Founder Institute Officially Launches Pre-Seed Startup Accelerator in Adelaide

The Founder Institute, the world’s largest pre-seed startup accelerator, announced today that it is officially launching its newest chapter in Adelaide. While the Silicon-Valley based program has chapters in over 200 cities worldwide, early-stage entrepreneurs in Adelaide 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 Adelaide Founder Institute are now open, and anyone interested in building a technology company can apply at FI.co/apply/adelaide.

The Founder Institute provides high-potential entrepreneurs and teams with the support network and structure needed to build an enduring company, from launch to team and funding. Since 2009, the program has helped over 8,100 Graduates raise over 1.9BN 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 Adelaide, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs and hear more about the program:

Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 3:30am, Oct 07, 2025 (Australia/Adelaide): https://FI.co/e/379045
Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 3:30am, Oct 28, 2025 (Australia/Adelaide): https://FI.co/e/379033
How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 11:30am, Nov 11, 2025 (Australia/Adelaide): https://FI.co/e/378876
Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Kirby Winfield: 4:30am, Nov 18, 2025 (Australia/Adelaide): https://FI.co/e/379469
Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 4:30am, Nov 25, 2025 (Australia/Adelaide): https://FI.co/e/379606

See all upcoming events

The experts that have been critical in bringing the Founder Institute to Adelaide include local startup leaders Callan Sarre (Director, Cryptocate), James Scott (Co-Founder, MYNTD), Luke Lombe (Founder, Echelon One), and Salomon Sverdlov (Founder, Bchain).

I’m excited to be localising a chapter of the Founder Institute and believe it is a great opportunity for South Australian startups, since it connects us to a global network of successful entrepreneurs. I see it as a mechanism to bring the passion, hunger and effectiveness of Silicon Valley technology companies to a broader audience in Adelaide, which will help us as a community to meet and exceed global competitive standards.
- Callan Sarre

In addition, many of the region's top founders, CEOs, advisors, and investors have signed on to mentor new entrepreneurs in the Adelaide - Australia Summer 2026 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, Titanium Ventures (Former 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
Alex Sy: Managing Director, ATLAS Business Consulting and Mentoring Services
Alex Xu: Co-Founder & Idea Builder, 100 Bad Ideas
Allan Lalic: Founder, Kebloom
Amit Verma: Senior Manager, Listings, ASX
Anna Cheng: Head of Growth & Engagement Marketing, Turo Australia. Ex HealthMatch Ex Brighte Ex Spaceship
Anne Marie Elias: chief disrupter, Founder, PrimeLife Partners, innovating longevity & care
Annie Le Cavalier: Program Manager - Ecosystem & Partnerships, CSIRO's ON Innovation Programs
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: Serial Entrepreneur , Teem
Chris Clark: Chris Clark, Teem / GeoSnapShot
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: Founder & CEO, StackUp www.stackup.tech
Daniel Lohrmann: Managing Director, ikaros
Darsel Keane: Director, University of Auckland
David Kenney: Founder, Epic Execution Pty Ltd
Dean Mc Evoy: Non Executive Director, Investor and Adviser, TechSydney
Debra Taylor: Non Executive Director, Stone and Chalk
Dennis Kibirev: Marketing Exec | Venture Growth Strategist, Top 1% Rated Startup Mentor
Dmitri Voronenko: Technology Leader | Advisor | Mentor, 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
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
Hendrik Remigereau: Venture Partner, NZVC
Hugh Treseder: Founder, Floatspace
Jack Qi: Director, William Buck
Jakomi Mathews: CEO, goto.health
James Moody: CEO, Sendle
Jane Cockburn: CEO and Founder, Kairos Now
Jeeva Suresh: Founder & CEO, Helix
Jeremy Chetty: Co-founder, Student Edge
Jo Ucukalo: CEO, Handle My Complaint
Jo Ann Suchard: Angel investor, Sydney Angels
Joanne Jacobs: Co-CEO, Disruptor's Handbook
Jonathon Wilkinson: Co-founder, Equitise
Julian Luca: Startups | Investments | Community Building, Previously Fishburners & Innovation Bay
Kate Ringvall: Co-Founder, Galactic Cooperative
Katherine Gokavi Whaley: Founder, SheLeads Coaching
Kenny Wong, 1in100 Ventures
Kim McGuinness: Strategic Relationships Director, SBE Australia
Leila Alem: Chief Innovation Officer, ArcSense
Libby Roberts: Founder, LeapForward.ai
Lisa Cotton: Fractional, Advisory and Coaching, Lisa Cotton
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
Naily Makangu: Founder & Director, Athena Leaders
Natalie Nguyen: Founder, Hyper Anna
Neil Smith DUPLICATE PROFILE: CTO, Simple KYC
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
Peter Mc William: Fractional CFO, Former CFO, jayride.com
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: CEO and Co-Founder, Finoya.ai
Richard Dale: Committee Member, Sydney Angels Inc.
Ritesh Garg: Country Head, Urban Home Experts Pty Ltd
Roger Do: CEO, Co-Founder, Watchdog Cyber Defense
Romain Bonjean: Founder, CEO, RoseRx
Roman Kovalenko: Chief Data Officer, Reserve Bank of Australia
Romane Delvallee: Venture Capital, Gandel Invest
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
Sameer Karulkar: Founder and Partner, Coverpage Ventures Advisory LLP
Sandrina Postorino: Committee Member, Sydney Angels Inc.
Scott Crowe: Lead Recruiter, Canva
Scott Glew: Organizer, Morning Startup Perth
Scott Dommett: Former 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
Stella Xu: Founder, Lucky Lock
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: previous founder & previously Growth, beforepay.com.au
Tony Sinclair: Director of Venture Debt, Cataliize
Vanessa Ronan Pearce: Head of Growth, Wych Money
Vanessa Mouledous: Brand-built Growth Expert, Mentor, Advisor to startups, North
Vern Chan: Certified Startup Coach, Your Pivot
Will Davies: CEO, Car Next Door
Will Ericksson: Director, Trainer/Mentor, Momentum Academy / Momentumgroup.tech
William Wang: Exited Founder/CEO, Scale Tribe
William Mc Cahey: Partner, Think & Grow, and Growth Advisor
Yash Varma: Founder & General Partner, Empress Capital

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.