Build the Future: Applications Now Open to Founder Institute Pittsburgh 2023

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:

Pittsburgh Events:

Startup Holiday Mixer: Meet the FI Pittsburgh Network (In-Person): 6:00pm, Dec 12, 2023 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/331230
TheDevShop Startup Pitch Competition: Pitch to Win $2,000 in Prize Money: 6:00pm, Jan 16, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/331545
Meet and Greet and FI AMA with FI Pittsburgh Leaders & Alumni: 6:00pm, Jan 30, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/331232
Pittsburgh Startup Office Hours: Get Business Advice from Experts: 6:00pm, Feb 02, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/332482
[Restricted] Pittsburgh 2024 VIP Launch Mixer (In-Person): 12:00am, Feb 22, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/331094

Global or Regional Events:

Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
Pitch Lounge: Get Feedback on Your 1-Minute Pitch Idea from Startup Experts: 1:00pm, Dec 13, 2023 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/333721
[Restricted] Head Start to Funding Lab Enrollment and Q&A Session (Online Event): 1:00pm, Dec 14, 2023 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/335457
Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with a Venture Capitalist: 1:00pm, Dec 18, 2023 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/333364
Startup Funding AMA & Founder Institute Info Session, with Jonathan Greechan (CEO, Founder Institute): 1:00pm, Dec 20, 2023 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/335626
Startup Funding AMA & Founder Institute Info Session, with Jonathan Greechan (CEO, Founder Institute): 8:00pm, Dec 27, 2023 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/335713
How Do You Find Product-Market Fit for Your Startup: 1:00pm, Jan 08, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/334004
Founder Showcase: Pre-Seed Startup Pitch & Networking Event (Online): 1:00pm, Jan 10, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/333463
How to Secure Your First Investment as a Startup Founder in 2024: 1:00pm, Jan 17, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/334364
Startup Growth Workshop: Essential Elements: 1:00pm, Jan 24, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/334244
Startup Ideation: Finding a Problem That Matters: 1:00pm, Jan 31, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/333911

See all upcoming events

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 David Cerniglia (Software Developer, The Dev Shop), Greg Coticchia (X, X), Juan Lacey, Pitt Admin, Randy Eager (Founder & Managing Partner, ResTec Solutions). In addition, some of Pittsburgh's top entrepreneurs will be participating as mentors in the program, including:

Afshan Khan: EIR, Innovation Works
Akhil Chaturvedi: Machine Learning Engineer, Philips
Alan Martello: President, Blue Lotus LLC
Ann Pierce: CEO, Rabble AI
Atul Bansal: CEO, TimeSys
Beth Slagle: Attorney, Meyer, Unkovic & Scott LLP
Bill Jackson: Co-founder and CEO, Sinovia Technologies
Bob Delach: CFO and Business Consultant, Robert J Delach Business Consulting
Britta Ulm: Senior Project Manager, Robotic Product Support, Smith and Nephew
Catherine Mott: Founder/CEO, BlueTree Venture Fund, BlueTree Allied Angels
Chris Rasmussen: CEO, Gajjitz, Inc.
Claye Greene: CEO, TechBlue, Inc.
Cole Wolfson: Senior Program Manager, AlphaLab Gear
Courtney Williamson: CEO, AbiliLife
Currie Crookston: CEO, ResTec Solutions
Darnell Moses: Principal, Sesom Consulting
David Kalson: Shareholder and Co-Leader, Dentons Venture Technology National Practice Group, Dentons Cohen & Grigsby, P.C
David Wible: CEO, Plan Grind Deliver
Don Morrison: Chairman of Deal Flow, Blue Tree Allied Angels
Eric Boduch: Founder, 24 and Up
Eric Wise: Founder CEO/VP Industrial Solutions, Wise Telemetry/Otodata
Euan Guttridge: Founder, Reinforced Ventures
Fahmy Mechael: Vice President, Global Supply Chain, Pittsburgh Glass Works
Glenn Watson: Commercialization Advisor, LifeX
Greg Coticchia: CEO, Sopheon
Henry Thorne: CTO, 4Moms
Ilana Diamond: Managing Partner, 412 Venture Fund
Ingrid Cook: CEO, SHzoom
Jared Glover: CEO, Capsen Robotics
Jason Jones: Vice President - Community Development
Jeff Schneider: Professor, Machine Learning, Carnegie Mellon University
Jeff Lizik: President/CEO, RedShift
Jennifer Sydeski Hurd: CEO, Connect Wolf
Jim Gibbs: Co-Founder and CEO, Meter Feeder, Inc.
Jim Jordan: CEO, StraTactic, Inc.
Joe Ferrara: CEO, Security Journey
John Riley: Owner, The Richards Group
John Seiffer: CEO, CEO Boot Camp
John Lawton: Principal, LM Resources
John Quayle: Chief of Staff, Four Growers
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
Lillian Rafson: Founder, CEO, Pack Up + Go
Luke Skurman: CEO, Niche
Marc Brown: Principal, ABR Ventures
Marcel Bergerman: Chief Operating Officer, Near Earth Autonomy
Mark Adkins: Founder & President, Smart Hammer Innovation
Mark DeSantis: CEO, Bloomfield
Martina Truche: Healthcare Innovator , Space Medicine Enthusiast
Matt Harbaugh: Managing Director, Mountain State Capital
Meghan Skiff: Founder, MixyMarketing
Michael Schmanske: Managing Partner, AngelMD Capital, AngelMD
Mike Formica: Managing Director Hardware, Innovation Works
Mike Bauer: Chief Products OfficerChief Products Officer, Sopheon
Nathan Mancine: FI Mentor, Hospital IQ
Ned Show: CEO, Chemistry Communications
Nicholas Kuhn: CEO, Setex Technologies
Nicole Zevola Benvenuti: CEO, 1984
Noah Wallach: Founder, Hope OS
Rachel Reid, Subtl Beauty
Randy Eager: CEO and Co-Founder, SilisiumTech Inc.
Rich Lunak: President & CEO, Innovation Works
Richard Longo: Interim Director & Business Consultant, Duquesne University/School of Business Small Business Development Center
Robert Young: Director of Partnerships, Black Tech Nation
Sana Gaspard: CEO, Rubitection
Sarjoun Skaff: Founder and CTO, Bosa Nova Robotics
Scot Mactaggart: Chief Innovation Officer, Dagostino Electronic Services
Sean Ammirati: Partner, Birchmere Labs & Birchmere Ventures
Sreekar Gadde: Managing Partner, BlueTree Venture Capital
Tina Goodman: Senior Corporate Recruiter, Lucas Systems
Tomer Borenstein: Co-founder and CTO, BlastPoint
Zach Malone: Partner, Magarac Venture Partners

And many more to be announced.

Since 2009, Founder Institute’s highly-structured accelerator programs have helped over 6,800 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.

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).