Build a Great Startup in 2024 with the FI San Diego 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 San Diego program!

If you could use a structured process and a lifetime of support from San Diego's top investors and entrepreneurs to build a startup, then apply to the San Diego 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 San Diego, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs:

How to Build a Fundable Start-up Brand: 10:00am, May 20, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/338814
Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
FI Startup Accelerator Graduation with Kelly Perdew (VC at Moonshots Capital): 10:00am, May 21, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/343029
Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 10:00am, May 22, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/340368
Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 5:00pm, May 27, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/339411
How to Quickly Establish Safe, Reliable, and Compliant AI Startups: 10:00am, May 29, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/340159
Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with a Venture Capitalist: 5:00pm, Jun 05, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/340988
How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 5:00pm, Jun 10, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/339734
Startup Success: Mastering the Product Discovery Process (Online Workshop): 10:00am, Jun 11, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/347462
[Restricted] Venture Trailblazers, featuring James Currier (Founding Partner at NFX): 7:45am, Jun 12, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/348906
Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 10:00am, Jun 12, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/339788
Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 10:00am, Jun 17, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/339944
How to Take a Value Proposition to Finding Product Market Fit: 10:00am, Jun 24, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/341483
Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 10:00am, Jun 26, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/339849
Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 5:00pm, Jul 01, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/340255
How Founders Beat Anxiety for Peak Performance : 10:00am, Jul 03, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/341971
Adam Robinson’s Journey: Bootstrapping Retention.com to $22M ARR: 9:00am, Jul 12, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/348815
Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 5:00pm, Jul 15, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/341270
Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 10:00am, Jul 17, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/341369
What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 5:00pm, Jul 22, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/343984
How to Build a Personal Brand: The Startup Founders Guide to Thought Leadership: 10:00am, Jul 24, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/343168
How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas : 10:00am, Jul 29, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/341698
Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with a Venture Capitalist: 5:00pm, Aug 26, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/341823
How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 5:00pm, Aug 28, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/345850
Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 5:00pm, Sep 02, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/343264
What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 5:00pm, Sep 09, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/344231
Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 10:00am, Sep 16, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/342393
How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 10:00am, Sep 23, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/343580
Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 10:00am, Sep 25, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/344329
Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 10:00am, Oct 02, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/342077
Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 5:00pm, Oct 14, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/342470
How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 5:00pm, Oct 23, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/344529
What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 10:00am, Oct 30, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/344629
Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder : 10:00am, Nov 04, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/343367
Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 5:00pm, Nov 06, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/342175
Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 5:00pm, Nov 18, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/344719
What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 5:00pm, Nov 25, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/345461
Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 10:00am, Nov 27, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/342570
Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 10:00am, Dec 02, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/342277
What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 10:00am, Dec 04, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/345365
Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 10:00am, Dec 09, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/344828
How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 10:00am, Dec 16, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/344947
Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 5:00pm, Dec 23, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/342652

See all upcoming events

The San Diego program is led by some of the region's top startup leaders, including Mike Sherbakov (General Partner, The Veteran Fund), Ryan Micheletti (Head of Global Operations, Founder Institute).

In addition, some of San Diego'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 San Diego Founder Institute includes:

* Albert Chow * Alex Bard * Andrew Gottlieb * Ben Cote * Brian Storms * Cassius Kiani * Chris Foltz * Daniel Shires * Eric Weiss * Greg Moser * Irina Kukuyeva PhD * James Africano * Jason Pang * Jerome Soucy * Joe Bezdek * Ken Davenport * Lee Mills * Martín Martinez * Melissa Li * Nektar Baziotis * Pete Biggam * Ryan Micheletti * Shaun Alger * Steven Morley * Stuart Volkow * Tarun Gulati * Tay Nguyen * Trevor Longino * Tyson Mc Dowell * Yann Deredec