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 2025 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 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, the Founder Institute will host several free online startup events in San Diego, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs:
- How Startup Founders Can Prepare For Fundraising Due Diligence: 10:00am, Oct 21, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/357271
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 5:00pm, Oct 23, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/356661
- Private AI Investor Roundtable : 10:00am, Oct 29, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/358140
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 10:00am, Oct 30, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/356662
- Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder : 10:00am, Nov 04, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/356663
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 5:00pm, Nov 06, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/356664
- Startup Finance 101, with Grasshopper Bank: 10:00am, Nov 13, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/358855
- $100,000 Veteran Pitch Competition, featuring Jason Calacanis (Angel Investor and Host of All-In Podcast): 3:00pm, Nov 14, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/357684
- How to Adopt an Entrepreneurial Mindset: 5:00pm, Nov 14, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/356804
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 5:00pm, Nov 18, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/356665
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 5:00pm, Nov 25, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/356666
- Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Jacob Jackson: 10:00am, Nov 27, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/356667
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 10:00am, Dec 02, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/356668
- 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/356669
- Venture Trailblazers, featuring Ilya A. Strebulaev from Stanford: 9:00am, Dec 05, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/358763
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 10:00am, Dec 09, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/356670
- Enterprise Sales 101 for Startup Founders: Closing Big Deals: 10:00am, Dec 11, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/358475
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 10:00am, Dec 16, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/356671
- Founder Showcase: Startup Pitch & Networking Event: 10:00am, Dec 18, 2024 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/356119
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
- A.J. Noronha, Greener Faster Fund
- Al Bsharah: Interlock Capital, Managing Partner
- Albert Chow: Principal, Anabatic LLC
- Alex Bard: Founder & CEO, Assistly
- Alex Green: Founder, Kanshi LLC
- Alexa Ramos: Marketing, Individual
- 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
- Anshul Shah: Head of Accounting and CFO Partnerships, Brex
- Anton Monk: Co-Founder/ VP of Technology , Entropic Communications
- Arcui Usoara: Founder/CEO, Iaculus
- Austin Neudecker: Managing Partner, Weave Growth Partners
- Aviv Shalgi: CEO, Solar Simplified
- Bardia Moayedi: Partner, Snell & Wilmer
- Ben Stacey: CEO, Pitchverk
- Ben Cote: Mentor, Founder Institute
- Bill Fields: NC Market Leader for Venture Debt, Bridge Bank
- Bill Nelson: President & Technical Advisor, Targeted Performance
- Bow Rodgers: CEO
- Brad Feld: Managing Director, Foundry Group
- Brandon Noel: Entrpreneur, Data Droplets Inc.
- Brandon Noel: CEO, Droplets
- Brendan Aronson: CEO, The Military Veteran
- Brian Storms: no title, No company
- Brian Ford: Partnership Director, Founder Institute San Diego
- Brian Olearczyk: CRO, RevCult
- Bryant Walker: Founder & CEO, 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
- Chad Cazel: Managing Partner, Blackwing VC
- Chase Harmer: CEO, Wishes
- 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
- Chris Stott: Founder and CEO, Lonestar Data
- Christina Adams, Innovation and Frontier Technologies
- Christine "Chrissy" McDannell: Principle, The Magnolia Firm
- Cleve Adams: Principal
- Coco Sellman: Entrepreneur & Angel Investor, Remarkable Ventures
- Court Lorenzini: Co-founder, Docusign
- Courtney Gant: CEO & Co-Founder, Skooltopia
- Craig Swiatek: Investment Advisor
- Craig Cummings: General Partner, Moonshots Captial
- Dan O'neill: VP Engineering, Certona
- Dan Chapman: Founder, Dan Chapman Consulting
- 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
- Dave Saxton
- David Stevens: Founder & CEO, Hydroponic Creations
- David Metzler: Managing Director, Serenity Ventures
- David Steel: CEO, EveryoneLinked
- David Baird
- 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
- Erik Smolinski
- 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
- Frank Mastronuzzi: Founding Partner, Punch Financial
- Fred Morrison: CEO, Simplexity
- Gary Raju
- Gary Peterson: CEO, AllSeater
- Gaurav Bhattacharya: CEO, Involve.ai
- Gaurav Bhattacharya: CEO & Co-Founder , Involve.ai
- Genevieve Le Marchal: Managing Partner, Suncoast Ventures
- George Stepancich: CEO, Invisionate
- George Ploss
- Gina Campbell: Strategy & Demand Gen (Direct to Consumer Group), SONY, Formerly DivX, MP3.com.
- Grant Creighton: CEO & Founder, LooperLink - LOOPER Golf
- Grant Winns: CEO, Yuna
- 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: COO, Bodymatter, Inc.
- Jason Liebrecht: VP of Technology, Activbody Inc
- Jason Zinn: Partner, Emerged, Inc.
- Jeff Smith: CEO, Growth Catalyst
- Jeff Balka: Business Growth & Entrepreneurship Lead - Military & Veterans Affairs, JP Morgan Chase
- Jeffrey Martinez
- Jenni Wu
- Jennifer Pilcher: Founder & CEO , Strategic Military Communications, LLC
- Jenny Rodriguez: CEO & Founder, IVOREEZ
- Jerome Soucy: People & Operations, Hykso FightCamp
- Jess Ewart: Senior Partner, New World Ventures
- Jesse S: Principal, Terra Legacy
- 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: CFO, Peerlogic Inc
- Jon Carder: CoFounder and CEO , Empyr
- Jon Carder: CEO, Vessel Health
- Jon Turdiev: Senior Solutions Architect, Amazon Web Services
- Jonah Peake: Founder, the Social Coyote
- Joris Delanoue
- Jose Doval: CEO & Founder , XBand Sports
- Joshua Awad, eGateway Vapital
- Joshua Pacheco: Associate, Military & Veteran Affairs, JP Morgan Chase
- Juan Toledano: CoFounder, Sundaze
- Judy Tsuei: Founder, Wild Hearted Words
- Justin Renfro: Director of Partnerships, WeFunder
- Justin Nahama: Partner, FisherBroyles, LLP
- Kelly Perdew: Cofounder, Moonshots Capital
- 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: Founder, Libr8
- Lauren Postler: Founder & Managing Partner, Solution Focused
- 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
- Louie Balasny: Director of Tech and VC, First Republic Bank
- Lucas Root: Founder, CEO, SGIC Consulting
- Mara Rada: CEO & Chief of Strategy, Feral (thinkferal.com)
- Marc Spencer: Founder, The Recharge Group
- Marcus Haney: CEO, Allegiant Vets
- Maria Pope: Community Manager, Republic
- Mark Haney: CEO , HaneyBiz
- Mark How: CEO, NewGrowth & Origins eCommerce
- Mark Schmid: CEO, Art Function
- Mark Divine: Navy SEAL, Author and CEO, Unbeatable, LLC
- Martín Martinez: Founding & 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
- Nate Parsons: Limited Partner, The Veteran Fund
- Nathan Gray
- 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
- Oliver Muoto
- 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: Director / Mentor / Advisor, Founder Institute
- Pete DiSalvo: Founding Partner, Blackwing Venture
- Peter Shaw: Managing Director , Procopio Business Advisors
- Ramesh Dontha
- Rebeca Hwang: GP, Kalei Ventures
- Regina Bernal: CEO, Trailblazer
- Reid Carr: CEO & Founder, Red Door Interactive
- Rhana Pytell Kozak: CEO & Founder , BRIGHTERSTEP
- Rhett Jeppson: Military and Veterans Affairs - Director of External Programs, JP Morgan Chase
- 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.)
- Rod Loges: CEO, One Degree Financial
- Roger Rappoport: Partner, Procopio
- Rosie Arango: COO, Bright App
- Rupak Doshi: CEO, TurboSBIR
- Russell Brand: CEO & Founder, Responsible Solutions Limited
- Russell Wardhaugh: PEO Consultant, TriNet
- Ryan Tseng: Co Founder, Warehouse Innovations
- Ryan Micheletti: Head of Global Operations, Founder Institute
- Saba Karim: Entrepreneur & Investor, Techstars
- Safa Aliabadi: Managing Director- Innovation & Tech Banking , Citizens Private Bank
- Sagar Pande: Co-founder, Blaze Power
- Sameer Sortur: Founding Partner, SquareCircle Ventures
- Samuel Riehn: Chief Executive Officer, SBIR Advisors Inc.
- Sara Ledterman: General Partner, 3+ Ventures
- 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
- Stanley McChrystal: CEO and CoFounder, McChrystal Group
- Steven Morley: Business Advisor, Success4Execs
- Stuart Volkow: Program Manager, UCSD
- Taj Adhav: Founder, Leasecake
- Tanaka Mawindi
- 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
- Tony Murphy: Founder & Principal, Ask Tony
- Trevor Longino: Founder & CEO, CrowdTamers
- Troy Hazard: Global President, Entrepreneurs Organization
- Ty Vachon: CEO, ORA Informatics
- Tyson Mc Dowell: President, Avadyne Health
- Vern Chan: Certified Startup Coach, Your Pivot
- Vladimir Pletyukhin: Founder and Creative Director, Launch Deck
- Yann Deredec: CEO, Yama Group
- Yemi Oluseun: Growth & GTM For FinTechs, The Change Hive
- And many more to be announced.
Join us in San Diego to build a great company in 2024.
Apply to the San Diego 2025 Founder Institute today, or learn more at FI.co/overview.
