Build a Great Startup in 2025 with the FI Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles 2025 program!

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

Los Angeles Events:

How to Start, Grow, Exit with Joshua, Founder of Ardius (Acquired by Gusto): 6:00pm, Feb 04, 2025 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/362828
Pitch Your Startup Idea to LA Investors & Mentors, online: 6:00pm, Feb 20, 2025 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/362829

Global or Regional Events:

Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
Startup to Scale-Up: Mastering Sales & Branding with Mark Kosoglow: 10:00am, Jan 13, 2025 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/360975
How to Build, Fundraise, and Exit Your Startup: AMA with Tim Grassin: 2:00am, Jan 15, 2025 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/363382
What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 5:00pm, Jan 22, 2025 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/361816
How to Align Your Brand Messaging with Your Startup Mission: 10:00am, Jan 27, 2025 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/363012
FI Alumni Panel: Meet Portfolio Companies and Ask Questions: 10:00am, Jan 29, 2025 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/363495
Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Trasition to Startup Founder : 5:00pm, Feb 03, 2025 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/363644
Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 10:00am, Feb 05, 2025 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/363846
How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 10:00am, Feb 10, 2025 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/364024
Investor Valuation Basics: How to Assess Your Startup’s Worth with Neil Shah: 5:00pm, Feb 24, 2025 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/364419
Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 5:00pm, Feb 26, 2025 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/365044
Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 10:00am, Feb 27, 2025 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/364283
Co-Founder Networking: Sales and Marketing Partner Matchmaking: 10:00am, Mar 12, 2025 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/364725
What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 10:00am, Mar 19, 2025 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/364893
Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 5:00pm, Mar 24, 2025 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/365236

See all upcoming events

The Los Angeles program is led by some of the region's top startup leaders, including Fang Fang, Serephina Ha (Managing Director, Founder Institute - LA).

In addition, some of Los Angeles'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 Los Angeles Founder Institute includes:

Aaron Ross: Author, Predictable Revenue
Aaron Abram: Entrepreneur with 1 exit & Advisor., Pricestack, Kangarootime, & Osurv
Adeo Ressi: CEO, Decile Group / VC Lab
Aeolan Kelly: CEO & Founder, Benchmark Equine
Alan Cole: Alan Cole - CEO, GovX (San Diego FI), Gov X
Alex Lightman: Alex Lightman - Chairman, Witkit (Kuala Lumpur FI) , Witkit
Alex Dang: Senior Advisor and Former Partner, McKinsey & Company
Alexey Semeney: Founder & CEO, DevTeam.Space
Allison Silvers: Early-Stage Investor; Startup Advisor, Tech Coast Angels
Alphonzo Terrell: Co-Founder and CEO, Spill
Amanda Lettmann: CEO, COO & Co-Founder, Kardia Ventures/ SimpleDisability, Inc.
Amy Chang: CEO, Delta Nutrassentials
André Filho: Founder In Residence, AI Fund
Andrew Beinbrink: CEO, SportsForce
Andy Abramson: CEO, Comunicano, Inc
Angela Lee: CEO & Co Founder, From Fat to Finish Line
Angelo Di Leva: Founder & CEO , Simply I Do, Inc.
Ar Tabrizi: Co-Founder , Human 1st Ventures
Ariel McNichol: CEO & Co Founder, SmartSpark
Arnaud Saint Paul: Founder, Give Labs
Ashtan Moore: Co-Founder, Model B
Atilio Spaccarotella: General Partner, Swivel Ventures
Ben Stacey: CEO, Pitchverk
Benjamin Narasin: Founder & General Partner, Tenacity Venture Capital
Bennett Batten: CEO, Lumpsucker Studios
Bernardo Herzer: CEO / Founder, LEHR Inc.
Bob Saffari: Founder, Flairio Labs
Brandon Hoffman: General Partner, Sunset Ventures
Brian Liu: Chairman & Co-Founder, LegalZoom.com
Bridgit Lombard: CEO & Founder, Marea Partners
Brock Pierce: Vice Chairman, Affinity Media
Bryan Hall: Principal Architect (San Diego FI), Seismic
Charlie Jackson: Founder, Silicon Beach Software
Chas Rampenthal: General Counsel, LegalZoom.com
Cheryl Yeoh: EIR, Silicon Valley Bank
Chris Studer: Founder & Former CEO, ScholarPoint Financial
Chris Snook: Managing Partner/Venture Catalyst in Residence, Launch Haus
Chris Bechtel: Managing Partner, Growth Engine Labs
Christopher Harz: Vice President, VirtualAgility
Cliff Boro: Managing Partner , The Team Group, LLC.
Corey Coto: CEO, Kaizen Insights
Cory Rosenberg: CEO & Co-Founder , Biista
Courtney Nichols Gould: CEO & Co Founder, SmartyPants Inc.
Craig Hagopian: CEO & Founder, Chalk Media Holdings, Inc.
Dan Shapiro: Dan Shapiro - Founder, Sparkbuy (Seattle FI) , Stealth
Daniel Landsman: Aerospike, Head of NA/MarTech/Gaming
David Johnson: Co Founder & Chairman of the Board, From Fat to Finish Line
David Parham: Director of Research - Projects, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board
Delilah Panio: Vice President, Capital Formation, TMX Group
Derrick Oien: CEO & Founder
Dimitri Villard: CEO, Live Longer, Inc.
Dolly Singh: CEO & Founder, Thesis Couture
Don Di Pietro: Co-Founder/COO, XIRKL Networks
Don Swan: Private Equity Associate, Skyview Capital
Donna Antebi: CEO
Eddie Hartman: co-Founder, LegalZoom
Edmond Banayan: Entrepreneur / CEO / VP of Biz Development / Board Observer / Investor / Mentor, See LinkedIn
Elizabeth Topp: CEO & Co Founder, MOD - Meaningful Organizational Design
Eric Pulier: CEO and Founder, ServiceMesh, Inc
Evan Rifkin: CEO, Burstly.com
Fabian Geyrhalter: Founder and Principal, FINIEN
Fabrice Gould: Founder & CEO, Diggen
Fang Fang
Frank Mastronuzzi: Founding Partner, Punch Financial
Fred Joyal: Fred Joyal - CEO & Co-Founder, Futuredontics (Los Angeles FI) , Futuredontics
Gabe Zichermann: CEO, Failosophy
Gaurav Bhattacharya: CEO & Co-Founder , Involve.ai
George Bandarian Ii: Founder & Managing Partner, ValueScaler
Gioia Messinger: Gioia Messinger - Founder and Chairman, Avaak, Inc. (San Diego/Orange County FI), LinkedObjects, Inc.
Greg Hallinan: Founder & CEO, ModMedia, Inc
Gregg Spiridellis: CEO, JibJab
Hany Alhamidi: Founder, eMentoring
Henri Duong: Founder, Principal, Enclave Web Group (EWG)
Jad Meouchy: CTO, Angel Investor
Jake Tan: Founder, ErgoTune
Janet Todorova: Head of Expansion, Founder Institute
Jason Calacanis: Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, Author, LAUNCH, All In, This Week in Startups
Jason Nazar: Jason Nazar - Co Founder & CEO, Crew32
Jason Pang: COO, Bodymatter, Inc.
Jay Samit: Former CEO, SocialVibe
Jay Tsao: CEO & Founder, GM Technologies
Jay Kossifos: Founder & CEO, Pay Close Attention, Brand & Venture Partners
Jayla Siciliano: Founder, Bon Affair
Jeff Jackel: CEO, Chatter
Jenny Pollock: Founder, Women and AI
Jesse Dylan: CEO, Wondros
Jilliene Helman: Co-Founder & CEO, Realty Mogul
Jimmy Hendricks: Jimmy Hendricks - CEO & Co-Founder, , Light Post Digital & Deal Current Network
Joe Betts Lacroix: CTO, Vium
Joe Bezdek: Co-founder, DivX, Inc.
Joe Bayen: CEO, Credit Plus
John Girard: CEO, CIENCE
Jon Carder: CoFounder and CEO , Empyr
Jon Funk: Founder & President, Ocean Road Partners
Jong Choi: Co-Founder & Managing Director, Chaperone Ventures
Jordan Greenhall: Co-Founder & Former CEO, DivX
Jose Barrera: CEO & Founder, Startupstarter
Joshua Azran: Founder, Azran Financial APC
Joshua Lee: Venture Partner, Sovereign's Capital
Justin Wu: Founder, Growth.ly
Justin Longo: Founder & CEO, MariNationMusic
Kelly Perdew: Cofounder, Moonshots Capital
Ken Rutkowski: CEO / Founder, METal
Ken Ong: Senior Vice President, Salesforce.com
Kevin Yamazaki: CEO & Founder, Sidebench
Khaled Alameldin: Co-Head of Partnerships, GenAI Collective
Kim Walpole: CEO & Co Founder, Trials.ai
Liz Gasser: Managing Partner, High Camp Ventures
Lucy Beard: Lucy Beard - CEO & Founder, feetZ
Madeline Fraser: CEO & Founder, Gemist
Manoj Khani: CEO & Founder, Memorita
Mara Rada: Chief Operations and Strategy, Loon (loonbio.com)
Marcos Polanco: CEO, Deedit
Margot Bushnaq: Founder & CEO, BrandBucket.com
Mark Landay: Managing Director, Dynamic Synergy
Mark Hellinger: Chief Marketing Officer, InvolveSoft
Mark Wald: Managing Director, Supporting Strategies
Matt Walker: Founder, DayPoint
Michael Stemple: Mike Stemple - Founder, Inspirer , Inspirer
Michael Green: President , Tech Coast Angels
Michael Taus: Founder / CMO, Rent.com, CrowdStreet, Rentable, Amplion, FoundersPad
Mike Fleck: Vice President, Security, CipherPoint (a Covata Ltd. company)
Mike Sherbakov: General Partner, The Veteran Fund
Nadav Wilf: Founder & CEO, ENLTND
Nick Cates: Founder & CEO, Showpads.com
Nitsan Tucker: COO & Co-Founder, Truemance, Inc.
Noah Wallach: Founder, Hope OS
Nolan Bushnell: CEO and Founder, uWink
Oded Noy: Founder & CEO, Social Approach
Oren Klaff: Director of Capital Markets, Intersection Capital
Patrick Dillon: Co-Founder & President, Deal Current Network, Inc.
Patrick Barry: Founder and CEO, Kinduce
Peter Guber: CEO, Mandalay Entertainment
Ralph Simon: Chairman Emeritus & Founder, MEF
Rebecca Sadwick: Founder & Managing Partner, Strategica Partners
Reichart Von Wolfsheild: Chief Software Architect, CTO & Co-Founder, Qtask
Renee Zau: Co-Founder & CEO, DonationMatch
Richard Gibbs: CEO, Invisible Arts
Richard Koffler: CEO, Greenwings Biomedical
Rick Hernandez: Redefined Logistics, Head of Business Development
Ricky Velasquez: Founder, Mooch (exited)
Rishi Sharma: West Coast Lead , Newlin VC
Robert Tercek: President, General Creativity Consulting
Robin Lee: Investment Screening Director, Tech Coast Angels
Ronen Olshansky: Co Founder , CrossCampus
Ruslan Nazarenko: Head of Growth, Scale AI
Ryan Kaltman: CEO, Brevity Inc
Ryan Bettencourt: Ryan Bettencourt - Co-Founder, Cursive Labs , Cursive Labs
Sam Saddigh: CEO / Founder, Knightsbridge Branding
Sam Strasser: Founder & CEO, Treasure
Sameer Sortur: Founding Partner, SquareCircle Ventures
Sarah Song: Startup Advisor, Los Angeles, CA
Saumya Bhatnagar: CTO & Co-Founder, Involve.ai
Scott Painter: Co Founder, BrightHouse
Scott Tilton: Co Founder & CEO, Hookit.com
Scott Wayman: Founder & CEO, Kangarootime
Sean Markin: CEO & Co Founder, Myvana
Serephina Ha: Managing Director, Founder Institute - Los Angeles
Sergey Sundukovskiy: Co-Founder, CTO and Chief Product Officer, Certemy
Seth Shapiro: President
Shaahin Cheyene: President
Shahab Kaviani: Co-Founder, Chief Entrepreneurs Office, CoFoundersLab
Shar Ghoudsifar: Founder & CEO, Helpkin
Shuki Lehavi: CEO & Co-Founder, Gumiyo
Simon Mainwaring: CEO, Mainwaring Creative
Sina Roshan: Cofounder & CPO, Peekage (Techstars 2020)
Siobhan Oldham: CEO & Founder , Azestfor, Inc.
Snow Lee: Co-Founder & CEO, Runbear
Steen Strand: Director, Snap
Stephane Fymat: Founder & CEO, Smartplane Inc.
Stephen Meade: Founder & CEO, MonetaPro
Steve Hansen: CEO, WePlay
Steve Lehman: Co-Founder, "C" Student Entertainment
Steven Morley: Business Advisor, Success4Execs
Stuart Oden: CEO, JLink
Susy Pang: Director of Customer Operations, InvolveSoft
Talha Basit: Co-Founder & CEO, Spiraldot Health
Taryn Rose: CEO
Taylor Milsal: Managing Director, Cotor Inc
Taylor Cavanah: CEO & CO-Founder, Locai, Inc.
Thom Kozik: Chief Commercial Officer, Loyyal
Tim Norris: Co-Founder, J!NX
Tim Drees: Co Founder & Prior CEO
Tim Suski: Co Founder, Rush Cycle
Todd Terrazas: Founder, President, & Executive Director, AI LA
Tom Marchesello: Investor Trend & Strategy Director, United States Fund
Tom Andrus: GM & SVP
Tom Walpole: CTO, TrialsAi
Tony Karrer: Tony Karrer - CEO/CTO, TechEmpower (Los Angeles FI), TechEmpower
Tony Greenberg: Chairman and Founder, RampRate
Travis Schmidt: Founder, WorldFare
Trevor Jensen: CEO, Bullibone
Tyler Turner: Founder & CEO, Beauy Fox
Vidya Dinamani: Co Founder & Principal, Product Rebels
Walter O'brien: CEO, Scorpion Computer Services
Wayne Bos: Chairman, Minergy
Wesley St. Louis: Founder, CEO, HecTech
William Quigley: CEO, OPSkins and WAX Token
Yemi Oluseun: Growth & GTM For FinTechs, The Change Hive
Yunus Sevimli: Co-Founder & CTO, Almond Fintech