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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 Pittsburgh's top investors and entrepreneurs, then apply to the Pittsburgh 2023 Founder Institute today.

We will be hosting several free startup events in Pittsburgh over the coming weeks, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs all from the comfort of home:

  • How to Acquire Your First Customers with Actionable SEO Strategies : 1:00pm, Apr 24, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343623
  • Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
  • What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 1:00pm, Apr 29, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343627
  • Co-Founders Connect: Find a Business Partner Online: 8:00pm, May 01, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343634
  • How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas (Interactive Online Event): 1:00pm, May 08, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343645
  • How to Build a Fundable Start-up Brand: 1:00pm, May 20, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343652
  • Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 8:00pm, May 22, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343846
  • How to Quickly Establish Safe, Reliable, and Compliant AI Startups: 1:00pm, May 29, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343855
  • What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 1:00pm, Jun 03, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343467
  • Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with a Venture Capitalist: 8:00pm, Jun 05, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343863
  • Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 1:00pm, Jun 12, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343660
  • How to Turn your Value Proposition into a Product Market Fit: 1:00pm, Jun 24, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343673
  • What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 8:00pm, Jul 22, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343977
  • How to Build a Personal Brand: The Startup Founders Guide to Thought Leadership: 1:00pm, Jul 24, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343159
  • What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 1:00pm, Aug 12, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/344128
  • How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 1:00pm, Sep 23, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343572
  • Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder : 1:00pm, Nov 04, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343358

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 Pittsburgh accelerator is led by some of the region's top startup leaders, including Bill Rivkin (Business Banking Virtual Relationship Manager VP, Citizens), Don Samoil (Chapter Leader, FI Keystone), Juan Lacey (C, C), Manush Saydmohammed, Pitt Admin. In addition, some of Pittsburgh's top entrepreneurs will be participating as mentors in the program, including:

  • Albert Whale: Founder & CEO, IT Security Solutions
  • Albert Lam: Partner, Dorm Room Fund
  • Beth Slagle: Attorney, Meyer, Unkovic & Scott LLP
  • Bill Jackson: Co-founder and CEO, Sinovia Technologies
  • Chris Rasmussen: CEO, Gajjitz, Inc.
  • Greg Coticchia: CEO, Sopheon
  • Ilana Diamond: Managing Partner, 412 Venture Fund
  • Jennifer Sydeski Hurd: CEO, Connect Wolf
  • Jim Gibbs: Co-Founder and CEO, Meter Feeder, Inc.
  • Jim Jordan: CEO, StraTactic, Inc.
  • Kevin Dowling: CEO, Kaarta
  • Kevin Israel: Partner, Meyer, Unkovic & Scott LLP
  • Kit Needham: Director and Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Project Olympus, Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship, Carnegie Mellon University
  • Lauren Townsend: Co-Founder, Millie's Ice Cream
  • Mark DeSantis: CEO, Bloomfield
  • Martina Truche: Healthcare Innovator , Space Medicine Enthusiast
  • Mike Bauer: Chief Products OfficerChief Products Officer, Sopheon
  • Nathan Mancine: FI Mentor, Hospital IQ
  • Nicholas Kuhn: CEO, Setex Technologies
  • Rachel Reid, Subtl Beauty
  • Randy Eager: CEO and Co-Founder, SilisiumTech Inc.
  • Rich Lunak: President & CEO, Innovation Works
  • Robert Young: Director of Partnerships, Black Tech Nation
  • Zach Malone: Partner, Magarac Venture Partners

  • And many more to be announced.

Since 2009, Founder Institute’s highly-structured accelerator programs have helped over 7,000 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.

The results speak for themselves: FI Alumni have raised over $1.75BN in funding, and are building impactful businesses across 200+ cities and 100+ countries all across the globe. (see the FI 50 Report here).

Join us in Pittsburgh to get funded and build a global business. 

Apply to the Pittsburgh 2023 Founder Institute today, or learn more at FI.co/overview.  

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