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 2025 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 2025 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 7,500 Graduates raise over $1.85BN 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:
- Startup Funding AMA & Founder Institute Info Session, with Jonathan Greechan (CEO, Founder Institute): 1:00pm, Dec 30, 2024 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/362529
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- Startup Funding AMA & Founder Institute Info Session, with Jonathan Greechan (CEO, Founder Institute): 8:00pm, Jan 02, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/362552
- How to Go from 0 to 1: Scaling and Exiting Your Startup with Mark Balovnev: 1:00pm, Jan 06, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/363279
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Technical Co-Founder: 1:00pm, Jan 08, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/362587
- Startup to Scale-Up: Mastering Sales & Branding with Mark Kosoglow: 1:00pm, Jan 13, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/362612
- How to Build, Fundraise, and Exit Your Startup: AMA with Tim Grassin: 5:00am, Jan 15, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/363336
- What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 8:00pm, Jan 22, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/362635
- How to Align Your Brand Messaging with Your Startup Mission: 1:00pm, Jan 27, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/363071
- FI Alumni Panel: Meet Portfolio Companies and Ask Questions: 1:00pm, Jan 29, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/363552
- Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Trasition to Startup Founder : 8:00pm, Feb 03, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/363685
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 1:00pm, Feb 05, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/363902
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 1:00pm, Feb 10, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/364078
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:
- Aaron Baer: Partner, Renno & Co
- Aaron Albert: CEO and Co-Founder, Mine'd
- Abdel Ali: Investment Analyst, Relay Ventures and Alate Partners
- Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO PLATFORM
- Adam Spector: CEO & Founder, levy
- Adeo Ressi: CEO, Decile Group / VC Lab
- Alan Trieu: Senior Director, Sales , Cinchy
- Alexander Rink: CEO, Rink Ventures
- Alexander Mc Isaac: Principal, Strategic Investments and Women in Tech, BDC Venture Capital
- Alexander Jager: Founding Partner, Amplifier Advisors
- Alexander Morsink: Managing Director, Equivesto
- Ali Nawab: Founder and CEO, Kiwi Wearables
- Ali Ghassemi: CEO, Weaver and Loom
- Ali Abbas: Founder & CEO , SEO Button
- Amber Mac: President, Konnekt
- Ambles Kwok: Head of Engineering (Toronto) / Co-Founder, Thumbtack / Therapia
- Amir Alikhanzadeh: CEO and Co-Founder, Madlipz
- Andrei Poliakov: CEO, APX Lending
- Andrew D'Souza: Founder and CEO, Sfoundation
- Andrew Hendry: Co-Founder, REALQualified
- Anes Rachid: Manager, Innovation , City of Brampton
- Anik Ghosh: CPO, Phaze
- Anna Hu: CEO and Co-Founder, Brizi
- Aran Hamilton: President & Co-Founder, Vantage
- Arcui Usoara: Founder/CEO, Iaculus
- Ashley Martis: Co-Founder & CEO, StartupFuel
- Ashley Hahn: Head of Startup Developer Ecosystem, Canada, Google
- Ashok Prabhu Masilamani: CTO & Founder, Stratuscent
- Aurelie Guerrieri: CMO, Open Systems
- Aurélio Araújo: CEO, Leadfy
- Axel Villamil: CEO, StageKeep
- Ayhan K. Isaacs: Head of Global Growth, Founder Institute
- Balaji Gopalan: Co-Founder and CEO, MedStack
- Barnabe Geis: Executive Director, Centre for Social Innovation, Climate Ventures
- Barry Hillier: Founder & CEO, eQuo/ DOS
- Ben Stacey: CEO, Pitchverk
- Ben Sanders: CEO and Co-Founder, Davispier.ca
- Ben Baldwin: Founder, Upteaming.com
- Ben Zion Benkhin: CEO, WOMBO.ai
- Bernie Li: Board Member and Investor, Antler
- Bilal Tariq: Technical Talent Connoisseur , GuruLink
- Bill Jouni: Partner, NGO
- Bob Embleton: CEO, Perigee Convergent Solutions Inc
- Bob Kyryliuk (CEO-P2P): CEO & Founder, CEO-P2P.com
- Brad Poulos: Mr., Ryerson University
- Braedon Hinde: Co-Founder, Purpose Equities
- Brett Reed: Director, Global Talent and People, Localised
- Brice Scheschuk: CEO, Globalive Capital
- Bruce Hodges: Founder & CEO, Parachute (White Hat Financial)
- Bryan Gold: Co-Founder and CEO, #paid
- Bryan Smith: Co-Founder & CEO, ThinkData Works Inc.
- Bryan Duarte: Managing Partner, BlackTech Capital
- Callum Travaglini: Strategy & Program Manager, Office of the CEO, Wealthsimple
- Cameron Rowe: CEO, Hover
- Caren Carrasco: Managing Partner, Benjamin David Group
- Casey Lau: Co-Host, Rise Conference (Web Summit)
- Cerys Goodall: COO, Vetster
- Chad Ford: Vice President Innovation, Communica and Partner, Pactech Ventures, Director, Western Canada Founder Institute
- Chevonae Walcott: Associate, Relay Ventures
- Chintan Oza: Founder, Anantam Ecosystems
- Chris Ye: Co-Founder, Uken Games
- Chris Hobbs: President, TTT Studios
- Chris Adams: Founder and Managing Partner, Adams Hamilton
- Chris Anderson: General Partner, A2Z Ventures
- Christopher Leacock: Founder , Jillionaire LLC
- Corey Gross: CEO, Sensibill
- Cory York: CEO and co-Founder, PowerStores
- Craig Asano: CEO, National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada
- Craig Zingerline: Founder and CEO , Growth University
- Dan De Mers: CEO and Co-Founder, Cinchy
- Daniel Bishun: Economic Development Officer , City of Brampton
- Danielle Brewin Graham: Co-Founder, The Firehood
- David Winterstein: CEO, Velocia
- David Jorjani: VP of Product and Engineering, Sayge
- Denise Mc Clure: Senior Manage of Economic Development, City of Brampton
- Derrick Fung: CEO, Drop
- Devin Tu: Founder and CEO, Map Your Property
- Devin Ramphal: Innovation and Technology Sector manager-City of Brampton, City of Brampton
- Diana Goodwin: CEO and Founder, MarketBox & AquaMobile
- Dickson Nsofor: Founder and CEO, Korapay (Techstars 2019)
- Dinah Davis: Founder, Code Like A Girl
- Don Samoil: Managing Partner, Trusted Scale
- Drew Lindsay: Co-Founder, GuruLink
- Duncan Brown: Partner, Penrose Partners
- Dustin Betz: Director of Operations, White Rose Ventures
- Ebin Elavathingal: Director, MERSTRA Foundation / Next Market
- Edmundas Balčikonis: CEO and Co-Founder, Eddy Travels Inc.
- Eileen Brewer: Director, Takween Accelerator
- Elaine Ann: Founder/CEO, Kaizor Innovation
- Erich Ko: CEO, Hop In Technologies
- Ernest Yap: Carbon Markets and Renewable Energy Lead, SWTCH Energy
- Eropa Stein: CEO, Hyre
- Evgeny Lazarenko: Senior Product Manager (L7 / Group PM level), Unity
- Favour Ori: Founder, CEO, Payday
- Fion Lee-Madan: Technical Co-Founder, COO and Customer Success, Fairly AI Inc.
- Francois Le Roux: CEO, Terrene Technologies Inc & BountyBoard
- Franklin Kamnang Ngansop: Cofounder , Vitamin C&S Coaching
- Frederic Voyer: Senior Strategy & Execution Advisor, Post-Exit Entrepreneur (multiple: SWAAAP, BVI & HR Inc.)
- Gabriel Purificati Weedon: National Account Manager, Calculated Hire
- Gabrielle Rudd: Senior Program/Ops Associate, Techstars Chicago
- Garth Smith
- George Bordianu: Co-founder & CEO, Balance
- Gilberto Gandra: Founder, Gandra & Co
- Giovanni Gerbolini: Entrepreneur, Board Member, Startup Advisor, Djot, Loyal VC, MaRS Discovery District, Independent, Covenant House
- Graeme Millen: Director, Technology Banking, Silicon Valley Bank
- Gurjot Narwal: CEO and Co-Founder, Gini Health
- Gurpartap Singh Toor: Council Member, City of Brampton
- Hamid Akbari: CEO, BlancLink
- Hamoun Karami: CEO and Co-Founder, Smartbin.io
- Haoyang Liang: Director of Product Development, Orbiseed
- Harnoor Singh
- Harnoor Singh: Founder , Marketing artistry
- Harsh Pujara: Co-Founder, Actuality
- Helen Platis: Managing Director, A Poke in the Brain Consulting
- Hooman Aksari: CTO and Co-Founder , Artboard Studio (Techstars 2020)
- Hussam Ayyad: Chief Accelerator Officer , Highline Beta
- Idowu Akinde: Founder, Impact Hub Lagos
- Ignacio Castro: Managing Partner, 128vc
- Ilya Brotzky: Founder and CEO, VanHack
- Isabel Starck: Founder/Co-Founder, Starck Coaching, SportsCarBoutique
- Jack Liu: CEO and Co-Founder, Orbiseed (Techstars 2020)
- Jaden Pereira
- Jafar Owainati: Co-Founder, Loopio
- James Meier: CTO, Synervoz Communications
- Jason Atkins: General Partner, 360insights
- Jay Krishnan: CEO, Accelerator Centre
- Jeff Hohner: President, Tecumseh Capital Ltd.
- Jeffery Potvin: Founder, Open People Network
- Jelmer Stegink: Program Director, DMZ Innisfil
- Jennifer Turliuk: CEO and Founder, MakerKids
- Jeremy Potvin: Founder, World of Angus
- Jeremy Glassenberg: Product Management, APIs, Developer Experiences, Marketplaces, API Strategist
- Jeremy Bell: CEO and Co-Founder, Mayday (Techstars 2020)
- Jeremy Potvin
- Jeremy Kuo: CEO, Ever
- Jesse Shapins: Director of Public Realm, Sidewalk Labs
- Joe Parenteau: CEO and Co-Founder, Fable (Techstars 2020)
- Jon Prentice: Investment Director (Canada) , Lighter Capital
- Jonah Midanik: COO & General Partner, Forum Ventures
- Jonathan Ip: Founder, Iterative Law
- Jordan Jocius: Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Founder Institute
- Joseph Dales: Co-Founder & Director, RHA Partners
- Juanita Lee Garcia: Executive Director, The Upside Foundation of Canada
- June W Choi: Managing Partner, Serval Ventures
- Jyoti Singh
- Karanjot Jaswal: CTO and Co-Founder, Cinchy
- Karen Greve Young: CEO, Futurpreneur Canada
- Kayla Isabelle: Executive Director, Startup Canada
- Kesem Frank: Founder, Mavennet and AION
- Kevin Gervais: CTO @ Touchless, Co-Founder @ Auto Genius, Statflo, Touchless
- Konata Lake: Partner
- Kristine Beese
- Kumar Abhishek: Head of Growth, Happay
- Kweku Essien
- Kyle Collier: Co-founder and CEO, Phaze
- Laith Shukri: Sr. Market Development Manager, Silicon Valley Bank
- Lance Cottrell: Founder, Feel the Boot
- Laura Bryce: Co-Founder & CMO, loopt
- Leandro Faria: CEO, Starbem
- Leena Dixit: Founder and Mentor, Nativ Chefs and InFED
- Leonidas Papadopoulos: CEO, Viable
- Lidia Bit Yunan: Co-founder, Set Scouter
- Lorraine Wiseman: Vistage Chair/ President and CEO , Vistage Worldwide, Inc./ Leading the Wise Way Inc.
- Lucas Porter-Bakker: Head of Product and Design, PDS
- Luke Vigeant: CEO, Inkblot
- Luke DeCoste: Entrepreneur in Residence, Davispier.ca
- Maarij Rehman: CEO, Envoi
- Majdi Alnabih: CEO, ZipLunch Inc
- Manny Jassal: Founder, Defiant Regime & Extra Sauce Agency
- Mara Rada: Chief Operations and Strategy, Loon (loonbio.com)
- Marat Mukhamedyarov: Managing Partner, Good News Ventures
- Marcello Tommasi: Co-Founder & COO, Envoi
- Marina Tran Vu: Founder & CEO , EQUO
- Mark Smith: Canada Startup Ecosystem Lead, Amazon AWS
- Mark Evans: Principle, Marketing Spark
- Marty Finestone: Lawyer in Residence, Goodlawyer
- Maryam Nabavi: Founder and CEO, Babbly (Techstars 2020)
- Matt O'Leary: CEO and Co-Founder, Treasure Financial
- Matt Lee: Investor, Dr. Matt Lee Family Office
- Matthew Thurston: Chief Arctictect, Arctic Wolf
- Mercedes Bankston: Founder, Funderstar LTD
- Michael Young: CTO, Reuters News and Media
- Michael Katchen: Founder & CEO, WealthSimple
- Michael Kosic: Founding Partner, Loyal VC
- Michael Collins: Founder | CEO, Periculum
- Michele Romanow: Co-Founder, Sfoundation
- Michelle Pinchev: Founder & Lead Strategist
- Mike Suprovici: Head of Acceleration, VC Lab
- Mike Hollinger, Dentons LLP
- Mike Apted: Principal Solutions Architect - Startups, AWS
- Milad Zabihi: CEO & Cofounder, Peekage
- Milanyila Vargas: Economic Diversification Strategist, FMWBEDT
- Mitt Korot: President & CEO, Toronto Technologies Inc.
- Mitul Shah: Senior Associate, Vertu Capital
- Mohan Markandaier: Managing Partner, Good News Ventures
- Mohd Shahnawaz
- Monish Sinthala: Mr, PYRAMIDIONS INC
- Mucahit Gayiran: CEO and Co-Founder, Artboard Studio (Techstars 2020)
- Muhammad Rashid: Director, Business Development, Finastra
- Mustafa Saeed: Co-Founder, Luella
- Mustansir Paliwala: Strategy & Business Development, EQUANS Services Inc.
- Mykyta Ponomarenko: Sales, RealSage
- Nabil Fahel: Head of Partnerships and Community, Terminal, Inc.
- Nadia KANOUN: CEO, Senior Adviser, Trainer & Coach, IHSCEN for Startups
- Nana Obeng: Fractional COO /Strategic Partner, Highpoint Consulting
- Natalie Smith: Senior Associate, Whitecap Venture Partners
- Neerav Sood: CEO, Simple AI
- Neha Khera: Venture Partner, 500 Startups
- Nicholas Sopuch: Talent Associate , Entrepreneur First
- Nicole Verkindt: Founder and CEO, OMX
- Niket Shah: Co-Founder, Acceler8 Labs
- Noah Dolgoy: CEO, Tread
- Noah Wallach: Founder, Hope OS
- Osamede Arhunmwunde: CEO, GIGX Technologies
- Pako Tshiamala: Founder & CEO, Blink Equity
- Pamela Draper: CEO, Bitvo
- Pardeep Grewal: Fellow, OnDeck
- Parvinder Shergill: CFO, Trust Bridge Consulting Inc.
- Paul Parsons: Partner, Metaii
- Peter Ma: Co-Founder, MixPose
- Philippe LeBlanc: CEO, Flixel Photos Inc
- Phillip Gales: CEO, inate.ai
- Pooja Viswanathan: CEO, Braze Mobility
- Preet Singh: Founder, Designx
- Rahul George: Director Delivery, mDrift Technologies
- Rain Takahashi: Founder and CEO, Jauntin
- Ramya Pingali: Founder + CEO, The Email Studio Inc
- Ravin Shah: Co-CEO & Founder, QuickTapSurvey
- Raymond Luk: CEO, Hockeystick
- Reuven Cohen: Managing Director, Alystic Holdings
- Reza Farhani: CEO, Katalyze AI
- Richard Hyatt: Co-founder, BlueCat Networks
- Richard Cristina: Co-founder (MentorLabs), Founder (Bloom), Principal Director (Founder Institute)
- Richard Findlay: Cleantech Specialist Advisor, RFCL Innovations Inc.
- Robert Whiteside: Director, Founding Partner, Treemark Capital
- Robin Lindner: Co-Founder, KWFamous
- Rokham Sadeghnezhadfard: Founder, TheRedPin.com
- Ron Gentile: Founder, Moodfit
- Ron Benegbi: CEO, Uplinq Financial Technologies
- Roy Pereira: CEO and Founder, Zoom.ai
- Russ Armstrong: Head of Business Development, Boast.AI (Boast Capital)
- Russell Brand: CEO & Founder, Responsible Solutions Limited
- Ryan Micheletti: Head of Global Operations, Founder Institute
- Ryan Perera: CEO and Co-Founder
- Samarth Chandola: Founder and CEO, Founder First Fund
- Sameer Sortur: Founding Partner, SquareCircle Ventures
- Sameer Khan: Sameer Ahmed Khan, Social Champ, Inc
- Sami Dalati: Cofounder, Brizi
- Sanjay Nediyara: Founder and CEO
- Sanjit Singh: COO, Various Companies
- Sara Bentham: Director, Georgian College Entrepreneurship Centre
- Sara Bingham: Associate Director, Laurier Women Entrepreneurship Centre, Wilfrid Laurier University
- Sarah Stockdale: CEO, Valkerie
- Saroop Bharwani: CEO and Co-Founder, Senso (Techstars 2018)
- Sean Yo: Product Management Fellow, ISPMA
- Sergey Kalnish: CEO, SmartHire
- Seun Sanni: COO, PayFi
- Seymur Rasulov: CEO and Co-Founder, Whelp
- Sharf Zafar: Director, RBC Royal Bank of Canada
- Sharoon Thomas: CEO and Founder, Fulfil.io
- Sheetal Jaitly: CEO, TribalScale
- Sheikh Masud Iftekher: Key Account Controller, Ericsson Indonesia
- Shibin Muhammed: Portfolio Manager, Techstars Canada
- Shiju Radhakrishnan: Founder, CEO, Unremot
- Shiva Bhardwaj: Founder, CEO, Pitstop
- Slawek Potasz: CEO, CarScanner
- Sodruldeen Mustapha: Co-founder and CTO, Raenest
- Steve Dixon: SMB Leader (Canada), Apple
- Steve Brovchenko: Growth Lead, Amazon
- Stjepan Zelic: CEO, Hypefy
- Suhas Ghante: Entrepreneur, SVEthos
- Sunil Sharma: Managing Director, Founder Institute Toronto
- Tarun Sachdeva: GM, Wattpad
- Tasti Zakarie: Head of Engineering, Social Capital
- Tauseef Riaz: Cofounder ConsidraCare, Stock Target Advisor and Mashkraft, ConsidraCare.com
- Test Test, City of Brampton
- Thomas Park: Partner, BDC Deep Tech Fund
- Todd Finch
- Tom Lowden: Head of Labs, US East and Canada, WeWork Labs
- Tony Sabeta: Partner / Patent Agent, Aird & McBurney LP
- Torrey Smith: Co-Founder & CEO, Endiatx
- Tovit Neizer: Chief Storyteller, Yellow Bricks
- Tracy Leparulo: Founder, Untraceable
- Trevor Longino: Founder & CEO, CrowdTamers
- Tugi Günes: Programs Lead, DMZ
- Tyler Bryden
- Uchi Uchibeke, Chimoney
- Vasily Nikonov: Founder & CEO, Velvet.Capital
- Vatsal Shah: Co-founder, CTO , Speak Ai
- Victor Wong: Managing Director, Operations, Flipp
- Vikas Gupta: CEO, AVARA
- Vladimir Pletyukhin: Founder and Creative Director, Launch Deck
- Wade Larson: CEO and Co-Founder, EarthDaily Analytics
- Will Greenblatt: Co-Founder & Managing Director, OutLoud Speakers School
- Will Moore: Senior Manager, PR and Communications, 1Password
- William Johnson: Writer and Publisher, Canadian Tech Journal
- Yang Yu: CEO and Founder, KitchenMate
- Yatin Jain: Founder & Consulting Partner, Jivaso Technologies
- Yehia Elkhouly: Founder, Parachute | Director Partnerships and Business Solutions, StackAdapt
- Yemi Oluseun: Growth & GTM For FinTechs, The Change Hive
- Zainab Williams: Founder
- 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 2025 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
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