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 7,500 Alumni raise over $1.85BN 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:
- Future-proofing CPG Brands: Key Strategies for Sustainable Growth: 4:00pm, May 15, 2025 (Europe/Vienna): https://FI.co/e/370943
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- Launching and Scaling Startups in Europe: Insights from FI Founders: 7:00pm, May 19, 2025 (Europe/Vienna): https://FI.co/e/369153
- Lessons Learned Raising from Top Silicon Valley VCs: AMA with Rajeev Behera: 6:00pm, May 29, 2025 (Europe/Vienna): https://FI.co/e/371185
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 7:00pm, Jun 02, 2025 (Europe/Vienna): https://FI.co/e/370532
- How to Build Your MVP Using Artificial Intelligence : 7:00pm, Jun 04, 2025 (Europe/Vienna): https://FI.co/e/371320
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 2:00am, Jun 10, 2025 (Europe/Vienna): https://FI.co/e/370868
- FI Alumni Panel: Meet Portfolio Companies and Ask Questions: 7:00pm, Jun 23, 2025 (Europe/Vienna): https://FI.co/e/371730
- Startup Finance & Banking Basics: AMA with Grasshopper Bank: 7:00pm, Jun 25, 2025 (Europe/Vienna): https://FI.co/e/371931
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 7:00pm, Jun 30, 2025 (Europe/Vienna): https://FI.co/e/371572
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 7:00pm, Jul 07, 2025 (Europe/Vienna): https://FI.co/e/370305
The experts that have been critical in bringing the Founder Institute to Vienna include local startup leaders Associate FI Austria (Associate, FI Austria), Jacqueline Kressner (Impact Advisor, JK Advisory), Kasia Sadowska (Founder, Kimolian Innovation), Stanish Gunasekaran (Visiting Chief of Staff, 4P Capital), 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 2025 Founder Institute program, including:
- Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO PLATFORM
- Adrian Zettl: Managing Director, Austrian Startups
- Alexander Schwartz: Partner, xista science ventures
- Alexander Brix: Former COO of Kaleido AI (acq. by Canva), Canva
- Andras Galffy: Founder, CEO & Head of Research, Turbulence Solutions
- Andreas Fischer: Founding Partner, First Momentum Ventures
- Andrei Podlesnyi: Investment Manager, Triple Impact Ventures
- Assen Plevneliev: Chief of Staff , Sigma Squared Society
- Benjamin Ruschin: Managing Partner, Big Cheese Ventures
- Bernhard Holzer: CEO, Woodspr
- Christian Csank: Founder & CEO, Sorex
- Christian Zeidler: Co-Founder and CEO, Adaptive
- Christopher Polligkeit: Investor, Plug and Play
- Cihan Kadir: Co-Founder, VolaTec
- Daniela Haunstein: Managing Director, invest.austria
- Ebin Ephrem Elavathingal: Director/Tecknogog, MERSTRA Foundation / MITC
- Eleni Lialiamou: Founder, Kimolian Academy
- Elisabeth Siencnik: Startup Coach, Elisabeth Siencnik
- Emma Rees: CEO , Deployed
- Evelina Lundqvist: Sustainable business development and upskilling consultant, The Good Tribe
- 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
- Georg Schmidt Sailer: Founder & CEO, Trateco
- Gregor Zehetner: Co-Founder, Tapkey
- Ifeoluwa Ogunbufunmi, SWIF
- Jacqueline Kressner: Co-lead, Founder Institute Vienna
- Jakobus Schuster: CEO & Co-Founder, notarity
- Jay Marathe: MD, Bryan, Garnier & Co.
- Jiaran Wang: CEO, Artciety
- Johannes Blaschke: Principal, Calm/Storm
- Julia Wagner: VC, Positron Ventures
- Julia Eisner: Researcher & Lecturer, Fachhochschule Wiener Neustadt
- Kambis Kohansal Vajargah: Head of Startup-Services and Deputy Head of Founder-Services, Austrian Federal Economic Chamber
- Kasia Sadowska: Co-Founder and CEO, Kimolian Innovations
- Laura Raggl: Managing Partner, ROI Ventures
- Laura Warnier: Chief Growth Officer, Sunrise
- Lisa Pallweber: Managing Partner, Hans(wo)men Group
- Lubomila Jordanova: CEO, Plan A
- Lukas Wieser: Co-CEO & Founder, myflexbox
- Maggie Childs: CEO , mypaperwork.ai
- Malgorzata Goraczek: Funding Coach, Funding Coach Malgorzata Goraczek e.U.
- Mariya Konstantinova: CFO, Founder Institute
- Martin Frühwirt, enablico
- Martina Vitezova: Managing Director, NextPlay
- Michael Schneider: Founder, Seedraisr
- Michael Kowatschew: Founder, Heizma
- Michaela Stephen: Co-Founder and Co-CEO, MATR
- Moritz Lechner: Founder & CEO, New Fluence
- Nicolas Benady: CEO, SWAN
- Nikhil Ninne: CEO , Fermapulse
- Niklas Benesch: Principal, ROI Ventures
- Nikolaus Hutter: Partner & Co-Founder, Relevant Ventures
- Peiman Zamani: CEO, 4u-ventures
- Philippa Allen: Investment Manager, Calm/Storm
- Rima Suppan: CEO, Peachies
- Rudolf Dömötör: Director, WU Entrepreneurship Center
- Salmine Sassi: Entrepreneur in Residence, Seedstars
- Sara Bentsen: COO and Co-Founder, Scale to Global
- Sebastian Haid: Founder, HeadwAI GmbH
- Sergiu Ardelean: Co-Founder, CEO, Artivive
- Simon Führer: Associate, FI Austria
- Stanish Gunasekaran: Investor, Included VC
- Stefan Kainz: Investment Director Impact Investing, C.E.L.L. Investment GmbH
- Stephan Kreiger: Director, FI Vienna
- Steven Desmyter: President, Man Group
- Suraj Nathwani: Regional Partner, Boardio
- Thomas Walbert: Ecosystem Leader, DEEP Ecosystems
- Urška Jež: Founder and CEO, Transformation Lighthouse
- Verena Judmayer: CEO , MATR
- Viktoria Zimm: Managing Director Impact Investments, C.E.L.L. Investment GmbH
- Viktoria Tollinger: Programme Lead, I.E.C.T. - Hermann Hauser Management GmbH
- Vlad Gozman: Co-Founder & CEO, involve.me
- Vladimir Pletyukhin: Founder and Creative Director, Launch Deck
- Xiaomin Mou: Head of Venture Capital Investments, Central Eastern Europe, IFC - International Finance Corporation
- Yuliya Daineko: Head of Product Portfolio Evolution B2X, A1 Telekom Austria
- 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 2025 Founder Institute today, or learn more at FI.co/overview.
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