The Founder Institute, the world's largest start-up technology company accelerator, is currently testing the demand for opening its newest chapter in Baltimore, Maryland for the Winter Session of 2013.
The Founder Institute, in just over four years of operation, has helped launch 1000 companies across 55 cities and six continents. Through its part-time, four-month entrepreneurial program, existing and prospective founders "learn by doing" and launch a technology company through structured training courses, practical business-building assignments, and expert feedback from a large network of business mentors. In addition, since sessions take place once a week at night, participants are not required to leave their day jobs.
If you'd like to help bring this great program to Baltimore, then please fill out an Interest Form today. If enough people fill out this form and express interest by Sunday, November 3, then the Founder Institute will formally launch a Baltimore Chapter.
As part of the evaluation process for testing a launch in Baltimore, the Founder Institute will be hosting a number of free events in the city, including;
- Baltimore Founder Hotseat Webinar with Adeo Ressi: Thursday, October 24, 12:15pm
- From Employee to Entrepreneur: Tuesday, October 29, featuring James Foster, Founder & CEO of Riskive
- FI Information Session: Monday, November 4
Leading the Founder Institute efforts in Baltimore are three leaders at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School - Rick Milter and Jim Liew (both full-time professors), and Neil Kleinberg (adjunct professor and Founder/CEO of DiliVer).
Several entrepreneurs with ties to the local community will serve as mentors in the program, including:
- Arleen Zank, Founder/CEO Wayfinder Digital
- Brian Razzaque, Founder/CEO SocialToaster
- Donna Howell, Chief of Staff/Director to the CEO Freddie Mac
- Graham Edwards, XSeed Capital Management Entrepreneur in Residence
- James Foster, Founder/CEO Riskive
- Jared Max Hendler, UBS Private Wealth Advisor
- Joe Drimer, Founder/VP ClearInsight Solutions
- Jon Finkelstein, Founder/CEO Orion Infosys
- Mike Silva, Founder/CEO KnuVu
- Raphael Badagliacca, Founder/CEO SpaceMaster
- Ron Szpatura, Founder/CEO Landmarks
- Sarah Golightly, Founder/CEO GoLightly
- and many more, to be announced.
The Founder Institute program is open to anyone that is passionate about building a technology company: idea or no idea, full-time job or unemployed, young or old, male or female, experienced in business, or straight out of school. It supports a wide range of technology-related sub-industries, including software, digital media, advertising, ecommerce, biotech, clean energy tech, consumer electronics, and more.
Help bring the Founder Institute to Baltimore and fill out an Interest Form today. For more information, visit the Founder Institute corporate website.
