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Today, the Founder Institute, the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator, is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the San Diego 2023 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 2023 Founder Institute today.

Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200+ cities worldwide, the Founder Institute provides high-potential entrepreneurs and teams with the devoted support network and structured growth process needed to get to traction and funding. Participants in the 4-month core program also get access to a lifetime of support through the Founder Institute's industry-leading post-programs.

Since 2009, the Founder Institute has helped over  7,000 Alumni raise over $1.75BN funding, get into seed-accelerators, generate traction, recruit a team, build a product, transition from employee to entrepreneur, and more (see the FI 10 Year Impact Report here).

To celebrate the launch, we will host several free startup events in San Diego, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs and hear more about the program:

  • Startup Market Outlook for 2023: What to Expect with Funding (Online) on 10:00am, Dec 14, 2022 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/311908 
  • Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession 
  • AMA + FI Info Session with Co-Founder & CEO Jonathan Greechan on 10:00am, Dec 21, 2022 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/307691 
  • AMA + FI Info Session with Co-Founder & CEO Jonathan Greechan on 5:00pm, Dec 28, 2022 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/307706 
  • Connect with Aspiring Entrepreneurs (Online Networking Event) on 10:00am, Jan 04, 2023 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/312124 
  • SEO 101 with Nick Jordan on 10:00am, Jan 09, 2023 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/312985 
  • How To Identify a Viable Business Idea (Online) on 10:00am, Jan 11, 2023 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/312014 
  • How to Win with Peep Laja on 10:00am, Jan 16, 2023 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/313112 
  • Co-Founder Networking: Start 2023 By Finding a Business Partner (Online) on 10:00am, Jan 18, 2023 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/307730 
  • How to use social media as a Founder with Andrew Miller on 10:00am, Jan 23, 2023 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/313235 
  • Get Friendly Feedback on Your Idea from Experts (Online Roundtable Event) on 10:00am, Jan 25, 2023 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/312219 
  • How to build an MVP for your startup idea with Aram Melkoumov on 10:00am, Jan 30, 2023 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/313356 
  • Founder Showcase: Pre-Seed Startup Pitch & Networking Event (Online Conference) on 10:00am, Feb 08, 2023 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/311494

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:

  • Aaron Keith: CEO, Buildify Systems
  • Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO Platform
  • Adam Montgomery: Fundraising Manager, Wefunder
  • Al Bsharah: Interlock Capital, Managing Partner
  • Albert Chow: Principal, Anabatic LLC
  • Alex Bard: Founder & CEO, Assistly
  • Alex Green: Founder, Kanshi LLC
  • Amar Harrag: CEO, Allied Green Realty
  • Amir Emadi: CEO, Skylift Global
  • Andrew Gottlieb: Founder & CEO, No Typical Moments
  • Andy White: Startup Operations, Keshif Ventures
  • Angel Gambino: Founder, Angel Club
  • Annie Brown: Founder, Lips
  • Anton Monk: Co-Founder/ VP of Technology , Entropic Communications
  • Austin Neudecker: Managing Partner, Weave Growth Partners
  • Aviv Shalgi: CEO, Solar Simplified
  • Bardia Moayedi: Partner, Snell & Wilmer
  • Ben Cote: Mentor, Founder Institute
  • Bill Fields: NC Market Leader for Venture Debt, Bridge Bank
  • Bow Rodgers: CEO
  • Brad Feld: Managing Director, Foundry Group
  • Brian Storms: no title, No company
  • Brian Ford: Partnership Director, Founder Institute San Diego
  • Brian Olearczyk: CRO, RevCult
  • Bryant Walker: Founder, TAVO Media Group
  • Carl Thomas: Chief Revenue and Business Development Officer, Hookit
  • Carlo Rivis: CEO & Founder, Innovation Discovery
  • Caroline Arzoo: Partnerships, TurboSBIR
  • Cassius Kiani: Founder & Head of Product , Mora.com
  • Chintan Oza: Founder, Anantam Ecosystems
  • Chris Capdevila: Founder & Former CEO, LogicalApps
  • Chris Carter: CEO & Co Founder, VideoFort
  • Chris Foltz: Entrepreneur In Residence, Founder Institute + Responsible Solutions Ltd + IRG 100 CMO's & Change Agents
  • Christine "Chrissy" McDannell: Principle, The Magnolia Firm
  • Cleve Adams: Principal
  • Coco Sellman: Entrepreneur & Angel Investor, Remarkable Ventures
  • Courtney Gant: CEO & Co-Founder, Skooltopia
  • Craig Swiatek: Investment Advisor
  • Craig Cummings: General Partner, Moonshots Captial
  • Dan O'neill: VP Engineering, Certona
  • Dane Drotts: CoFounder, TangoCode
  • Daniel O'neil: Executive Director, Smart Chicago Collaborative
  • Daniel Obodovski: Co-founder, Managing Partner, Diosys Technologies LLC
  • Daniel Arroyo: President & CTO, AstroPrint
  • Daniel Shires: Consultant, Independent
  • Darryl Rettig: Co Founder & CTO, DonationMatch
  • Dave Tompkins: Founder, 550 Capital Partners
  • David Stevens: Founder & CEO, Hydroponic Creations
  • David Metzler: Managing Director, Serenity Ventures
  • David Steel: CEO, EveryoneLinked
  • DC Palter: Angel Investor, Tech Coast Angels
  • Dennis Volpe: Partner, Leadership Research Institute
  • Derren Burrell: Venture Capitalist, Veteran Ventures
  • Derrick Oien: CEO & Founder
  • Ed Cleary: Principal, Root Strategy Group
  • Ellen Chang: Partner, Lightspeed Innovations
  • Emily McMahan: Partner, Academy Investor Network
  • Eric Grab: Aspiring Explorer, Technologist, Advisor, and Coach, Formerly: Amazon, Booz Allen, DivX, Jaunt, San Diego State
  • Eric Weiss: Executive Coach, Full Cycle Executive Coaching
  • Ernestine Fu: General Partner, Brave Capital
  • Fabian Geyrhalter: Founder and Principal, FINIEN
  • Farooq Anjum, Ph D: Co Founder & CEO, Gro Guru
  • Florent Groberg: Azure Global Government Expansion, Microsoft
  • Flossie Hall: Director Of Community Relations, Stella Labs
  • Frank Peters: Founder & Host, Frank Peters Show
  • Fred Morrison: CEO, Simplexity
  • Gaurav Bhattacharya: CEO, Involve.ai
  • Gaurav Bhattacharya: CEO & Co-Founder , Involve.ai
  • Genevieve Le Marchal: Managing Partner, Suncoast Ventures
  • George Stepancich: CEO, Invisionate
  • Gina Campbell: Strategy & Demand Gen (Direct to Consumer Group), SONY, Formerly DivX, MP3.com.
  • Grant Creighton: CEO & Founder, LooperLink - LOOPER Golf
  • Greg Call, The Veteran Fund
  • Greg Moser: President & CTO, ShipCalm
  • Hayley Evans: Co Founder, Women Making Waves
  • Ian Suttle: Engineering Director, Google
  • Irina Kukuyeva PhD: AI due diligence, Kukuyeva Consulting
  • Iva Teixeira: CEO, The Good Face Project
  • Jacob Sapochnick: CEO, Sapochnick Law Firm
  • James Schmachtenberger: CEO, Neurohacker Collective
  • James Africano: General Partner, Regolith Ventures
  • James Hereford: Co-Founder, Launch Factory
  • Jason Pang: CEO, InvolveHub, Inc.
  • Jason Liebrecht: VP of Technology, Activbody Inc
  • Jason Zinn: Partner, Emerged, Inc.
  • Jeff Smith: CEO, Growth Catalyst
  • Jennifer Pilcher: Founder & CEO , Strategic Military Communications, LLC
  • Jenny Rodriguez: CEO & Founder, IVOREEZ
  • Jess Ewart: Senior Partner, New World Ventures
  • Jessica Pratt: Senior Vice President of Sales, Pop & Bottle
  • Jim Carlson: Founder, DFL Technology
  • Joe Bezdek: Co-founder, DivX, Inc.
  • John Zdanowski: Co-Founder, Assembled Brands
  • John Stilo: Head of Finance, Moov
  • Jon Carder: CoFounder and CEO , Empyr
  • Jon Carder: CEO, Vessel Health
  • Jonah Peake: Founder, the Social Coyote
  • Jose Doval: CEO & Founder , XBand Sports
  • Juan Toledano: CoFounder, Sundaze
  • Judy Tsuei: Founder, Wild Hearted Words
  • Justin Renfro: Director of Partnerships, WeFunder
  • Justin Nahama: Partner, FisherBroyles, LLP
  • Kelly Conkright: Founder, The Brand Terminal
  • Ken Wahlster: Founder & CEO, BikeBandit.com
  • Ken Davenport: CEO, Mission Edge
  • Kim Walpole: Co-Founder / CEO, Trials.ai
  • Lance Cottrell: Founder, Feel the Boot
  • Larry Kesslin: Chief Connector, Spire
  • Lauren Rowley: Director of Investor Relations, Stella Impact Capital
  • Lee Mills: CEO, Pixly
  • Leo Spiegel: Managing Partner, Mission Ventures
  • Lisa Song Sutton: General Partner, The Veteran Fund
  • Lucas Root: Founder, CEO, SGIC Consulting
  • Mara Rada: CEO & Chief of Strategy, Feral (thinkferal.com)
  • Marc Spencer: Founder, The Recharge Group
  • Maria Pope: Community Manager, Republic
  • Mark How: CEO, NewGrowth & Origins eCommerce
  • Mark Schmid: CEO, Art Function
  • Mark Divine: Navy SEAL, Author and CEO, Unbeatable, LLC
  • Martín Martinez: Executive Director, Founder Institute Texas
  • Matthew Hedayat: CEO and COO, Stanford Technical Group
  • Melissa Li: Managing Partner and Head of Community, Dorm Room Fund
  • Merrin Muxlow: Executive Director, TiE South Coast
  • Michael Davidovich: Founder, Direct EDI, Inc.
  • Michael Floyd: Software Engineering and Product Management Leader, Freelance Software Engineering and Product Management Consultant
  • Michaela Keady: Michaela Keady, Zendesk
  • Michel Kripalani: CEO, Oceanhouse Media
  • Mike Sherbakov: General Partner, The Veteran Fund
  • Mike Steadman: CEO, IRONBOUND Media
  • Mysty Rusk: Executive Director, USD School of Business
  • Nate Mason: VC, Starburst Aero
  • Neal Bloom: Managing Partner, Interlock Capital
  • Neil Senturia: CEO, Blackbird Ventures
  • Nektar Baziotis: Founder, ICARUS
  • Nelly Yusupova: Founder, TechSpeak.co
  • Nerissa Zhang: CEO, Bright App
  • Noah Wallach: Founder, Hope OS
  • Pablo A. Fernandez: CEO, Secret Table
  • Parker Harris: CEO, Junto Global
  • Pat Walsh: Co-Founder / Chief Impact Officer
  • Paula Sweis: Principal, SILVERWEISS International
  • Pete Biggam: Co-Lead FI San Francisco / CEO of, Blacksite Solutions
  • Peter Shaw: Managing Director , Procopio Business Advisors
  • Regina Bernal: CEO, Trailblazer
  • Reid Carr: CEO & Founder, Red Door Interactive
  • Rhana Pytell Kozak: CEO & Founder , BRIGHTERSTEP
  • Ricardo Dos Santos: Sr Director of New Business Development , Biological Dynamics
  • Rick Valencia: Founder, ProfitLine
  • Rishi Sharma: West Coast Lead , Newlin VC
  • Robert Pruter: CRO, SPHER, Inc.
  • Rocco Cortese: President, Entrepreneurs Organization (E.O.)
  • Roger Rappoport: Partner, Procopio
  • Rosie Arango: COO, Bright App
  • Rupak Doshi: CEO, TurboSBIR
  • Russell Brand: CEO & Founder, Responsible Solutions Limited
  • Ryan Tseng: Co Founder, Warehouse Innovations
  • Ryan Micheletti: Head of Global Operations, Founder Institute
  • Saba Karim: Entrepreneur & Investor, Techstars
  • Sagar Pande: Co-founder, Blaze Power
  • Sameer Sortur: Founding Partner, SquareCircle Ventures
  • Samuel Riehn: Chief Executive Officer, SBIR Advisors Inc.
  • Sarah Apsel: Angel Investor, 37 Angels
  • Scot Chisholm: CEO & Chairman, StayClassy
  • Scott Davis: Director of Veteran Entrepreneuership, PenFed Foundation
  • Shahi Ghanem: Managing Director, WI Harper Group
  • Shahin Enayati: Managing Director, Made Noble Corporation
  • Shaiwal Priyadarshi: CTO, Co-Founder, MetaMedia
  • Shaun Alger: CRO, Volohaus
  • Stacey Cooper: Partner, Stacey Cooper Law
  • Steven Morley: Business Advisor, Success4Execs
  • Stuart Volkow: Program Manager, UCSD
  • Taj Adhav: Founder, Leasecake
  • Tarun Gulati: Founder & CEO, Adios
  • Tay Nguyen: Owner, Gate Consulting
  • Taylor Mc Lemore: Managing Director, Techstars
  • Tim Hsia: Managing Partner, Context VC
  • Tirrell Payton: Tirrell Payton - Founder & CEO, Kaliki (San Diego FI), Kaliki
  • Todd Goldstein: EVP, Global Partnerships & Business Development, Talent Inc.
  • Tom Walpole: CTO, TrialsAi
  • Trevor Longino: Chief Marketing Officer, Unito
  • Troy Hazard: Global President, Entrepreneurs Organization
  • Ty Vachon: CEO, oatmealhealth.com
  • Tyson Mc Dowell: President, Avadyne Health
  • Yann Deredec: CEO, Yama Group
  • Yemi Oluseun: Founder/ CEO - Fintech, SaaS Business Growth, Automation & Change Management, The Change Hive

  • And many more to be announced.

The Founder Institute focuses on helping tech or tech-enabled businesses at the pre-seed stage, including both solo-founders and teams. This includes established businesses that are pre-funding and traction, MVP and prototype-stage projects, and even part-time founders with just ideas. FI's mission is to create sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.

Join us in San Diego to build a great company in 2021. 

Apply to the San Diego - Southern California Fall 2024 Founder Institute today, or learn more at FI.co/overview.  

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