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 Quito 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 Quito, then fill out an Interest Form. If enough people complete this form by the Launch Deadline (oct 07, 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 Find the First Customers for Your Startup Idea: 11:00am, ago 11, 2026 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/403268
- How to Get Customer Feedback on your Startup Idea in the Age of AI: 11:00am, ago 18, 2026 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/403426
- Stop Guessing, Start Raising: An Investor Q&A: 11:00am, sep 01, 2026 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/403860
- [Restricted] VIP Pitch Lounge: Pitch Live and Get Feedback from Investors & Advisors: 11:00am, sep 08, 2026 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/401180
- How to Create a Great First Startup Pitch using AI: 7:30pm, sep 14, 2026 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/403565
Leading the Founder Institute's efforts in Quito are David Montenegro (CEO, ORBIS Agencia de Innovación) and Luis Adriano Calero (Chairman & CEO, redPartner S.A).
Other successful entrepreneurs who have pledged their support to mentor founders in a Quito Founder Institute program include:
- Adeo Ressi: CEO, Decile Group / VC Lab
- Alan Colmenares: Cofounder and CEO, Tappsi / Tpaga / EthicalMe
- Alberto Parra: CEO and Founder, BRIX (www.brix.net.br)
- Alejandra Perdomo: Head of People, Moons
- Alejandro Gutierrez: CFO y desarrollo de negocios, Puntopay
- Alejandro Abdel Aziz: Founder & CEO, Nextonia
- Alejandro Gutiérrez: Co-founder, LinkU Ventures SAS
- América Castiblanco: Directora de Emprendimiento, Innpulsa Colombia
- Ana Maria Ortegón: Socia Gerente, OMAS
- Ana María Prieto: Asociada, B Venture Capital
- Andreea Marinescu: CEO, Tech Add-Venture
- Andres Vejarano Calderon: Socio, Abogado, Director, Invictum Capital, ANDI del Futuro, Kairos
- Andres Hernandez: Strategist and Writer, Andreherca
- Andres Angel: CEO, Nominapp
- Andrés Barreto: Managing Director , Techstars Boulder
- Andrés Londoño: Head of performance, Platzi
- Andrés Veléz: Founding CEO, Tributi
- Andrés Marcucci: Analista, Torrenegra Accelerator
- Andrés Bello: Director de Emprendimiento, Fundación Bolívar Davivienda
- Andres Felipe García Zuccardi: Owner, Cope Capital
- Andrés Felipe Pantoja Castrillón: CoFounder, Legal Mentors
- Andrés Felipe Méndez: Cofounder, Génesis Holding
- Anfer Molina: CoFounder & CEO, Tuptip
- Angel Celis Botto: Co-Founder, Liftit
- Ángela Castillo Llinás: Co-Founder, HelloGuru
- Antoine Morin: Co-founder & Creative Director, LeanTeams
- Anuar Harb, Caribe Ventures
- Beatriz Dager: General Partner, ChiX Future Ventures
- Berg Moe: Founder, Gründervekst AS
- Bernardt Vogel: Sr.Associate, VU Venture Partners
- Bibiana Ardila: Co-Founder, Taller A
- Byron Hernández: Head of IT Services, Instaleap
- Camilo Jimenez: CTO , InstaLeap.io
- Camilo Gómez: CEO, Phylo Legal
- Carina Batz: Directora Área de Proyectos y Servicios, Cámara Colombo Alemana
- Carlos Guayara: Cofounder, trii
- Carlos Ortegon: CTO, LOOPAY
- Carlos Alberto Valderrama: CEO, Grupo Marco
- Carlos Alberto Sánchez Retiz: Coordinador de Aceleración, Torrenegra Accelerator
- Carlos Andres Valencia Nieto: Machine learning Project Leader | Product Manager, Mercadolibre
- Carlos Felipe Gutierrez Camacho: Managing Partner & Co-Founder, INVX, SIMMA
- Carlos Ivan Zubieta Leon: Cto & founder Agrapp, Agrapp
- Catalina Quintana: Founder, Leancase
- Caterine Castillo: CEO, NEIVOR
- Cecilia Ezquerro: Associate, 500 Globals
- Charlie Cliff: CTO
- Chintan Oza: Founder, Anantam Ecosystems
- Chris Foltz: Global Entrepreneur-In-Residence, Founder Institute
- Chris Lascor: Owner, Global Pecunia
- Christian Fresen: Partner, RAD. Estrategias Legales
- Christian Daube: Co-Founder, Coach & COO, Torrenegra Accelerator
- Conrad Egusa: CEO, Publicize
- Cristhian Vasquez: CEO, NovaMind
- Daniel Escobar: Team Manager , Wolox
- Daniel Restrepo: CEO, Taller A
- Daniel Otero: CEO and Founder , Muvo
- Daniel Puentes: Associate Founder, Partners Academy
- Daniel Toro: Co-Founder, LinkU Ventures SAS
- Daniel Cardona: Mentor, Defence Academy Chennai
- Daniela Restrepo: VP, PUBLICIZE
- Darío Lanchuske: CPO, Omni Bank
- David Diaz: CLC, Mesfix SAS
- David Carvajal: Founder, Cannvest
- David Wilson: Principal, Franklin Advisory
- David Aponte: CEO & Cofounder, Financial Lab & Taxes
- David Camargo: Fractional CTO - Founder/ exVP Eng Instaleap by Instacart, DashCTO
- David Orrego: Ex Chief Growth Officer, Rocketfy.co
- Diego Rodriguez Castillo: Founder - CEO, Linxe
- Diego Caicedo: CEO, OmniBNK
- Diego Alejandro Muñoz: Co founder y CMO , Tukarga.com
- Eddie Arrieta: CEO, MultiLigual Media
- Eduardo Maldonado: Co-founder and Board Member, GDX Travel
- Eduardo Hernández, Magma Partners
- Eduardo Rivera: CEO, LOOPAY
- Edward Cullen: Founder & CEO, Crescite
- Elena Dolinski: Philanthropreneur, Executive Board Member, BASE Capital
- Eleonor MacQuhae: Socia fundadora, Escuela de Pitch
- Elodie Senatore: CEO, Heraclea
- Enderson Leal: Presidente, Ecosistema Startup Venezuela
- Enrique Pons: Founder, Talago & Fincruit
- Enrique Echavarria: CEO, WeAreDataLab
- Erik Díaz: GP, Blackchiip VC
- Eugenia Di Marco: Founder, CEO, Sisu Powerhouse
- Fabian Esteban Lopez Morales: Emprendedor incansable, GraciaLab
- Federico Fernandez Dupouy: Entrepreneurship, Solar Energy, Finance & Investments, OTEPI RENOVABLES
- Felipe Cano: CoFounder, LinkU Ventures SAS
- Felipe Garzon: City Coordinator, Acámica
- Felipe Rivera Reina: Head Entrepreneur
- Felipe Alvarez: CEO , HOBBY CREATIVO
- Felipe Santamaria: Managing Director, Rockstart Colombia
- Fernando Núñez: VP, PUBLICIZE
- Francisco Posada Carbo: CEO, JELOW
- Francisco Uriarte: Puerto Rico, ESP Group
- Gabriel Calderón: CEO, Tu Orden
- Gabriel Reyes: Director Founder Institute Venezuela. FI Alumni Team, GNOSIS CONSULTORES LLC
- Gabriel Castillo Szpoganicz: Founder & CEO, Doc Doc
- Gregorio Londoño: Director, Red de Ángeles Inversionistas
- Guillermo Ramirez: Managing partner, Oxbridge Capital Partners (VC)
- Guillermo Guzman: General Partner, AIDA Ventures
- Gustavo Marquez: CEO, Athena Inversion de Impacto
- Hans Christian Boehlke: Commercial Director, Celumania.com
- Hernando Trinidad Mendoza: FOUNDER, CARLOTA
- HUMBERTO GUTIERREZ: Lic. En Informática , Capacitofacil
- Iván Ariza: CEO, cargamos.com
- Javier Castro: C-Level Executive, @Latinoamerica
- Jean Bernier: CEO y Founder
- Jehudi Castro Sierra: Asesor Presidencial, Tecnología
- Jeni Chang: Managing Director, Founder Institute San Francisco
- Jennifer Timm: Head of Consulting, Agora Partnerships
- Jennifer Poole: CRO, Publizice
- Jeremy Bruck: Managing Partner, Data Valuation & Monetization
- Jeronimo Silva: Director Ejecutivo , BICTIA
- Jessica Mercedes: Country Manager, Holberton School Colombia
- Jorge Quintero: CEO, The Monkey Hat
- Jorge Alvarado: CEO, Abbitec
- Jorge Rubio: CEO, Foodiverso
- Jorge Quiroga
- Jorge Hernan Nieto Botero: Latam Leader Founder Institute, Founder & CEO Expedit & Elevat-X
- Jose Betancur: Director, Imaginar Futuros Eafit
- Jose Caparroso: Business reporter & cross-platform coordinator, Forbes
- Jose Ovalle: Investor, StartOp
- José Miguel Velasco: Head of Startup Acceleration, Corporación Ventures
- Joseph DiTomaso: CEO, AllTheRooms
- Jose Rafael Donado Vallejo: CEO, S
- Juan Angarita: CRO, HoyTrabajas.com (YC W22)
- Juan Colmenares: Growth Lead, Graphite Growth
- Juan Camilo Vallejo: Co-founder, Co-CEO, & PM, Valienta
- Juan Carlos Suarez: CEO, Qenta
- Juan Carlos Monroy: Director área de Mercadeo Digital, Departamento de Mercadeo , EAFIT
- Juanita Esguerra: Abogada Senior, Sodexo
- Juan Manuel Lopera: CEO, TOMi Digital
- Juan Pablo Alvarez: Country Managing Director, EnvíoClick
- Juan Sebastian Muñoz: Head of Sales, Simetrik Inc
- Juan Sebastián Castrillon: Founder, Estratek
- Julia Figueiredo: Director Latam, Silicon Valley Bank
- Julián Vergara Albán: Digital Talent Acquisition , Lulo Bank
- Julián Arango: Managing Director, El Hub Ventures Studio, LLC
- Karen Mesa: Entrepreneurship & Innovation consultant, Independent
- Khaliq Yar Haidary: CEO, Netzone, Ltd.
- Laura Rudd: CEO, BabyTopia
- Laura Lopera: Coordinadora I+D, Sura
- Laura Jimenez Tatis: Financial Mentor, Leancase
- León Papu: Founding Partner, Marathon Lab
- Leonardo Gaitan: CEO & co-founder, Autoparti / Kiddo
- Lorena Sanchez Garcia: Erudit AI, COO & Board Member
- Luca Albertinazzi: Global Evangelist , Startup Grind
- Luis Betancourt: Digital Marketing Advisor, Luisbetancourt.co
- Luis Barrios: CEO, ARKANGELES
- Luisa Navarro: Co-Founder &CMO, PROCONTAR
- Luis Felipe Giraldo: Gerente de Expansión, Sociedad Operadora de Franquicias Colombia
- Luis Naranjo Duplat: CMO - Growth Hacker, Kairos
- Mads Schmidt Petersen: CEO , HippoBuild (Y Combinator W22)
- Maika Hoekman: Director, Torre Social
- Maira Betancur: Jefe de Investigación y Patentes, Grupo Bolivar
- Manuel Bardales: Co-Founder, Movitext
- Manuela Sánchez Villamarín: Co-founder & Growth, Laika
- Mara Rada: Chief Operations and Strategy, Loon (loonbio.com)
- Marc C Lange
- Marcela Lopez: Estratega de Marketing, Alexander Torrenegra
- Marco De Biasi: Startups Investor & Advisor /Program Director/Conselheiro Fiscal, LGA/Italcam/Mobicity
- Margarita Martinez, Blackshiip VC
- Maria Camila Salazar Castro: CEO, Vivir a conciencia
- Maria Camila Ortegon: Coordinadora Legal, RapiCredit
- Maria Camila Gonzalez: CEO, Sarta SAS
- Maria Isabela Muñoz: Partner, MAS Equity Partners
- Marian Villa: Co-Founder & President, PionerasDev
- Mariana Velásquez: Founder - CEO, BRANDDU
- Mariano Doncel M.: Business Accelerator Leader and Professor of EAN University , Universidad EAN
- Maria Paula Murcia: Directora, TopCruiters
- Maribel Corrales: Regional Manager , Holberton School - Colombia
- Marlowe Mackenzie: Goal Operations Partner, Canva
- Martin Morelli
- Maryori Vivas: LatAm Director, Vermilion LLC
- Mateo Trujillo: Director, Tektana
- Matt Crowe: Founder/CEO/Angel, KamperCrowe
- Michael Luzner: CEO
- Michael Zaytsev: Founder, High NY
- Miguel Vanegas, Salamandra Ventures
- Money Albarrán: Fundadora, muuk
- Nadia Stand: Co Founder, The SASI CO
- Natalia Guerrero: Psicóloga Especialista, Salud Ocupacional
- Nelson Irias: CEO, DataLabs
- Nicolai Eslava Barajas: CEO, Estratek Ventures
- Nicolas Contreras: CEO, PappCorn
- Nicolas Becerra: Founder & CEO, Due Legal
- Nicolás Poveda: CEO & CoFounder
- Odille Sanchez: Leader of Tech & Scientific based Entrepreneurship, Tecnológico de Monterry
- Oscar Andres Arango: CEO & Director, Yampi & Seniors Club
- Pablo Molina Candel: CTO, CoverWallet
- Pablo Ramirez: CEO y Founder, Litmoi
- Pablo Molina: CEO, Mirapaltecho
- Paolo Ottaviani: Sr. Program Manager - Southern Europe | Program Director - Visa Innovation Program Europe | Venture Partner Biometric Ventures, Tenity | Biometric Ventures | Visa Innovation Program Europe
- Pedro Lopez Sela, FrissOn Capital
- Pedro Colmenares: Co-Founder, La Colmena Think Tank
- Pilar Fernandez Hermida: Founder i-Expand (We help Health Tech companies go global), i-expand
- Rafael Tihanyi: Director of Revenue, Graphite Growth
- Raíssa De Mello João: Cofounder & CEO, Vaki
- Ramón Rodríguez: Co-Founder and Chief Investors Relations, RIDERY LLC
- Raphael Gnn: Founder & CEO, SMMA Incubator & Ace Up Media
- René Lomelí: Partner, 500
- Ricardo Mejia B.: Co-Founder, PappCorn
- Ricardo Peña Ruiz: Founder, Binnstart e Innfluence
- Robert Urbina: Director, Tarjetas y Transacciones en Red TRANRED, C.A.
- Rocio Zelada: CEO, RocioZelada.com
- Rodrigo Alfonso: Co-founder, Sekure
- Rosario B Casas: Co Founder, XR Americas, LLC / Business Creative Partners SAS
- Ryan Micheletti: Head of Global Operations, Founder Institute
- Samuel Grossman: Partner, IRIE VC
- Sandra Rubio: CEO, IMIX
- Sandy Gómez: Director, FI Caracas
- Santiago Garzón: CTO, StartOp
- Santiago Rojas: Managing Director, Cube Ventures
- Santiago Quimbaya Barreto: Investment Analyst, Ventures Corporation
- Santiago Aparicio, FitPal
- Santiago Suarez: CEO & Partner, Addi & YCombinator
- Sebastian Leon: Founder, Facebook
- Sebastian Caro: CEO, Tocaro Capital
- Sebastián Jaramillo: LATAM Commercial Director, Rappi
- Sebastián Gallo: Head of Operations, Torre
- Sergio Espinosa Rivera: CTIO, Akadia Life
- Sergio Pachón: Co Founder, Kiwi Campus
- Shirlhey Sánchez: CEO & Co-Founder, Colombia Proptech
- Simon Chamorro: CEO-CoFounder, Valiu
- Sjoerd Martens: Head Of Account Management at Publicize , Publicize
- Talha Bin Shuja: Startup and Business Consultant, High Hope International
- Tomás Ríos: CEO, Starter
- Torrey Smith: Co-Founder & Engineering Fellow, Endiatx
- Trevor Longino: Founder & CEO, CrowdTamers
- Uri Melamed: Managing Director , EyP S.A.S. / Irie VC
- Valentina Giraldo Henao: Founder, LaValentina Design
- Victor Dey: Mentor - Enterprise Media at Oxford Entrepreneurs, University of Oxford
- Victor Reyes: Senior Partner - Chief Innovation and Finance Officer, EDI Inteligencia Artificial
- Walied Albasheer: founder and managing partner, Intuitio Ventures
- William Duran: Investment Director, Enter Capital
- Ximena Villalobos: Co-Founder & CGO, PROCONTAR
- Yasu Guerra, Sky Ride Group, S.A
- Yatan Blumenthal Vargas: Co-founder, Berlin Hardware Accelerator
- Yemi Oluseun: Growth & GTM For FinTechs, The Change Hive
- Zully De La Rosa: CTO, Finaktiva
- And many more to be announced.
Help bring the Founder Institute to Quito 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.
(modern business center in Quito Ecuador South America image by Shutterstock)
