Build a Great Startup in 2023 with the FI Houston Startup Accelerator

The Founder Institute, the world’s most proven network to turn ideas into fundable startups, is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the Houston Spring 2026 program!

If you could use a structured process and a lifetime of support from Houston's top investors and entrepreneurs to build a startup, then apply to the Houston Founder Institute today.

Since 2009, our highly-structured accelerator programs have helped entrepreneurs at the earliest stages grow quickly, know what to do next, and make connections with the largest community of startup advisors.

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.

To celebrate the launch, the Founder Institute will host several free online startup events in Houston, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs:

How to Think Like a Founder and Take Action: 7:00pm, Jun 15, 2026 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/393241
Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
Stop Guessing, Start Raising: An Investor Q&A : 7:00pm, Jul 06, 2026 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/392845
Meet FI Alumni Founders: High-Growth Startups Panel : 11:00am, Jul 07, 2026 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/391208
Stop Overthinking and Build a Great Startup Idea: 11:00am, Jul 20, 2026 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/390656
From Idea to Action: The Startup Mindset : 7:30am, Aug 10, 2026 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/393364
Build a Startup Idea Investors Won’t Ignore: 7:00pm, Aug 18, 2026 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/391287
FounderX Silicon Valley 2026: Global Conference in San Francisco: 7:00pm, Aug 25, 2026 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/399790
What Makes Investors Say Yes: Startup Funding AMA: 11:00am, Sep 01, 2026 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/392981
How to Build a Strong Pipeline of Entrepreneurs for your Innovation Hub: 11:00am, Sep 15, 2026 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/398366
Break the Idea Loop and Decide What to Build: 7:00pm, Sep 21, 2026 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/391567
From Idea to Traction: Lessons From Global FI Alumni: 7:30pm, Oct 05, 2026 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/390932
From Dreamer to Doer: Build the Founder Mindset: 11:00am, Oct 13, 2026 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/393494
From Founder to Funded: Interactive Q&A with Top Startup Investor: 11:00am, Nov 03, 2026 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/393118
From “Maybe” to Momentum: Building a Great Startup Idea: 7:00pm, Nov 17, 2026 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/391442
From First Idea to First Funding: Global Alumni Stories: 11:00am, Dec 01, 2026 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/391068

See all upcoming events

The Houston program is led by some of the region's top startup leaders, including James Phelan (Investment & Growth, ZPTTLR Inc. / The Cannon), Martín Martinez (Founding & Executive Director, Founder Institute Texas), Mery Ramirez (Founding Partner, DataNexum Consulting), Natasha Gorodetsky (Founder & CEO; Head of Product, Product Pursuit).

In addition, some of Houston's top investors, entrepreneurs, and CEOs will be participating in the program, providing them with expert feedback and evaluation. The list of startup mentors for the Houston Founder Institute includes:

* Aaron Chavez * Abdellah Aouf * Alice Gong * Amit Bhanot * Armando Mualumene * Ben Stacey * Dana Marruffo * Denise McGettrick * Elisa Sepulveda * Heather Harde * Joshua Wang * Justin Moore * Krishna Vattipalli * Levi Velez Reed * Mehrab Momin * Mike Breck * Munjal Shah * Neal Murthy * Noah Wallach * Paul O'Brien * Philip Kaplan * Rajesh Setty * Scott Ferguson * Sophia Clark * Stephen Meade * TC Lien * Taneallea Feddis * Tovit Neizer * Will Bunker * Ziv Gillat