Build a Great Startup in 2025 with the FI Australia New Zealand Startup Accelerator

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 Australia New Zealand February 2025 accelerator cohort of 3.5 months part-time.

If you could use a structured process and a lifetime of support from ANZ's top investors and entrepreneurs to build a startup, then apply to the Australia Summer 2025 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, Founder Institute will host several free online startup events in Australia, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs:

Australia Events:

Pitch Your Startup to Australian ANZ Investors & Experts, Online: 6:00pm, Jan 21, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/355601
Startup Funding Landscape Australia ANZ, ft NZ VC & Right Click Capital: 6:00pm, Feb 04, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/355605
[Restricted] Australia Summer 2025 VIP Launch Mixer (In-Person): 5:30pm, Feb 11, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/355585

Global or Regional Events:

Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
Startup Funding AMA & Founder Institute Info Session, with Jonathan Greechan (CEO, Founder Institute): 5:00am, Dec 31, 2024 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/360259
Startup Funding AMA & Founder Institute Info Session, with Jonathan Greechan (CEO, Founder Institute): 12:00pm, Jan 03, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/360285
How to Go from 0 to 1: Scaling and Exiting Your Startup with Mark Balovnev: 5:00am, Jan 07, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/363316
Co-Founder Networking: Find a Technical Co-Founder: 5:00am, Jan 09, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/361638
Startup to Scale-Up: Mastering Sales & Branding with Mark Kosoglow: 5:00am, Jan 14, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/361327
How to Build, Fundraise, and Exit Your Startup: AMA with Tim Grassin: 9:00pm, Jan 15, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/362858
What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 12:00pm, Jan 23, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/361783
How to Align Your Brand Messaging with Your Startup Mission: 5:00am, Jan 28, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/363114
FI Alumni Panel: Meet Portfolio Companies and Ask Questions: 5:00am, Jan 30, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/363558
Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Trasition to Startup Founder : 12:00pm, Feb 04, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/363725
Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 5:00am, Feb 06, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/363958
How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 5:00am, Feb 11, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/364126

See all upcoming events

The Australia New Zealand program is led by some of the region's top startup leaders, including Benjamin Chong (Partner, Right Click Capital), Paul Krajewski (Product Management / Research MarTech SaaS, SalesEnablement.wordpress.com/about), Sydney Admin (FI Admin account, FI Sydney).

In addition, some of Australia'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 Australia Founder Institute includes:

Adam Long: CEO, TheEthicalCEO.com
Adeline Chu: Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Western Sydney University
Adrian Bunter: Corporate Advisor | Angel Investor | Non-exec Director, Modus Partners
Aivee Robinson: Co-Founder, Catalyser
Albert Bielinko: Venture / growth investor, Telstra Ventures
Alejandro Patterson: Principal Product Manager , Honey Insurance
Alex Samson: Founder & CEO, dvhb
Alex Guyer: Partner Firemark Ventures, Associate Partner Black Nova Venture Capital
Allan Lalic: Co-founder, Kebloom
Amit Verma: Senior Manager, Listings, ASX
Anna Cheng: Head of Growth Marketing, Turo Australia. Ex HealthMatch Ex Brighte Ex Spaceship
Anne Marie Elias: chief disrupter, Founder, PrimeLife Partners, innovating longevity & care
Annie Le Cavalier: Venture Partner, FI and Former GM & Community, Stone & Chalk
Ant Moorehouse: CEO and Co-Founder, EarthTech
Ash Ma: Product Manager, Zip Co.
Asher Vukelic: Chair, Southwest Angels
Ashton Bishop: CEO, Step Change hellostepchange.com
Ben Pecotich: Design & Innovation Director/Founder, Dynamic4
Benjamin Ranck: Principal, MacroReactor
Benjamin Chong: Partner, Right Click Capital
Bill Trestrail: CEO, Market Momentum Pty Ltd
Bill Trestrail: Venture Partner, Black Nova Venture Capital
Bjorn Halfmann: Founder & Experience Design Director, muteo.co
Brendan Yell: Former Director, Twilio Startups
Brodie Mc Culloch: Founder, Spacecubed, Perth, WA
Brodie Mc Culloch: Founder and Managing Director, Spacecubed
Bronwen Kaspers: Customer Success Coach, Culture Amp cultureamp.com
Cam Walshe: Director, Pitchblak
Carl Maiorana: Founder, Business Growth & Change Consultant, 5Y
Caroline Lepron: CEO & Founder, Skoutli
Cheryl Mack: CEO & Founder, Aussieangels.com + Activator at SheEO™
Chris Clark: Co-Founder & CEO of BEERLOVE
Chris Clark: Chris Clark, GeoSnapShot / Brownee / Teem
Chris Braine: Founder, Cellr
Chris Gillings: Venture Capital @ Five V Capital, & Founder @ Cut Through Venture
Christopher Krainer: Director of Hardware Engineering at Zoomo, & co-founder at rk-collective.com
Damien Messina: Manager, Impact Angel Network
Dane Eldridge: CEO, 4mation Technologies
Daniel Lohrmann: Managing Director, ikaros
Darsel Keane: Director, University of Auckland
David Kenney: Director, Start Growth Pty Limited
Dean Mc Evoy: Non Executive Director, Investor and Adviser, TechSydney
Debra Taylor: Non Executive Director, Stone and Chalk
Dennis Kibirev: Chief Growth Officer, Mesh Ai
Dmitri Voronenko: CTO & Investor, virtualintegrity.com.au
Dylan Mc Donnell: CEO, Foodini
Eitan Bienstock: Managing Director, Techbench Capital
Elizabeth Kaelin: MSc, RDN & Finance Lecturer, UTS Business School
Erwin Van Der Koogh: Founder/CEO, Linc
Franziska Iseli: Founder, Basic Bananas
Gautam Mishra: Founder / CEO, inkl
Gawin Fernando: Co-Founder, CreativeCubes.Co
George Hedon: Founder & CEO, Pause Fest
Greg Campbell: entrepreneur, former Ops Director, information security specialist, Current Head of InfoSec and Compliance
Harshu Deshpande: Start-up & Scale-up Advisor, Google
Hendrik Remigereau: Venture Partner, NZVC
Jack Qi: Director, William Buck
James Moody: CEO, Sendle
Jane Cockburn: CEO and Founder, Kairos Now
Jeeva Suresh: Founder & CEO, Helix
Jeremy Chetty: Co-founder, Student Edge
Jo Ucukalo: CEO, Handle My Complaint
Jo Ann Suchard: A/Prof, Sydney Angels & University of New South Wales
Joanne Jacobs: Co-CEO, Disruptor's Handbook
Kate Ringvall: Co-Founder, Galactic Cooperative
Kim McGuinness: Strategic Relationships Director, SBE Australia
Leila Alem: Chief Design and Innovation and Adj Professor, ArcSense
Magdalena Reith: Startup- and Business Consultant, Magdalena Reith Pitch Decks
Marshall Hughes: Freight Manager, Freight Companies Australia
Marshall Hughes: Consultant, Freight Companies Australia
Matt Allen: CEO, Tractor Ventures
Matthew Browne: Co-Founder @Upflowy upflowy.com, @Donesafe donesafe.com, @Whispli, Investor @Black Nova Group etc
Maxine Lee: COO & Investment Director, Skalata Ventures
Michelle Gilmore: CEO, heyjuno.co
Mitchell Pham: Chairperson, NZTech
Neil Smith: CTO, Simple KYC
Oliver Ranck: Co-Founder | CMO | Exec Director, Future Neutral | MYSALE | Octomedia
Paul Wenck: Chair, Co-Founder Checkbox
Paul Krajewski: Product Management professional, Co-Director Founder Institute Australia+NZ
Paul Grimes: CTO & Founder, OK200
Paula Taylor: Executive Director and Co-Founder, West Tech Fest
Pavel Reddy: Former Managing Director, Clearpoint Ventures Pty Ltd (Formerly)
Pete Cooper: Founder, The Start Society
Pete Cooper: Former CIO, KBZ Bank
Pete Horsley: Founder, Remarkable Tech
Peter Van Bruchem: Co-Founder, Techboard
Peter Browne: Owner, Intangible Communications
Prashant Gami: CEO & Founder, x•enabler
Rachel White: CFO, Part time CFO / fractional CFO
Rajeev Gupta: Managing Partner, Alium Capital
Rayn Ong: Director, Ong Heng Investments
Rebecca Dooley: Partner, Addisons
Reheen Guin: Director & Co-Founder, Digital Crew and PandaMetrics
Richard Dale: Committee Member, Sydney Angels Inc.
Roger Do: Co-Founder, QSearch
Roman Kovalenko: Chief Data Officer, Reserve Bank of Australia
Ron Hill: Managing Director, sunramp.co
Ruben Martin: Co-Founder, GraniteStack
Ryan Cross: Manager for Prototyping, AWS, ANZ & APAC
Sam Richards: Managing Director, Brightlight Impact Advisory
Sameer Babbar: Director, SVB Group
Sandrina Postorino: Committee Member, Sydney Angels Inc.
Scott Crowe: Lead Recruiter, Canva
Scott Glew: Organizer, Morning Startup Perth
Scott Dommett: Investor, Rampersand
Sean Geoghegan: Cofounder and former-CTO, Sendle, Tech and People Leader, Iconoclast.
Simon Litchfield: CTO, and serial Founder
Simone Joyce: CEO/Founder, Paypa Plane
Sorrel Kesby: Head of Global Commercial Operations, GumGum
Srikanth Muthyala: Investor, Melbourne Angels
Stefan Korn: General Manager, Callaghan Innovation
Stuart Reynolds: CEO & Founder, Fullstack Advisory
Tal Rotbart: Former Chief Technology Officer, Marketplacer (until Oct-‘23)
Tim Silverwood: Co-Founder, Ocean Impact Organisation
Timo Kugler: Co-Founder, NASH + BANKS
Tom Dawkins: Founder/CEO, StartSomeGood
Tomaj Bayat: Growth, beforepay.com.au
Tony Sinclair: Director of Venture Debt, Cataliize
Vanessa Ronan Pearce: Head of Growth, Wych Money
Vern Chan: Certified Startup Coach, Your Pivot
Will Ericksson: Director, Trainer/Mentor, Momentum Academy / Momentumgroup.tech
William Mc Cahey: Partner, Think & Grow, and Growth Advisor