Founder First, Founder Always. Join us in 2022: Founder Institute is the #1 place in the world to turn ideas into fundable startups, and startups into global businesses.
Today’s economic 'New Normal' is full of reshuffling industries, and new problems in need of solutions - now is a time for entrepreneurs to act.
Whether you need to test and validate early hypotheses before making a large financial commitment to your startup idea, or you are ready to push your startup to the next level through aggressive weekly growth sprints to refine your vision, improve key metrics, and prepare for investor diligence, Founder Institute has the proven processes and network to help you do it.
If you could use a structured process that tells you what to focus on when, and a lifetime of support from Rome's top investors and entrepreneurs, then apply to the Italy Virtual 2022 Founder Institute today.
We will be hosting several free startup events in Rome over the coming weeks, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs all from the comfort of home:
- Founder’s Guide to AI: Using Agentic Workflows to Automate Repetitive Tasks: 7:00pm, Jul 23, 2025 (Europe/Rome): https://FI.co/e/376383
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- Best Practices on Building Innovation Hubs for Universities & Colleges: 7:00pm, Jul 24, 2025 (Europe/Rome): https://FI.co/e/376413
- Responsible AI for Startups: Frameworks You Can Apply from Day One: 7:00pm, Jul 28, 2025 (Europe/Rome): https://FI.co/e/376409
- How to Identify the Right Mentors to Help Your Entrepreneurial Journey: 6:00pm, Jul 29, 2025 (Europe/Rome): https://FI.co/e/376765
- Meet the FI Alumni Scaling Startups in Europe: 7:00pm, Aug 04, 2025 (Europe/Rome): https://FI.co/e/376732
- Entrepreneurship Education: Lessons from Startup Accelerators: 7:00pm, Aug 07, 2025 (Europe/Rome): https://FI.co/e/376404
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 7:00pm, Aug 11, 2025 (Europe/Rome): https://FI.co/e/376399
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 7:00pm, Aug 18, 2025 (Europe/Rome): https://FI.co/e/376395
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 7:00pm, Aug 25, 2025 (Europe/Rome): https://FI.co/e/376391
- Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Rich Maloy: 2:00am, Sep 09, 2025 (Europe/Rome): https://FI.co/e/376687
- How to Get Investors to Notice Your Startup: AMA with Marta Marrucco: 7:00pm, Sep 17, 2025 (Europe/Rome): https://FI.co/e/376387
Make better, faster business decisions in 2022 by sharing your latest progress, challenges, and strategies for constant feedback and evaluation from our expert mentors and advisors, every step of the way–scale your team, develop new business opportunities, and recruit an amazing advisory board with the world's largest network of international startup founders, CEOs, advisors, and investors.
The Rome accelerator is led by some of the region's top startup leaders, including Andrea Solimene, Francesco Fullone, and Rosbeh Thomas Zakikhani. In addition, some of Italy's top entrepreneurs will be participating as mentors in the program, including:
- Alberto Martellini: Innovation Partner (acting as FI Local Leader), Funder Advisor
- Alberto Lombardi, Energy Expert | Sustainability Passionate | Angel Investor | Start up Advisor
- Alessandro Cillario: Co-Founder, Cubbit
- Alessandro Zanchetton, Ciao Elsa
- Alessandro Gaini: Founder, Buongiorno San Paolo
- Alexandra Fattal: Venture Partner, Loyal VC
- Andrea Arienti: CEO & Founder, 3dnextech
- Anna Gaile: Co-Founder , Edudoro.eu & zlotynauczyciel.pl
- Antonello Schiavo: EMEA Delivery Manager, Google
- Antonia Verna: Partner, PORTOLANO CAVALLO
- Bruno Reggiani: Coo - co-founder, Tot.
- Camilla Bellotti: Leadership Consultant
- Camilla Barlocco: Founder, UBI Consulting
- Chris Foltz: Global Entrepreneur-In-Residence, Founder Institute
- Duygu Sefa: Co-Founder, Babonbo
- Edoardo Volta: SVP Partnerships & Business Development, Curve
- Emanuele Torlonia: Managing Director, Italian Angels for Growth
- Enrico Frascati: Freelancer, Digitalvibe
- Fabio Costa: Founder, SecurityCert
- Fabrizio Spaolonzi: Co-founder, Buongiorno San Paolo
- Francesco Gia: Accelerator Associate, IMPACT HUB MILANO
- Giacomo Poggiali: Product Advisor, 500 Global
- Giancarlo Vergine: Founder & Managing Partner, Over Ventures
- Giorgio Seveso: Co-Founder, Tundr
- Irene Verheijen, FI Amsterdam
- Ivelin Ivanov: Venture Advisor, Founder Institute
- Jeffrey Paine: Founding Partner, Golden Gate Ventures, Singapore
- Lorenzo Giampaolo Arrigoni: Associate, PORTOLANO CAVALLO
- Luigi Cito: Independent Consultant, tba
- Marco De Biasi: Startups Investor & Advisor /Program Director, FI/LGA /LAAS
- Marta Marrucco: Owner, Smart Founder
- Massimiliano Squillace: Founder, Contents.com
- Massimo Schiavi, FI Milan
- Mauro Baldoni: Chief Information Officer, BonelliErede
- Michele Mattei: Investor, Fintech expert, Manager, Qwist
- Mohammed Kashif: Senior Quality Assurance Automation Engineer, Department of Motor Vehicles
- Natalia Iudina: Co-founder & COO, Zlotynauczyciel.pl, Edudoro.eu
- Pier Paolo Mucelli: Entrepreneur, TechItalia Lab
- Pietro Braguglia, Beaversity Consulting
- Rajel Khambhaita: Financial and Investment Advisor, Funder Advisor
- Roberto Montandon: Partner, Step Venture
- Russ Lewis: Digital transformation & Investor, Agile transformation services and solutions
- Serdar Yucel: Director Sales, Marketing and Strategy, TUBITAK
- Simone Dozza: CRO, Kiratech
- Sush Bapna: General Partner, AIDGE Ventures
- Varun Jain: Senior Product Manager, The Startup Doctor
- Victor Schiller: President, R Cubed Group
- Vladimir Pletyukhin: Founder and Creative Director, Launch Deck
- And many more to be announced.
Since 2009, Founder Institute’s highly-structured accelerator programs have helped over 7,800 entrepreneurs to grow quickly, know what to do next, and make key connections through the largest community of startup advisors in the world.
It all starts with our renowned ‘FI Core’ accelerator, which pushes founders at the idea and pre-seed stages to reach the milestones needed for investment and sustained growth. Alumni of FI Core then receive free access to our advanced ‘Founder Lab’ accelerators for years to come, and can get matched with prospective investors in the FI Venture Network - a collection of global funds actively investing in the earliest rounds of funding.
Join us in Rome to get funded and build a global business.
Apply to the Italy Virtual 2022 Founder Institute today, or learn more at FI.co/overview.
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