTO, Closum
• Tijana Momirov: Startup Consultant - Product Management, StartupSetup
• Tim Ward: Founder & Lead Growth Hacker, Do and Grow- Growth Hacker Marketing
• Tomás Penaguião: Partner, Bynd Venture Capital
• Vando Ribeiro: CEO, Grupo 2MI
• Vanessa Abrahão: Head of Customer Success , Groove Marketing de Incentivo
• Victor Lugli: Managing Partner, Lugli Group
• Wilian Silva Vieira: CEO , Pitaco Criativo

• And many more to be announced.

In only 15 years of operation, over 7,500 graduate companies across 200 cities have used the Founder Institute to validate their idea, develop their plans, refine their product, build an advisory board, prepare for seed funding, and more.