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 Washington DC program! The hybrid program consists of virtual weekly sessions and monthly in-person events to connect with the mentors, investors and the ecosystem players.
If you could use a structured process and a lifetime of support from our top investors and entrepreneurs to build a startup, then apply to the Washington DC 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 the global FI platform, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs:
Washington DC Events: * Founder Night Out: In-Person Startup Networking in Washington DC: 6:00pm, May 20, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/372400 Global or Regional Events: * Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession * Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Nathan Beckord: 1:00pm, May 12, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/372184 * How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 1:00pm, Jun 02, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/372217 * How to Build Your MVP Using Artificial Intelligence : 1:00pm, Jun 04, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/372239 * Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 8:00pm, Jun 09, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/372260 * FI Alumni Panel: Meet Portfolio Companies and Ask Questions: 1:00pm, Jun 23, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/372292 * Startup Finance & Banking Basics: AMA with Grasshopper Bank: 1:00pm, Jun 25, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/372048 * Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 1:00pm, Jun 30, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/372312 * Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 1:00pm, Jul 07, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/372345
The Washington DC program is led by some of the region's top startup leaders, including Guc Ozenci ( Managing Partner, ConnectOp Consulting), Nadine Zerrini (Managing Director, Founder Institute Boston).
In addition, some of Washington DC'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 Washington DC Founder Institute includes:
- Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO PLATFORM
- Abid Masood: Founder, Buddio
- Alan Wilson: Cofounder, Tripwire Interactice
- Alan Ocana: Founder & CEO, Consolhub and BBC CARGO
- Alex Koshykov: CEO, YODD Medical
- Allan Wilson: Founder & Managing Director, Flat Rock Solutions
- Allyson Redpath: Board Member, Westchester Land Trust
- Amelia Friedman: Co-founder, Hatch
- Andres Jordan: Founder, Factor6, LLC
- Andrey Mikhalchuk: CEO, Craftus
- Angela Olanike Akinbohun: Founder, Inventor, Pandora 21 Consultants
- Anne Rosenblum: Business Investment and Capital Attraction Manager, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority
- Anthony Millin: Founder & Chair, Next by Shulman Rogers
- Anuj Agrawal: Chief Marketing Officer, Earth Networks
- Arcui Usoara: Founder/CEO, Iaculus
- Ario Keshani: Investor and Advisor, AWS
- Ashtan Moore: Entrepreneur, A Misfit Plethora
- Aydin Bolkar: VP of International Operations, Alarm.com
- Benjamin Young: CEO, Sworkit
- Beulah Toth: Strategist, Obvious
- Bill Stokes: Founder & Chairman, Washington Network Group (WNG)
- Bo Wang: Vice President, Juggernaut Capital Partners
- Brant Cooper: Author | CEO | Founder, Moves the Needle
- Brent Halliburton: Product Management, Amazon
- Brian Bassett: Director, Simple Thread
- Brian Childress: Architect, Technical Advisor, Calendly
- Bryan Duarte: Managing Partner, BlackTech Capital
- Cameron Powell: Partner, IonIdea + Gregor Wynne Arney PLLC
- Carlos De Paula: Founder & Managing Director, Acadia Partners
- C. Derek Campbell: CEO, Blue Holding Oceans
- Chintan Oza: Founder, Anantam Ecosystems
- Chris Haug: Founder and CEO, 360° Venture Management Group
- Chris Foltz: Global Entrepreneur-In-Residence, Founder Institute
- Christie Thompson: Partner, Campfire & Co.
- Christopher Wink: Publisher and CEO , Technically Media
- Christopher Rogers: Partner, Lumia Capital
- C'pher Gresham: Founder, Front Row
- Cq Huynh: Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs
- Craig Snodgrass: Venture Partner, Valor Ventures
- Cynthia Gilmer
- Dan Hnatkovskyy: CEO and Co-Founder, Propertymate
- Dan Myers: Co-Founder & Partner, 42Phi Ventures
- Daniel Kroepfl: Vice President, TELE Controls Inc.
- Daniel Shires: Consultant, Independent
- Danielle Tate: Founder & CEO, MissNowMrs.com & Elegant Entrepreneur
- Dave Mc Carthy: Executive Director, Potential Energy DC
- Dave Hall: CEO, DLH Technology Advisors
- Dave Feldman: Executive Director, Bethesda Green
- David Giannini: Chairman and CEO, Cirrusworks, Inc.
- David Roberts: CEO, Anovium
- Debra Cancro: SVP Data Products, Bigtincan
- Derren Burrell: Venture Capitalist, Veteran Ventures
- Dilara Rustamzada: Founder, Passion Technologies
- Don Samoil: Managing Partner, Trusted Scale
- Ed Harrell: Managing Partner, Harrell Capital Partners LLC
- Ed English: Chief Product Officer, Higher Logic
- Eddie Hill: Director, Mason Enterprise Center
- Elizabeth B-Amissah
- Ellen Meinhart: Senior International Trade Manager, Virginia Economic Development Partnership
- Ellis Rosenberg: Vice President, Sales, WellDoc, Inc
- Emily McMahan: Partner, Academy Investor Network
- Eric Koefoot: Founder & CEO, PublicRelay, Inc.
- Erna Redzepagic: Social Impact Accelerator, Halcyon
- Esmael Dinan: Founder & CEO, Offino
- Everett Carpenter: President, Evertechnologies
- Eylem Senyuz: Director, Truist Wealth
- Frances Reimers: Principal , Firestarter
- Franklin Kamnang Ngansop: Cofounder , Vitamin C&S Coaching
- Fred Cohen: Founder and CEO, Angel to Exit
- Frederic Gumbinner: Managing Partner , G2 Development Partners
- Gabriela Oporto: Founder, Selia
- Geneviève Nixon-Weems: Founder and CEO, Geneviève Global
- Gigi Kizhakkechethipuzha: Founder, ImpelHub
- Gira Wieczorek: Managing Partner / Co-Founder, Aleberry
- Guc Ozenci: Connector | Advisor, ConnectOp
- Guillermo Ortiz de Zarate: President, Lineup
- Gül Branco: People and Culture Transformation Leader, Branco Development Group
- Hanae Bezad: CEO | Author, Beehane Advisory
- Hank Yuan: Venture Partner, VU Ventures | , Venture Associate, Republic
- Hannah Kim: Shwappe, Founder & CEO
- Hatice Murphy: Director, Infuze International
- Henry Hunter: ceo, Incidr
- Hooman Kazerani: Sr VP, ICF
- Howard Eisenberg: Founder , EuroSort
- Isabel Pablo: Founder, GK Innovations Lab
- Iskender Uguz: Head of Small Business Lending and Decision Sciences, Capital One
- Jamil Ramsey: Founder and CEO, Snap Contacts
- Jamil Wyne: Co-Founder, Riffle Ventures
- Jeb Ory: Startup Advisory (exited founder), N/A
- Joe Daniels: Partner, Co-Chair - Emerging Companies, Partner & Co-Chair, Emerging Companies Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
- Johan Holmberg: Senior Associate, Second Century Ventures
- John Holaday: Chairman and CEO, DisposeRx Inc.
- Jomy Methipara: Business and intellectual property (IP) Attorney, Dickinson Wright
- Jonathan Greechan: Co-Founder & CEO, Founder Institute
- Jonathan Chashper: CEO, Product Savvy Consulting
- Josh Rosenthal: Founder & CEO, CloudSploit
- Joshua Frankel: President, Startcase
- June W Choi: Managing Partner, Serval Ventures
- Justin Etheredge: Partner, Simple Thread
- Kaitlin Capobianco: Senior Manager, Fellow Community and Recruitment , Halcyon
- Kathie Brady: CEO Group Chair, Vistage
- Keith Segerson: CEO, P3 Innovation Strategies
- Ken Gordon: Co-founder and CEO, VALR
- Kevin Fulmer: Director, Alex Brown Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
- Kevin Franck: CCO, Otolith Labs
- Kiki Ramsey: Founder, Kiki Ramsey International
- Kuzeyhan Ozdemir: Lean Startup Mentor, Founder Institute
- Kyle Brown: Founder - CEO
- Laura Clark: VP, Brand Development , MeatMe Pet Food
- Laura Shibut: Program Manager, Lighthouse Labs RVA
- Leena Palav: Board Member, Strategy Advisor, COO, -med devices, health tech, consumer products, robotics
- Leonardo Garcia: Senior IoT & 5G Solutions Consultant, AT&T
- Lisa Friedlander: Founder Board Member, Citrine Angels
- Lisa Garcia: Business Commercialization Consultant and Coach, Lisa K. Garcia, LLC
- Liz Sara: Managing Director, Best Marketing, LLC
- Liz Ward: Head, Zebox America
- Liza Rodewald: Co-founder, Instant Teams
- Loni Faraci: Director of Product , Co-Star
- Mali Phonpadith: CEO/Founder, SOAR Community Network
- Marc Trost: Founder, M&T CPA PLLC
- Marco Rubin: Senior Investment Director, VIPC
- Marcos Filho: Full-time MBA student, University of Michigan Ross School of Business
- Mark Kass: Senior Counsel , Crowell & Moring LLP
- Mark Phinick: B2B Deal Coach, Let's Make It Rain
- Mashea Ashton: Founder and CEO , Digital Pioneers Academy
- Matt Mandell: Principal, PayNerd.com
- Matt Hanson: Co-Founder, PAX Momentum
- Maura O'brien Ali: CEO and Managing Director, American Growth Solutions
- Max Kryzhanovskiy: President, MOS
- Melissa Akkaway: Partner, The Particulars
- Michael Riemer: Advisor, ABJJ Consulting
- Michael O'brien: Managing Partner, Siol Venture Capital
- Michelle Pham: Counsel, Crowell & Moring LLP
- Mirza Baig: Partner, Aldrich Capital Partners
- Mitch Praver: President & Co-Founder, The Fifth Beatle Skills Network, LLC
- Mohammed Kashif: Senior Quality Assurance Automation Engineer, Department of Motor Vehicles
- Murat Karabulut: Senior Solutions Architect
- Nadine Zerrini: Director, Founder Institute Boston
- Naresh Verma: Analyst - Mentor - Coach - Product Design, Data Visualization, Yoova
- Natcha Thawesaengskulthai: Global Chief Innovation Officer, Chulalongkorn University
- Navroop Mitter: CEO, ArmorText
- Neil Kleinberg, DiliVer
- Neil Shah: Founder & CEO, ThinkNimble
- Nick Rajpara: Economic Development Specialist, SBA
- Nicola Corzine: Executive Director , Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center
- Nimish Jalan: COO, Big Red Group
- Nitin Pradhan: Founder and CEO , ScaleUP
- Noah Wallach: Founder, Hope OS
- Olivier Meganck: Founder & CEO, TheList.wtf
- Onur Kutlu Gago: Serial Entrepreneur & Growth Advisor, Coimex
- Patrick Bryant: CEO, CODE/+/TRUST
- Patty Simonton: Ecosystem Builder. Certified Entrepreneurship Development Professional., Independent Contractor
- Paul Singh: Chief Hustler, Results Junkies
- Pawan Kohli: AI in Healthcare | Health Tech Strategist | Ex-Unicorn Startup | CTO/CIO/CISO | Startup advisor | Speaker | Mentor, Binary Blue
- Peter Ettinger: Partner, The 7914 Group
- Pierre Gomez: Program Manager, Systems and Technology Research (STR)
- Rafael Kartaszynski: CEO, TechEdge Dynamics
- Rajesh Rai: Partner, Montane Ventures
- Rajiv Madhok: Founder, Oorja
- Ram Boreda: VP, Egnyte
- Randy Reade: Co-founder, Washington ArchAngels
- Richard Rothstein: CEO, Rothstein Consulting
- Rohan Brown: Founder, Pitch Mayhem
- Rokas Beresniovas: Head of Growth, Commercial and Small Business Leading, NIH Federal Credit Union
- Roman Rodriguez: CEO, The Coaching Market
- Ronit Avni: Founder , Just Vision
- Rosemarie Truman: Founder and CEO, Ignite Social Impact
- Sam Feigi: Partner, Crowell & Moring LLP
- Sameer Sortur: Founding Partner, SquareCircle Ventures
- Sammy Popat: Innovation & Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Catalyst, University of Maryland
- Sandeep Aneja: Founder & Managing Partner, Kaizenvest
- Sandy Vasan: Founder , outcomes.work
- Sanjay Prasad: Founder/ CEO, SurgiPrice/ SurgiConnect
- Sanjaykumar Patel: Founder & Principal IP Attorney, EXCELON IP - Patent & Trademark Attorneys
- Sarah Bassett: Research Director , US. House of Representatives, Committee on Financial Services (minority-side staff)
- Sean Makulowich: Founder & CEO, IdeaFire™
- Seema Alexander: CEO, Disruptive CEO Advisory
- Seth Banks
- Sever Totia: Partner, 3TS Capital Partners
- Shahed Amanullah: Founder & COO, Zabihah
- Shani Peled: Founder & Managing Partner, TechnoArt
- Simon Okeke: CEO, Jet Star Logistics
- Sina Roshan: Cofounder & CPO, Peekage (Techstars 2020)
- Şirin Köprücü: Principal, Strategic Straits
- Smriti Bagry: Senior Product Manager, ByteDance (TikTok)
- Solomon Asad: Principal, SSCP
- Spencer Hansen: Director of User Experience & Design, Simple Thread
- Sriram Gollapalli: Managing Director, Long Angle
- Stanley Mc Chrystal: Founder , McChrystal Group
- Stephen Lehman: Chairman and CEO , CoFounders Lab
- Stephen DiLorenzo: Partner, Carter, DeLuca & Farrell LLP
- Steve Ryan: Counsel, Crowell & Moring LLP
- Steven A. Rodriguez: Venture Catalyst, STVNRCO
- Sumit Saraf: Managing Partner, IHQ Ventures LLC
- The Bob Kolodney, HBS Alumni Angels
- Tien Wong: Founder and CEO, Lore
- Tim Young: Founder, Young Marketing Consulting
- Tolga Vural: Partner, Aegean Associates
- Tom Smith: Co-founder, Truss
- Tony Amer: Managing Partner, TRANSFORMity
- Tovit Neizer: Chief Storyteller, Yellow Bricks
- Tyrone Taylor: President, Capitol Advisors on Technology, Former NASA Director
- Ufuk Demirci: Global Head, Venture Funds, IFC
- Vikram Dhawan: Founder & CEO, KnoetiK Solutions Inc.,
- Vladimir Pletyukhin: Founder and Creative Director, Launch Deck
- Wa'il Ashshowwaf: Co-Founder & CEO, Unstuck Labs
- Wayne Lifshitz: Sr Director, Chemonics
- Yemi Oluseun: Growth & GTM For FinTechs, The Change Hive
- Yi Wang: CEO and Founder, Macaw Medical Technology
- YouMon Tsang: Founder and CEO, ChurnZero
- Yvonne Quahe: Trainer, Facilitator, Coach and Author, WBFN
- Zac Blanco: Senior Manager, Keiter
- Zaria Pompey Smith: Program Director, Nex Cubed
- And many more to be announced.
Join us in Washington DC to build a great company in 2023.
Apply to the Washington DC Founder Institute today, or learn more at FI.co/overview.
