The Founder Institute (http://FI.co), the world's largest entrepreneur training and startup launch program, announced today that it is exploring a new semester launch in Nicosia in 2015.
Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200 cities and 100 countries, the Founder Institute has helped launch over 9,000 companies - including fast-rising startups across 6 continents like Udemy, Realty Mogul, iCarsClub, Itembase, goplaceit, Appota, and many more. The company's mission is to "Globalize Silicon Valley" and create sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.
If you'd like to help bring a semester to Nicosia, then fill out an Interest Form. If enough people complete this form by the Launch Deadline (Apr 21, 2026), then the Founder Institute will formally launch a Fall 2015 program.
The Founder Institute is a part-time, four-month program where promising entrepreneurs can "learn by doing" and launch a company through structured training courses and expert feedback from business mentors. Plus, you are not required to quit your day job to participate, so you can begin building a business around your ideas without putting your livelihood at risk.
In order to test demand for a 2015 program, the Founder Institute will host several free startup events;
- How to Find the First Customers for Your Startup Idea: 7:00pm, Aug 11, 2026 (Europe/Athens): https://FI.co/e/403311
- From Idea to Action: The Startup Mindset : 3:30pm, Aug 24, 2026 (Europe/Athens): https://FI.co/e/393331
- FounderX Silicon Valley 2026: Global Conference in San Francisco: 3:00am, Aug 26, 2026 (Europe/Athens): https://FI.co/e/399808
- Stop Guessing, Start Raising: An Investor Q&A: 7:00pm, Sep 01, 2026 (Europe/Athens): https://FI.co/e/392948
- [Restricted] VIP Pitch Lounge: Pitch Live and Get Feedback from Investors & Advisors: 7:00pm, Sep 08, 2026 (Europe/Athens): https://FI.co/e/401218
- How to Build a Strong Pipeline of Entrepreneurs for your Innovation Hub: 7:00pm, Sep 15, 2026 (Europe/Athens): https://FI.co/e/398361
- Break the Idea Loop and Decide What to Build: 3:00am, Sep 22, 2026 (Europe/Athens): https://FI.co/e/391582
- Learn from FI Grads: How to Build Without a Co-Founder: 7:00pm, Oct 06, 2026 (Europe/Athens): https://FI.co/e/391145
- From Dreamer to Doer: Build the Founder Mindset: 7:00pm, Oct 13, 2026 (Europe/Athens): https://FI.co/e/393461
- From Founder to Funded: Interactive Q&A with Top Startup Investor: 7:00pm, Nov 03, 2026 (Europe/Athens): https://FI.co/e/393108
- From “Maybe” to Momentum: Building a Great Startup Idea: 3:00am, Nov 18, 2026 (Europe/Athens): https://FI.co/e/391455
- From First Idea to First Funding: Global Alumni Stories: 7:00pm, Dec 01, 2026 (Europe/Athens): https://FI.co/e/391031
Leading the Founder Institute's efforts in Nicosia are Argyris Argyrou (Founder, AtYourService.com.cy), Peter Lazou (Business Mentor, Startup Live Academy), and Stavriana Kofteros (Lead Organizer, Startup Academy).
Other successful entrepreneurs who have pledged their support to mentor founders in a Nicosia Founder Institute program include:
- Alexis Piperides: CEO, Proto.io
- Ali Akber: Founding Engineer | AI Consultant | Fractional CTO
- Alina Andreieva: DesignThinkers Academy business partner, Ascent Group Managing Partner, DesignThinkers Academy
- Anastasios Avranas: Managing Partner, Interfima
- Andreas Mathikolonis: Head of Crypto Business Development (Strategy) , BLK Group
- Andrei Yarantsau, DeepTech CY
- Andrey Kostyuk: Co-Founder, AAlchemy Ventures Limited
- Artak Sahakyan: Tech blogger from Armenia, Artak's Tech blog
- Benoit Menardo: CEO, Co-Founder, Payflow
- Beny Rubinstein, Eng, M.B.A., PhD Candidate: Founder & CEO, BZR Insights
- Briken Bufi: CEO & Co-founder, Sainni AI
- Carmine Masiello: Entrepreneur, Mentor, CTO, KCYMA Studios Ltd
- Christiana Aristidou: International Business Lawyer, DEMOCRITOS ARISTIDOU & CO LAW FIRM
- Christina Michaelidou: Certified life and Business coach | Trainer | Author | Mentor | ICF CY Board director, DESIGN YOUR WINS
- Cyril Golub: Board Member, LatBAN
- Daniel Shterk: Founder & Chief Opportunity Curator, FundraisingDispatch.com
- David Petrosyan
- Dionysis Partsinevelos: Venture Capital, 33East | G4 Ventures
- Dr Mohsin Zahid: CEO, Neuron Solutions
- Edmund Frey
- Elena Michael: Founder, Evolving Minds & YoungstarsCyprus
- Frixos Larkos
- Gala Grigoreva: CMO/Go-to-Market and Growth Marketing Strategist , Adsterra
- Gary Stewart: Founder, MyCofoundr
- George Georgiou: CEO, Novatex Solutions
- George Economides: Vice-Chair at Totalserve Group | Partner at E & G Economides LLC, Totalserve Group
- Georgios Diamantopoulos: Founder, Zero to MVP
- Gillian Muessig: Ms, Mastersfund
- Ivan Yong: Organisational Pyschologist & Sales Coach, Nanyang Angelz Limited
- Janet Todorova: Head of Expansion, Founder Institute
- Julia Amatuni: Head of Strategy and Research, ASTERIADA | Strategy & Marketing
- Julia Liubimskaia: Founder & CEO, Asteriada Strategy & Marketing Agency
- Katya Solov: Founder, Miranna
- Lida Liberopoulou: AI Strategist, Threadbaire
- Maksim Leukhin: Head of Investor Relations , AAlchemy Ventures
- Maria Pallidou: Co-Founder and CFO , PhosPrint SA
- Maria Stylianou: Tech Leadership Consultant, Independent
- Marianna Prokopi Demetriades: Biotech Innovator, RSL Revolutionary Labs
- Marianna Hadjiandoniou, PERHA Group
- Mariano Kostelec: Founder & CEO, Inflection Systems
- Mario Paladini: Co-Founder & CEO, Club GLOBALS
- Melinda Bojte: Founder, Mels Digital, Aphrodite Events
- Moysis Moyseos: Incubator Manager , Gravity Ventures
- Nathan Evans: Founder | Angel Investor | Advisor , AURIS Investment
- Nicolas Rouhana
- Nikita Yuriev: Partner, ULTRA.VC
- Orlando Castellanos: CINO, NETinfo
- Ourania (Rania) Vrondou: Director , Hadjianastassiou, Ioannides LLC
- Pavlos Loizou: CEO , Ask Wire
- Sandra Da Silva: Sandra Da Silva , The Inner Architect
- Sergei B Bogdanov
- Sergey Osipov: Co-founder, Placy AI
- Styliani Petroudi: Director of Innovation, CYENS Centre of Excellence, CYENS
- Viktoria Kanar: Co-Founder, Re-Fresh Global
- Yiannis Menelaou: Director, Xtellus Europe Ltd
- And many more to be announced.
Help bring the Founder Institute to Nicosia and fill out an Interest Form today.
About The Founder Institute
The Founder Institute (www.FI.co) is the world's largest entrepreneur training and startup launch program, helping aspiring founders across the globe build enduring technology companies. In the Founder Institute's four-month, part-time program, promising startup 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.
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.
The Founder Institute was founded in 2009 by serial entrepreneur Adeo Ressi.
(Aerial view of Nicosia city, Cyprus image by Shutterstock)
