Now, more than ever, the world needs entrepreneurs to build the future.
As a result, the Founder Institute, the world’s largest pre-seed startup accelerator, is excited to announce that it is officially launching its newest chapter in Vienna. While the Silicon-Valley based program has chapters in over 200 cities worldwide, early-stage entrepreneurs in Austria can finally now take advantage of the Founder Institute's renowned structure, mentor support, and network to build an enduring company.
Applications to the first-ever Vienna Founder Institute are now open, and anyone interested in building an Austrian technology company can apply at FI.co/apply/vienna.
The Founder Institute provides high-potential entrepreneurs and teams with the support network and structured growth process needed to get to traction and funding, and build something that matters.
Since 2009, the Founder Institute has helped over 9,000 Alumni raise over 2BN 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, the Founder Institute will host several free online startup events in Austria, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs and hear more about the program from the comfort of your home:
Austria Events:
- Co-Founder Matching Vienna: Find Your Partner for an AI-First Startup: 6:00pm, Sep 30, 2026 (Europe/Vienna): https://FI.co/e/404877
- Build a Mobile App Without a Developer, in 90 Minutes: 6:30pm, Oct 14, 2026 (Europe/Vienna): https://FI.co/e/404486
Global or Regional Events:
- How to Build a Strong Pipeline of Entrepreneurs for your Innovation Hub: 6:00pm, Sep 28, 2026 (Europe/Vienna): https://FI.co/e/398289
- FI Alumni Panel: Meet Founders of High-Growth Startups (Q&A + Networking): 6:00pm, Oct 06, 2026 (Europe/Vienna): https://FI.co/e/395138
- From Dreamer to Doer: Build the Founder Mindset: 6:00pm, Oct 13, 2026 (Europe/Vienna): https://FI.co/e/395267
- From Founder to Funded: Interactive Q&A with Top Startup Investor: 6:00pm, Nov 03, 2026 (Europe/Vienna): https://FI.co/e/405856
- From First Idea to First Funding: Global Alumni Stories: 6:00pm, Dec 01, 2026 (Europe/Vienna): https://FI.co/e/395336
The experts that have been critical in bringing the Founder Institute to Vienna include local startup leaders Kasia Sadowska (Founder, FutureHabits.Tech), Stephan Kreiger (Director, FI Vienna).
Opportunities are flourishing across Austria. There's an emerging digital ecosystem for entrepreneurs - from crowdfunding platforms to virtual communities. The Founder Institute can increase an aspiring technology entrepreneur's chance of success by providing the necessary skills and mindset - and a link to the Silicon Valley!
In addition, many of the region's top founders, CEOs, advisors, and investors have signed on to mentor new entrepreneurs in the Austria Fall 2026 Founder Institute program, including:
- Alexander Brix: Former COO of Kaleido AI (acq. by Canva), Canva
- Alvaro Egido: VC Analyst, Fund F
- Amit Grinvald: Communication Strategist & Pitch Coach, Amit Grinvald Consulting
- Ana Veremyova: Founder & PR Advisor, Trust
- Andras Galffy: Founder, CEO & Head of Research, Turbulence Solutions
- Andreas Fischer: Founding Partner, First Momentum Ventures
- Annu Gmeiner: Principal , Xista Science Ventures
- Barbara Van Lodensteijn: Founder & Business Psychologist MSC, Vision Aligns
- Bernhard Holzer: CEO, Woodspr
- Bernhard Hauser: Founder, Waterglass.io
- Bob De Wilde: Founder, ADELANTUM Services
- Carol Constant: Founder & CEO, WhomLab 🧩
- Carolin Schneider: Founder & CEO, 4di2 GmbH
- Charlotte Christensen: Executive Director, Fintocat
- Christian Zeidler: Co-Founder and CEO, Adaptive
- Christopher Polligkeit: Investor, Plug and Play
- Connor Sattely: CEO, Founder Institute
- Daan Weddepohl: CEO & Founder, Sellster.ai
- Daniela Haunstein: Managing Director, invest.austria
- David Cabezon Egurrola: Plug and Play Health Ventures Fellow, baby vc | Plug and Play | Slush
- Dominique Dufour: CEO, Blue Wave Consulting
- Dr. Karen Wendt: President, SFTL - SwissFinTechLadies
- Ebin Ephrem Elavathingal: Director/Tecknogog, MERSTRA Foundation / MITC
- Edouard Renard: Founder Founder, The Robotics Backend
- Eleni Lialiamou: Founder, Kimolian Academy
- Elisabeth Siencnik: Startup Coach, Elisabeth Siencnik
- Emma Rees: Executive Chair, Deployed
- Erika Darmstaedter: Co-Founder, Collective63
- Fabian Geyrhalter: Founder and Principal, FINIEN
- Felix Kernbichler: Attorney at Law, Kernbichler Law
- Ferdinand Dietrich: Co- Founder, Storebox
- Firas Saedaddin: CEO, AGA Group GmbH
- Florian Wimmer: Co-Founder & CEO, Blockpit AG
- Florian Kandler: Pitch & Fundraising Expert, Der Perfekte Pitch
- Franklin Kamnang Ngansop: Co-Founder, Vitamin CS Coaching
- Gal Nachum: Active Chairman, xFind / Cognishape
- Georg Schmidt Sailer: Serial Founder, Country Leader myneva Austria
- Georg Molzer: CEO & Founder, Shadowmap
- Gernot Singer: Founder, Angel Investor
- Gregor Zehetner: Founder, GZE Advisory
- Guillaume Balas: Angel Investor | Mentor | Entrepreneur, 3scale / Meta Pool / The Inbound Labs / Tings
- Guy Zurawel: Angel Investor
- Huang Chen: DigiDream Solutions e.U. || CEO & Founder || Product Owner & Manager, DigiDream Solutions e.U
- Ifeoluwa Ogunbufunmi, SWIF
- Ivan Zamesin: Founder, Advanced JTBD Academy
- Jack Eastwood: Co-Founder, Protium
- Jakobus Schuster: CEO & Co-Founder, notarity
- Jay Marathe: Fundraising adviser and investment banker for growth companies in energy technologies, Bryan, Garnier & Co.
- Jiaran Wang: CEO, Expand Future GmbH
- Jimmy Jaspers: Founder, CEO, Vincitori Technologies
- Johannes Blaschke: Partner, Calm/Storm
- Juan Guerra: Designing Scalable Service Businesses, Scaleyard
- Julia Wagner: VC, Positron Ventures
- Kambis Kohansal Vajargah: Head of Startup-Services and Deputy Head of Founder-Services, Austrian Federal Economic Chamber
- Kasia Sadowska: Founder, FutureHabits.Tech
- Kiziltan Yüceil: Venture Strategy Domain Lead, Niterra Ventures
- Laura Raggl: Managing Partner, ROI Ventures
- Laura Warnier: Chief Growth Officer, Sunrise
- Leen Segers: Managing Director, ForsVC
- Linda Lorenzoni: Founder & CEO, Gastro Exclusive GmbH
- Lisa Pallweber: Managing Partner, Hans(wo)men Group
- Lubomila Jordanova: CEO, Plan A
- Lucy Izquierdo Greene: VC Investor, Fund F
- Lukas Wieser: Co-Founder, myflexbox
- Malgorzata Goraczek: Founder, Funding Coach
- Marco Kogler: Co-Founder & Managing Partner, FuzeQube Group
- Mario Deubler: Founder, mariodeubler.com
- Martin Frühwirt, enablico
- Martina Vitezova: Managing Director, NextPlay
- Mathieu Romary: Founder, evoilabs
- Michael Schneider: Founder, Seedraisr
- Michael Kowatschew: Founder, Heizma
- Michael Innerebner: Angel Investor, Investor
- Michael Dobersberger: Co-Director, Open Austria
- Moritz Lechner: Founder & CEO, New Fluence
- Nicolas Benady: CEO, SWAN
- Nik Zechner: Founder & Managing Director, Grauberg
- Nina Sophie Sczepurek: Co-Founder & COO, leitzcloud by vBoxx
- Oleksandr Kalinchuk: Investment Officer, EIT Manfacturing
- Pamela Wolf: Operating Partner / Advisor, ex-Coty / ex-Salesforce
- Peiman Zamani: CEO, 4u-ventures
- Philippa Allen: Investment Manager, Calm/Storm
- Pouria Kay: Founding Partner, Atlan
- Réginald Bien Aimé: Founder & Managing Director, Veelab
- Sara Bentsen: COO and Co-Founder, Scale to Global
- Sarah Lechner: Founder & Coach, Centered Leadership & Culture
- Sebastian Haid: Founder, HeadwAI GmbH
- S.K. Lee: Angel/LP + Coach, Launch Lab
- Stavros Pavlidis: operator, risk-taker, venture builder, and capital allocator | direct investments, venture capital, multi-asset, derivatives | family office | zero-to-IPO, independent advisor
- Stephan Kreiger: Director, FI Austria
- Suraj Nathwani: Regional Partner, Boardio
- Tal Tuchman: Global Director, Deel
- Taryn Andersen: President & Co-Founder , Impulse4Women
- Thomas Walbert: Ecosystem Leader, DEEP Ecosystems
- Urška Jež: Founder and CEO, Transformation Lighthouse
- U Shin Kim, U-Shin Group Agency (UGA)
- Valentijn Koppenaal: Co-founder & CEO, leitzcloud by vBoxx
- Valentin Krenkel: Deputy Managing Director, invest.austria
- Valentina Podda, Radical Value
- Xiaomin Mou: Head of Venture Capital Investments, Central Eastern Europe, IFC - International Finance Corporation
- 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 organization's mission is to "Globalize Silicon Valley" and build sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.
Join us in Vienna and help build the future.
Apply to the Austria Fall 2026 Founder Institute today, or learn more at FI.co/overview.
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