More than ever, the world needs entrepreneurs from around the globe to answer the call for innovation, and build a better post-Covid 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 Auckland. While the Silicon-Valley based program has chapters in over 200 cities worldwide, early-stage entrepreneurs in New Zealand - Australia Summer 2025 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 New Zealand Founder Institute are now open, and anyone interested in building a technology company can apply at FI.co/apply/auckland.
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 Auckland, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs and hear more about the program from the comfort of your home:
- Startup Funding AMA & Founder Institute Info Session, with Jonathan Greechan (CEO, Founder Institute): 7:00am, Dec 31, 2024 (Pacific/Auckland): https://FI.co/e/360224
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- Startup Funding AMA & Founder Institute Info Session, with Jonathan Greechan (CEO, Founder Institute): 2:00pm, Jan 03, 2025 (Pacific/Auckland): https://FI.co/e/360319
- How to Go from 0 to 1: Scaling and Exiting Your Startup with Mark Balovnev: 7:00am, Jan 07, 2025 (Pacific/Auckland): https://FI.co/e/363230
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Technical Co-Founder: 7:00am, Jan 09, 2025 (Pacific/Auckland): https://FI.co/e/361606
- Startup to Scale-Up: Mastering Sales & Branding with Mark Kosoglow: 7:00am, Jan 14, 2025 (Pacific/Auckland): https://FI.co/e/360988
- How to Build, Fundraise, and Exit Your Startup: AMA with Tim Grassin: 11:00pm, Jan 15, 2025 (Pacific/Auckland): https://FI.co/e/363369
- Pitch Your Startup to Australian ANZ Investors & Experts, Online: 8:00pm, Jan 21, 2025 (Pacific/Auckland): https://FI.co/e/362938
- What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 2:00pm, Jan 23, 2025 (Pacific/Auckland): https://FI.co/e/361827
- How to Align Your Brand Messaging with Your Startup Mission: 7:00am, Jan 28, 2025 (Pacific/Auckland): https://FI.co/e/363086
- FI Alumni Panel: Meet Portfolio Companies and Ask Questions: 7:00am, Jan 30, 2025 (Pacific/Auckland): https://FI.co/e/363590
- Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Trasition to Startup Founder : 2:00pm, Feb 04, 2025 (Pacific/Auckland): https://FI.co/e/363708
- Startup Funding Landscape Australia ANZ, ft NZ VC & Right Click Capital: 8:00pm, Feb 04, 2025 (Pacific/Auckland): https://FI.co/e/362943
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 7:00am, Feb 06, 2025 (Pacific/Auckland): https://FI.co/e/363921
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 7:00am, Feb 11, 2025 (Pacific/Auckland): https://FI.co/e/364089
The experts that have been critical in bringing the Founder Institute to New Zealand include local startup leaders Benjamin Chong (Partner, Right Click Capital), Paul Krajewski (Product Management / Research MarTech SaaS, SalesEnablement.wordpress.com/about), Sydney Admin (FI Admin account, FI Sydney).
Opportunities are flourishing in Auckland. There's now a great ecosystem for entrepreneurs - from crowdfunding platforms to co-working spaces. 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 New Zealand - Australia Summer 2025 Founder Institute program, including:
- 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, Telstra Ventures
- Alejandro Patterson: Principal Product Manager , Honey Insurance
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Eitan Bienstock: Managing Director, Techbench Capital
- Elizabeth Kaelin: MSc, RDN & Finance Lecturer, UTS Business School
- Eran Ben Shahar: Tech Advisor, KeyQC - AI & Quantum Computing Powerhub
- Erwin Van Der Koogh: Founder/CEO, Linc
- Franziska Iseli: Founder, Basic Bananas
- Gautam Mishra: Founder / CEO, inkl
- 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
- Jack Qi: Director, William Buck
- James Moody: CEO, Sendle
- Jane Cockburn: CEO and Founder, Kairos Now
- Jeeva Suresh: Founder & CEO, Helix
- Jeff Perlman: Founder, Revenue Ninja (revenue.ninja)
- 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
- John Pennington: Former CEO & Founder, Rfider Limited
- John Pennington: CEO
- Kate Ringvall: Co-Founder, Galactic Cooperative
- Kim McGuinness: Strategic Relationships Director, SBE Australia
- Leila Alem: Chief Design and Innovation and Adj Professor, ArcSense
- Liam Darmody: Fractional Product Leader, Advisor & Coach, liamdarmody.com
- 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
- Michael Taus: Founder / CMO, Rent.com, CrowdStreet, Rentable, Amplion, FoundersPad
- Michelle Gilmore: CEO, heyjuno.co
- Mitchell Pham: Chairperson, NZTech
- Neil Smith: CTO, Simple KYC
- Nhat Nguyen: CEO, Otrafy
- 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
- Pete Horsley: Founder, Remarkable Tech
- 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
- Roman Kovalenko: Chief Data Officer, Reserve Bank of Australia
- Ron Hill: Managing Director, sunramp.co
- 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
- 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 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 organization's mission is to "Globalize Silicon Valley" and build sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.
Join us in New Zealand and help build the future.
Apply to the New Zealand - Australia Summer 2025 Founder Institute today, or learn more at FI.co/overview.
---
