Today, the Founder Institute, the world's premier pre-seed startup accelerator, is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the Waterloo - Toronto Spring 2024 program!
If you could use a structured process and feedback from Waterloo's top entrepreneurs to build a startup, then apply to the Waterloo - Toronto Spring 2024 Founder Institute today.
Founded in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200+ cities worldwide, the Founder Institute provides high-potential entrepreneurs and teams with the critical support network and structured process needed to build an enduring company. Since 2009, the program has helped over 7,000 Graduates raise over $1.75BN funding, get into seed-accelerators, generate traction, recruit a team, build a product, transition from employee to entrepreneur, and more.
To celebrate the launch, the Founder Institute will host several free startup events in Waterloo, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs and hear more about the program:
- Innovation Series: Connecting Corporates & Startups with Open Innovation: 12:00pm, May 09, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/345280
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- How to Build a Fundable Start-up Brand: 1:00pm, May 20, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/338830
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 8:00pm, May 27, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/339423
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 1:00pm, Jun 03, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343491
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 8:00pm, Jun 10, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/339745
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 1:00pm, Jun 17, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/339960
- How to Take a Value Proposition to Finding Product Market Fit: 1:00pm, Jun 24, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/341500
- Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 8:00pm, Jul 01, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/340272
- How to Acquire your First 100 B2C Customers: 1:00pm, Jul 08, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/344468
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 8:00pm, Jul 15, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/341284
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 8:00pm, Jul 22, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343999
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas : 1:00pm, Jul 29, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/341715
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 8:00pm, Aug 05, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/341901
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 1:00pm, Aug 12, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/344146
- Pitch Lounge: Practice Pitching Your Business Idea to Startup Experts : 8:00pm, Aug 19, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/341769
- Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with a Venture Capitalist: 8:00pm, Aug 26, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/341836
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 8:00pm, Aug 28, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/345860
- Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 8:00pm, Sep 02, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343277
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 8:00pm, Sep 09, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/344245
- Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 1:00pm, Sep 16, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/342410
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 1:00pm, Sep 23, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343598
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 1:00pm, Sep 25, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/344345
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 1:00pm, Oct 02, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/342093
- Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 8:00pm, Oct 14, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/342482
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 8:00pm, Oct 23, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/344542
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 1:00pm, Oct 30, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/344645
- Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder : 1:00pm, Nov 04, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/343383
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 8:00pm, Nov 06, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/342190
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 8:00pm, Nov 18, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/344734
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 8:00pm, Nov 25, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/345477
- Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 1:00pm, Nov 27, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/342586
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 1:00pm, Dec 02, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/342294
- What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 1:00pm, Dec 04, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/345384
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 1:00pm, Dec 09, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/344846
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 1:00pm, Dec 16, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/344965
- Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 8:00pm, Dec 23, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/342664
Since the beta launch in 2016, the Waterloo Founder Institute has helped build several promising companies in the region, like Port, DeepSubconscious, Quote Kong, and more.
The new 2019 program launch includes local partnerships with sponsors who have helped grow the Waterloo startup ecosystem including the public-private innovation hub Communitech, the multinational law firm Gowling WLG and their office in Waterloo Region, global accounting and business advisory firm BDO in Kitchener-Waterloo, and Google Developers.
The Waterloo program is led by some of the region's top startup connectors, including Sunil Sharma (Managing Director of Techstars Toronto), Madusha Cooray (Engineer, Entrepreneur and Startup Consultant), and Jordan Jocius (Co-Founder of Rebels of Design).
In addition, some of Waterloo's top entrepreneurs, CEOs, and investors will be participating in the program, providing them with expert training, feedback, and evaluation. The list of mentors for the Waterloo Founder Institute includes:
- Alex Astrum: Developer Relations, Google
- Alexander Jager: Founding Partner, Amplifier Advisors
- Andrew Ricchetti: Founder, CakeAI, CoinMako
- Anwer Ali: Consultant, IMUKSYS
- Arshad Merali, Rivvi
- Barry Hillier: Founder & CEO, eQuo/ DOS
- Benjamin Stacey: CEO, Pitchverk
- Benton Leong: General Partner, ArchAngel Fund
- Bob Embleton: CEO, Perigee Convergent Solutions Inc
- Brice Scheschuk: CEO, Globalive Capital
- Cerys Goodall: COO, Vetster
- Chad Ford: Vice President Innovation, Communica and Partner, Pactech Ventures, Director, Western Canada Founder Institute
- Chris Leclerc: Coordinator, Programs and Client Experience, Accelerator Centre
- Dinah Davis: Founder, Code Like A Girl
- Edward Fan: Partner
- Elaine Lukowski: Vice President, Home & Entertainment, Health & Beauty Merchandising, Loblaw
- Fion Lee-Madan: Technical Co-Founder, COO and Customer Success, Fairly AI Inc.
- Gavin Jocius: Founder & Principal, River Wise Ventures
- Gina Yoo: Co-Founder & COO, Mannr
- Haoyang Liang: Director of Product Development, Orbiseed
- Isaac Adejuwon: CEO & Founder, Metricsflow
- Joseph Dales: Co-Founder & Director, RHA Partners
- Konata Lake: Partner
- Mary Beth Kyer: Co-Founder, Sponsor Circle
- Melika Hope: Product Director, Twitter
- Michael Kosic: Founding Partner, Loyal VC
- Mike Lingle: Entrepreneur / Mentor, Rocket Pro Forma
- Mike Peasgood: Co-Founder, Aeryon Labs
- Nadir Chaudhry: Founder, Tenamint
- Osman Ismaili: Patent Agent & Lawyer, MBM Intellectual Property Law LLP
- Raymond Luk: CEO, Hockeystick
- Rick Spence: Former Editor and Publisher, PROFIT (Canadian Business)
- Robert Whiteside: Director, Founding Partner, Treemark Capital
- Ryan McCartney: Fractional CRO, Self employed
- Sarah Hartkorn: Associate, White Cap Venture Partners
- Sean Yo: Product Management Fellow, ISPMA
- Stanislav Stepanov: CEO, Teleportainment Inc.
- Venu Sripada: CEO, Onboard Newhire
- Vikas Gupta: CEO, AVARA
- Wendy Robertson: Managing Director, Assemble Inc.
- Will Greenblatt: Co-Founder & Managing Director, OutLoud Speakers School
- Xenia Chen: Founder , Threads
- Yogi Yoganathan: CEO/Co-Founder, RemitBee
- And many more to be announced.
The Founder Institute is designed for founders and teams all throughout the pre-seed stage, including aspiring founders with a full-time job, solo founders, teams, and founders of established companies that are pre-funding. The Founder Institute's mission is to "Globalize Silicon Valley" and create sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.
Founder Institute Waterloo Team
From left to right - Amit Mehta, Madusha Cooray, Kyley Paul, Jordan Jocius and Udesh Cooray.
Join us in Waterloo to build a great company in 2019.
Apply to the Waterloo - Toronto Spring 2024 Founder Institute today, or learn more at FI.co/overview.
Media Contact
Jordan Jocius, Co-Director
Founder Institute Waterloo
E: jordan.jocius@fichapter.com
T: 1-833-467-3235
Hashtags
#FounderInstitute
#FIwaterloo2019
#FIwaterloo
#FIworldwide
- 30 -
