The San Diego Founder Institute, the local chapter of the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator, is proud to announce the newest Alumni from the San Diego 2023 program.
After meticulous selection process and intense four months of aggressive business-building sprints, constant evaluation, and feedback from investors and mentors, just 15 companies were able to make it through.
Each of these Founders have demonstrated a high level of perseverance and creativity, and their businesses have been thoroughly vetted and supported by a panel of San Diego's top startup experts and investors.
And now, without further ado, we present the Alumni of the San Diego program:
- Izit - a company that helps independent businesses get the exposure they need while catering to customers who are searching for unique experiences.
- Vibey - createing software that helps multifamily operators transform their apartment buildings into vibrant and lively communities.
- Shiine - an early stage SaaS platform providing underserved communities with mental health support using the latest matching technology.
- Inward - an immersive AI-powered biofeedback meditation system to make healing, peace and productivity possible for the 21st century mind.
- Planned - a solution that helps young professionals break the paycheck to paycheck cycle and start saving for their future.
- Sword Voodoo - a hybrid gaming and content platform designed to empower creators and innovators, offering immersive, interactive 3D models.
- JAERIMY - a wellness and personal safety app designed to address the challenges faced by individuals who live alone with chronic health conditions, disabilities, or elderly who lack regular visitors.
- Primp - rental service shipping an all inclusive hair styling box to your travel destination allowing you to skip checking a bag or restricting your hair products to carry on amounts.
- SoWork - a market research service that guides brands to allocate marketing resources in the right place with billions of data and dozens of framework.
- matchHHa - an app matching health agencies struggling with recruiting and retaining healthcare workers to connect with professionals.
- Take Care - a solution helpsing older adults & their families navigate the aging process.
- Aribaro Company - a startup for all natural pet treats inspired by Korea.
- MoonPads - a social enterprise that sells biodegradable and compostable pads and tampons.
- Ayuda Care - a referral platform for behavioral health providers so clients don't have to make numerous calls to negotiate availability.
- React Motors - a company building a competitive EV model and using our unique manufacturing approach.
The San Diego Fall 2025 program would not have been possible without help, because it truly takes a city to raise a startup.
San Diego Local Directors
We would first like to thank the Local Director of the San Diego Founder Institute: Mike Sherbakov (General Partner, The Veteran Fund), Ryan Micheletti (Head of Global Operations, Founder Institute). Our Local Leaders play an incredibly important role in building the local Founder Institute program, and creating an environment and network in San Diego that is conducive to building to great companies.
In addition, the San Diego 2023 program was supported by some of San Diego's top technology organizations, including:
Some of San Diego’s top startup mentors helped our founders in the program, including:
In the Founder Institute's pre-seed accelerator program, early-stage entrepreneurs and teams build their business alongside a critical support network of local startup experts that share equity in their success, and through a structured and challenging business-building process that has helped alumni raise over $1.85BN.
After Graduation, the new San Diego Founder Institute Portfolio Companies now have a fast-growing company that has been fully validated by experienced startup founders, with access to the Founder Institute's global network and post-graduate support programs to continue building their business.
Leaders of the world’s fastest-growing startups have used the Founder Institute to raise funding, building a co-founding team, get into seed-accelerators, generate traction, recruit a team, build a product, transition from employee to entrepreneur, and more. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200+ cities and 100+ countries, the Founder Institute’s mission is to Globalize Silicon Valley and empower talented and motivated entrepreneurs to build companies that will create one million new jobs.
The next San Diego Founder Institute program is being planned now. If you are interested in being notified when applications open, visit FI.co/apply/san-diego.
Alumni of the Founder Institute are creating some of the world's fastest growing startups, having raised over $1.85BN in funding, and building products people love across over 200 cities worldwide.
See the most recent news from our Grads at FI.co/news, or learn more about their stories at FI.co/graduates.
