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 Miami this year.
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 Miami, then fill out an Interest Form. If enough people complete this form by the Launch Deadline (Jun 16, 2026), then the Founder Institute will formally launch a 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 Launch an AI-Powered Company With a Day Job Featuring Adeo Ressi: 2:00pm, Jun 08, 2026 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/399274
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- What It Takes to Get Funded: Live Investor Q&A w/ Maayan Teper: 12:00pm, Jun 09, 2026 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/396176
- Turn Startup Hesitation Into Action: A Founder Mindset Framework: 8:00pm, Jun 15, 2026 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/393198
- Stop Guessing, Start Raising: An Investor Q&A : 8:00pm, Jul 06, 2026 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/392828
- Meet FI Alumni Founders: High-Growth Startups Panel : 12:00pm, Jul 07, 2026 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/391183
- Stop Overthinking and Build a Great Startup Idea: 12:00pm, Jul 20, 2026 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/390631
- From Idea to Action: The Startup Mindset : 8:30am, Aug 10, 2026 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/393321
- Build a Startup Idea Investors Won’t Ignore: 8:00pm, Aug 18, 2026 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/391271
- FounderX Silicon Valley 2026: Global Conference in San Francisco: 8:00pm, Aug 25, 2026 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/399780
- What Makes Investors Say Yes: Startup Funding AMA: 12:00pm, Sep 01, 2026 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/392938
- How to Build a Strong Pipeline of Entrepreneurs for your Innovation Hub: 12:00pm, Sep 15, 2026 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/398329
- Break the Idea Loop and Decide What to Build: 8:00pm, Sep 21, 2026 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/391550
- From Idea to Traction: Lessons From Global FI Alumni: 8:30pm, Oct 05, 2026 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/390907
- From Dreamer to Doer: Build the Founder Mindset: 12:00pm, Oct 13, 2026 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/393451
- From Founder to Funded: Interactive Q&A with Top Startup Investor: 12:00pm, Nov 03, 2026 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/393068
- From “Maybe” to Momentum: Building a Great Startup Idea: 8:00pm, Nov 17, 2026 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/391412
- From First Idea to First Funding: Global Alumni Stories: 12:00pm, Dec 01, 2026 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/391025
Leading the Founder Institute's efforts in Miami are Enrique Sierra, an Executive-level leader and action-oriented consultant with broad experience in strategic modeling and implementation of ROI-driven businesses; Gustavo Fernandez, an Alternative Investments Fund Manager passionate about the innovative use of capital and technology to transform ideas into nimble, effective organizations delivering quality products and services; and Juan Meza, an innovation activist and mediator of entrepreneurship, profitability and social responsibility. Strategist and high-tech catalyst for Fortune 500 companies.
Miami is an entrepreneurial city.Most of its residents are immigrants who started a new life when they came here, so undertaking new projects is already in their genes. Industries like real estate, healthcare, tourism and banking are booming in South Florida, and now is the turn of technology companies. The FI program will be a great asset to our business community.” - Enrique Sierra
Other successful entrepreneurs who have pledged their support to mentor founders in a Miami Founder Institute program include:
- Aaron Chavez: Managing Partner, (un)conventional ventures
- Adam Garfield: Exited Founder & CEO, Stealth, SpeedETab
- Anna Ratala: 2x Founder & CEO, Zvook
- Anuj Maheshwari: Investor, Fuel Venture Capital
- Ayal Stern: Co-Founder, The LAB Miami
- Charles Masters Rodriguez: Co-Founder & CEO, Supply Veins
- Chris Anderson: General Partner, A2ZVenture.com
- David Chitester: Founder, SeedFunders
- Dean Hatton: Founding Partner, Las Olas VC
- Diana Fox: Co-Founder, Odyssey Gaming
- Elvia Perez: Investor, Las Olas Venture Capital (LOVC)
- Esteban Reyes: Founding Partner, Las Olas Venture Capital
- Ethan Werner: Principal, BlueLake VC
- Grace Spindel: Head of Product , EY & Director, Founder Institute Miami
- Hilmon Sorey: Co-Founder & Partner, The Source Groups
- Janet Todorova: Head of Expansion, Founder Institute
- Julia Lucidi: Founder, Fort Lauderdale Tech Meetup
- June W Choi: Managing Partner, Serval Ventures
- Justin Elliott: Anthropic Ambassador & CTO, WRTH
- Justis Mendez: Managing Partner, OneSixOne Ventures
- Ken Hall: Vice President, DeepWork Capital
- Kristen Corpion: Founder, CORPlaw
- Lauren Pencek: COO, Graphika
- Marcelo Ricigliano: CEO, 4Geeks Academy
- Mark Volchek: Founder, Las Olas Venture Capital
- Michael Assraf: CEO & Founder, Flamingo
- Michel Triana: General Partner, Mises Capital
- Mike Sherbakov: General Partner, The Veteran Fund
- Miriam Altman Reyes: Founding CEO & Managing Partner, Brass Ring Ventures
- Mitali Saxena: Founder & CEO, Fashom
- Nelson Telemaco: GP, Eden Capital
- Olivia Ramos: Founder & CEO, Deepblocks
- Peter Livingston: General Partner, Unpopular Ventures
- Ryan Martin: Director, Founder Institute Miami
- Ryan Pruitt: Managing Director, Ocean Azul Partners
- Sam Payrovi: Founder & CEO, ARKHAUS
- Satadru Sengupta: Co-Founder & CEO, Nimbus
- Sonja Markova: Executive Director, University of Miami Cane Angel Network
- Tahl Milburn: Investor, Seedfunders
- Tigre Wenrich: Managing Partner, LAB Ventures
- Timothy Cartwright: Chairman, Tamiami Angel Funds
- And many more to be announced.
Help bring the Founder Institute to Miami 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.
(City of Miami Florida image by Shutterstock)
