Today, the Founder Institute, the world's premier pre-seed startup accelerator, is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the Australia Summer 2025 program!
If you could use a structured process and feedback from Sydney's top entrepreneurs to build a startup, then apply to the Australia Summer 2025 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 critical support network and structured process needed to build an enduring company. Since 2009, the program has helped over 7,500 Graduates raise over $1.85BN funding, get into seed-accelerators, generate traction, recruit a team, build a product, transition from employee to entrepreneur, and more.
To celebrate the launch, the Founder Institute will host several free startup events in Sydney, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs and hear more about the program:
- Investor Valuation Basics: How to Assess Your Startup’s Worth ft Neil Shah: 5:00am, Feb 25, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/364476
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Javier Caruso: 5:00am, Feb 28, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/364351
- How to Adopt an Entrepreneurial Mindset: 5:00am, Mar 04, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/366843
- Co-Founder Networking: Sales and Marketing Partner Matchmaking: 4:00am, Mar 13, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/364798
- What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 4:00am, Mar 20, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/364987
- Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Christian Karrer : 11:00am, Mar 25, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/365209
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 11:00am, Mar 27, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/365013
- Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Stavros Pavlidis: 4:00am, Apr 03, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/368103
- Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Trasition to Startup Founder : 3:00am, Apr 08, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/365815
- How to Choose the Right Fundraising Path for Your Startup: 3:00am, Apr 10, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/367915
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 10:00am, Apr 17, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/366046
- FI Alumni Panel: Meet Portfolio Companies and Ask Questions: 10:00am, Apr 24, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/367719
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 10:00am, Apr 29, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/366119
- What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 10:00am, May 08, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/366284
- Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Nathan Beckord: 3:00am, May 13, 2025 (Australia/Sydney): https://FI.co/e/366570
The Sydney program is led by some of the region's top startup leaders, including Benjamin Chong (Partner, Right Click Capital), Chris Clark (Founder/Chair, FuseSport), and Paul Krajewski (Sr. Product Manager, Pivotal).
In addition, some of Sydney's top entrepreneurs, CEOs, and investors will be participating in the program, providing them with expert training, feedback, and evaluation. The list of mentors for the Sydney 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, Titanium Ventures (Former Telstra Ventures)
- 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
- Edward Liu: Mr, EasyIOT
- 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
- 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
- Hugh Treseder: Founder, Floatspace
- Jack Qi: Director, William Buck
- James Moody: CEO, Sendle
- Jane Cockburn: CEO and Founder, Kairos Now
- Jeeva Suresh: Founder & CEO, Helix
- Jeffrey Ling: Ex-Programme Director, Ministry of Awesome
- 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 Innovation Officer, 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
- 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
- Romain Bonjean: Founder, CEO, RoseRx
- 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 Davies: CEO, Car Next Door
- Will Ericksson: Director, Trainer/Mentor, Momentum Academy / Momentumgroup.tech
- William Mc Cahey: Partner, Think & Grow, and Growth Advisor
- And many more to be announced.
The Founder Institute is designed for founders and teams all throughout the pre-seed stage, including aspiring founders with a full-time job, solo founders, teams, and founders of established companies that are pre-funding. The Founder Institute's mission is to "Globalize Silicon Valley" and create sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.
Join us in Sydney to build a great company in 2019.
Apply to the Australia Summer 2025 Founder Institute today, or learn more at FI.co/overview.
