The Founder Institute, world's largest entrepreneur training and startup launch program, is now accepting applications for the Belgium - Austria Fall 2026 Semester.
Since launching in Brussels in 2011, the Founder Institute has spawned 31 companies and entrepreneurs in the region, including top local startups like Bububox, 2houses, Vinogusto, and more. After a nearly two-year hiatus after our local Directors left the country, we are now excited to re-launch in Belgium and help launch more companies!
If you could benefit from expert training and advice to launch a technology startup in Brussels, click here to apply today.
Those who apply by the Early Admissions Deadline (Sep 01, 2026) will have their application fees waived (typically $50) and are eligible for Founder Institute Fellowships.
In order to celebrate the launch, the Brussels Founder Institute will host a "Pre-Curriculum" of free startup events for the general public:
- The AI-Native Founder Revolution: Build Your Company Faster Than Ever : 6:00pm, Jul 08, 2026 (Europe/Brussels): https://FI.co/e/401628
- Venture Trailblazers featuring Tim Draper: 5:00pm, Jul 09, 2026 (Europe/Brussels): https://FI.co/e/402024
- Go From Idea to Working App with AI, Featuring Adeo Ressi: 7:00pm, Jul 09, 2026 (Europe/Brussels): https://FI.co/e/402151
- How to Build Without a Team Using AI with Jonathan Greechan: 6:00pm, Jul 14, 2026 (Europe/Brussels): https://FI.co/e/401853
- How to fund your startup in Europe, feat. Fund F and XISTA Science Ventures: 6:30pm, Jul 15, 2026 (Europe/Brussels): https://FI.co/e/401813
- Stop Overthinking and Build a Great Startup Idea: 6:00pm, Jul 20, 2026 (Europe/Brussels): https://FI.co/e/395079
- [Restricted] VIP Pitch Lounge: Pitch Live and Get Feedback from Investors & Advisors: 6:00pm, Jul 28, 2026 (Europe/Brussels): https://FI.co/e/401149
- Learn from AI-Native Solo Alumni: How FI Grads Built Without a Co-Founder: 6:00pm, Aug 04, 2026 (Europe/Brussels): https://FI.co/e/395137
- From Idea to Action: The Startup Mindset : 2:30pm, Aug 10, 2026 (Europe/Brussels): https://FI.co/e/395108
- FounderX Silicon Valley 2026: Global Conference in San Francisco: 2:00am, Aug 26, 2026 (Europe/Brussels): https://FI.co/e/399795
- What Makes Investors Say Yes: Startup Funding AMA: 6:00pm, Sep 01, 2026 (Europe/Brussels): https://FI.co/e/395192
- How to Build a Strong Pipeline of Entrepreneurs for your Innovation Hub: 6:00pm, Sep 15, 2026 (Europe/Brussels): https://FI.co/e/398290
- From Dreamer to Doer: Build the Founder Mindset: 6:00pm, Oct 13, 2026 (Europe/Brussels): https://FI.co/e/395266
- From Founder to Funded: Interactive Q&A with Top Startup Investor: 6:00pm, Nov 03, 2026 (Europe/Brussels): https://FI.co/e/395290
- From First Idea to First Funding: Global Alumni Stories: 6:00pm, Dec 01, 2026 (Europe/Brussels): https://FI.co/e/395337
In the Founder Institute's four-month, part-time program, promising entrepreneurs “learn by doing” and launch a company through structured training courses, practical business-building assignments, and expert feedback from a large network of business mentors. Plus, aspiring founders are not required to quit their day job to participate, so they can begin building a business around their ideas without putting their livelihood at risk.
Leading the Founder Institute's efforts in Brussels are Bryan Cassady, Managing Director of Fast Bridge Consulting, and Pieter Dubois, Interim Manager & Senior Management Consultant at Inno.com.
Other successful entrepreneurs who have signed on to mentor founders in the program include:
- Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO PLATFORM
- Adrian Zettl: Managing Director, Austrian Startups
- Adrian Rhomberg: Senior Investment Associate, Gateway Ventures
- Ajay Singh: Head of Technology, Innovations and Startups, Austrian Embassy Commercial Section, India
- Alexander Schwartz: Partner, xista science ventures
- 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
- Andrei Podlesnyi: Investment Manager, Triple Impact Ventures
- Annu Gmeiner: Principal , Xista Science Ventures
- Barbara Van Lodensteijn: Founder & Business Psychologist MSC, Vision Aligns
- Benjamin Ruschin: Managing Partner, Big Cheese Ventures
- Bernhard Holzer: CEO, Woodspr
- Bernhard Hauser: Founder, Waterglass.io
- Bob De Wilde: Founder, ADELANTUM Services
- Carol Constant: Founder & CEO, WhomLab 🧩
- Charlotte Christensen: Executive Director, Fintocat
- Christian Csank: Founder & CEO, Sorex
- Christian Zeidler: Co-Founder and CEO, Adaptive
- Christopher Polligkeit: Investor, Plug and Play
- Cihan Kadir: CEO, VolaTec
- Cristina Fonseca: Innovation Lead, Rockstart
- Daan Weddepohl: CEO & Founder, Peerby
- 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
- Evelina Lundqvist: Sustainable business development and upskilling consultant, The Good Tribe
- Fabian Geyrhalter: Founder and Principal, FINIEN
- Felix Kernbichler: Attorney at Law, Kernbichler Law
- Felix Günther: M.Sc. MBA, FIVE MORE
- 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
- Hannah Wundsam: Managing Director, Austrian Startups
- 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
- Jacqueline Kressner: Co-lead, Founder Institute Vienna
- 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
- 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
- Klaus Fuchs: Venture Lead , Wien Energie GmbH
- Konstantin Steiner: Sefl employed , Name
- 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
- Maggie Childs: CEO , mypaperwork.ai
- Malgorzata Goraczek: Founder, Funding Coach
- Marco Kogler: Co-Founder & Managing Partner, FuzeQube Group
- Mariya Konstantinova: CFO, Founder Institute
- Martin Frühwirt, enablico
- Martina Vitezova: Managing Director, NextPlay
- Michael Schneider: Founder, Seedraisr
- Michael Kowatschew: Founder, Heizma
- Michael Innerebner: Angel Investor, Investor
- Michael Dobersberger: Co-Director, Open Austria
- Michaela Stephen: Co-Founder and Co-CEO, MATR
- Moritz Lechner: Founder & CEO, New Fluence
- Nicolas Benady: CEO, SWAN
- Nik Zechner: Founder & Managing Director, Grauberg
- Nikhil Ninne: CEO , Fermapulse
- Niklas Benesch: Principal, ROI Ventures
- Nikolaus Hutter: Partner & Co-Founder, Relevant Ventures
- Nina Sophie Sczepurek: Co-Founder & COO, leitzcloud by vBoxx
- Oleksandr Kalinchuk: Investment Officer, EIT Manfacturing
- Pamela Wolf: Operating Partner, exCoty / exSalesforce
- Peiman Zamani: CEO, 4u-ventures
- Philippa Allen: Investment Manager, Calm/Storm
- Pouria Kay: Founding Partner, Atlan
- Rachana Ramchand: Co-Founder, Care&Bloom
- Réginald Bien Aimé: Founder & Managing Director, Veelab
- 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
- Sarah Lechner: Founder & Coach, Centered Leadership & Culture
- Sebastian Haid: Founder, HeadwAI GmbH
- Sergiu Ardelean: Co-Founder, CEO, Artivive
- Simon Führer: Associate, FI Austria
- Stanish Gunasekaran: Investor, Included VC
- Stavros Pavlidis: Head Direct and Strategic Investments, Deep Capital Group
- Stefan Kainz: Investment Director Impact Investing, C.E.L.L. Investment GmbH
- Stephan Kreiger: Director, FI Austria
- Steven Desmyter: President, Man Group
- Suraj Nathwani: Regional Partner, Boardio
- Taryn Andersen: President & Co-Founder , Impulse4Women
- Thomas Walbert: Ecosystem Leader, DEEP Ecosystems
- Umida Tulieva: Advisor, ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA Central Asia
- 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
- 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.
Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200 cities and 100 countries, the Founder Institute has helped launch over 9,000 companies, which have created over 30,000 new jobs. The company's mission is to “Globalize Silicon Valley” and create sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.
We hope you will join us in Brussels and launch a company in 2014.
