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 7,800 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 Adelaide, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs and hear more about the program:
- Founder’s Guide to AI: Creating Effective Content with AI: 2:30am, Jul 03, 2025 (Australia/Adelaide): https://FI.co/e/374038
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 2:30am, Jul 08, 2025 (Australia/Adelaide): https://FI.co/e/370444
- Founder’s Guide to AI: Building an MVP with No Coding Skills : 2:30am, Jul 10, 2025 (Australia/Adelaide): https://FI.co/e/374099
- Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Sonam Velani: 2:30am, Jul 15, 2025 (Australia/Adelaide): https://FI.co/e/374717
- Sales Growth b2b & b2c with AI: Masterclass with William Wang: 5:30pm, Jul 15, 2025 (Australia/Adelaide): https://FI.co/e/372732
- Founder’s Guide to AI: Using AI to Increase Productivity: 2:30am, Jul 17, 2025 (Australia/Adelaide): https://FI.co/e/374106
- Founder’s Guide to AI: Using Agentic Workflows to Automate Repetitive Tasks: 2:30am, Jul 24, 2025 (Australia/Adelaide): https://FI.co/e/374135
- Responsible AI for Startups: Frameworks You Can Apply from Day One: 2:30am, Jul 29, 2025 (Australia/Adelaide): https://FI.co/e/376205
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 2:30am, Aug 12, 2025 (Australia/Adelaide): https://FI.co/e/374672
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 2:30am, Aug 19, 2025 (Australia/Adelaide): https://FI.co/e/374877
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 2:30am, Aug 26, 2025 (Australia/Adelaide): https://FI.co/e/375559
- How to Get Investors to Notice Your Startup: AMA with Marta Marrucco: 2:30am, Sep 18, 2025 (Australia/Adelaide): https://FI.co/e/373831
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 Spring 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, 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
- Allan Lalic: Co-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: 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: Serial Entrepreneur , Teem Inc. www.teem.inc
- 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: 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: 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
- 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
- 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: 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
- 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: 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
- 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
- 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 organization's mission is to "Globalize Silicon Valley" and build sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.
Join us in Adelaide to build a great company in 2019.
Apply to the Adelaide - Australia Spring 2025 Founder Institute today, or learn more at FI.co/overview.
