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 7,000 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 (jun 11, 2024), 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:
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 12:00pm, abr 29, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/342831
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- Co-Founders Connect: Find a Business Partner Online: 7:00pm, may 01, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/338030
- Startup Funding in Ecuador, featuring Invictum Capital and LinkU Ventures: 6:00pm, may 02, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/344170
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas (Interactive Online Event): 12:00pm, may 08, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/339339
- Innovation Series: Connecting Corporates & Startups with Open Innovation: 11:00am, may 09, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/345190
- Startup Founders’ Guide to Building an Effective Go-To-Market Strategy: 12:00pm, may 15, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/342688
- How to Build a Fundable Start-up Brand: 12:00pm, may 20, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/338758
- Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 7:00pm, may 22, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/340342
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 12:00pm, jun 17, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/339884
- How to Take a Value Proposition to Finding Product Market Fit: 12:00pm, jun 24, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/341416
- Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 7:00pm, jul 01, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/340195
- How to Acquire your First 100 B2C Customers: 12:00pm, jul 08, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/344379
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 7:00pm, jul 15, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/341232
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 7:00pm, jul 22, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/343941
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas : 12:00pm, jul 29, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/341627
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 7:00pm, ago 05, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/341867
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 12:00pm, ago 12, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/344073
- Pitch Lounge: Practice Pitching Your Business Idea to Startup Experts : 7:00pm, ago 19, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/341732
- Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with a Venture Capitalist: 7:00pm, ago 26, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/341789
- Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 7:00pm, sep 02, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/343231
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 7:00pm, sep 09, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/344192
- Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 12:00pm, sep 16, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/342326
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 12:00pm, sep 23, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/343520
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 12:00pm, sep 25, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/344272
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 12:00pm, oct 02, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/342012
- Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 7:00pm, oct 14, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/342432
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 7:00pm, oct 23, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/344490
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 12:00pm, oct 30, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/344570
- Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder : 1:00pm, nov 04, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/343307
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 8:00pm, nov 06, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/342119
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 8:00pm, nov 18, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/344671
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 8:00pm, nov 25, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/345410
- Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 1:00pm, nov 27, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/342512
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 1:00pm, dic 02, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/342219
- What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 1:00pm, dic 04, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/345309
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 1:00pm, dic 09, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/344765
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 1:00pm, dic 16, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/344884
- Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 8:00pm, dic 23, 2024 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/342611
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.brixzt.com)
- Alejandro Gutiérrez: Co-founder, LinkU Ventures SAS
- Alejandro Abdel Aziz: Founder & CEO, Nextonia
- Alejandro Gutierrez: CFO y desarrollo de negocios, Puntopay
- América Castiblanco: Directora de Emprendimiento, Innpulsa Colombia
- Ana Maria Ortegón: Socia Gerente, OMAS
- Ana María Prieto: Asociada, Brazil Venture Capital
- Andres Cano: CEO, ACANOF SAS
- Andres Vejarano Calderon: Socio, Abogado, Director, Invictum Capital, ANDI del Futuro, Kairos
- Andres Angel: CEO, Nominapp
- Andres Hernandez: Strategist and Writer, Andreherca
- Andrés Veléz: Founding CEO, Tributi
- Andrés Bello: Director de Emprendimiento, Fundación Bolívar Davivienda
- Andrés Valencia: Product manager, randlabs
- Andrés Marcucci: Analista, Torrenegra Accelerator
- Andrés Londoño: Head of performance, Platzi
- Andrés Barreto: Managing Director , Techstars Boulder
- Andrés Felipe Méndez: Cofounder, Génesis Holding
- Andrés Felipe Pantoja Castrillón: CoFounder, Legal Mentors
- Anfer Molina: CoFounder & CEO, Tuptip
- Angel Celis Botto: Co-Founder, Liftit
- Ángela Castillo Llinás: Co-Founder, HelloGuru
- Beatriz Dager: General Partner, ChiX Future Ventures
- Bernardt Vogel: Sr.Associate, VU Venture Partners
- Bibiana Ardila: Co-Founder, Taller A
- Byron Hernández: Head of IT Services, Instaleap
- Camilo Gómez: CEO, Phylo Legal
- Camilo Jimenez: CTO , InstaLeap.io
- Carina Batz: Directora Área de Proyectos y Servicios, Cámara Colombo Alemana
- Carlos Guayara: CEO, TRII
- Carlos Ortegon: CTO, LOOPAY
- Carlos Alberto Valderrama: CEO, Grupo Marco
- Carlos Alberto Sánchez Retiz: Coordinador de Aceleración, Torrenegra Accelerator
- 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
- Christian Daube: Co-Founder, Coach & COO, Torrenegra Accelerator
- Christian Fresen: Partner, RAD. Estrategias Legales
- Conrad Egusa: CEO, Publicize
- Daniel Escobar: Team Manager , Wolox
- Daniel Puentes: Associate Founder, Partners Academy
- Daniel Otero: CEO and Founder , Muvo
- Daniel Cardona: Mentor, Defence Academy Chennai
- Daniel Restrepo: CEO, Taller A
- Daniel Toro: Co-Founder, LinkU Ventures SAS
- Daniela Restrepo: VP, PUBLICIZE
- Darío Lanchuske: CPO, Omni Bank
- David Aponte: CEO & Cofounder, Financial Lab & Taxes
- David Carvajal: Founder, Cannvest
- David Wilson: Principal, Franklin Advisory
- David Diaz: CLC, Mesfix SAS
- David Camargo: CTO, Bright Financial
- 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: Partner Success, MultiLigual Media
- Eduardo Rivera: CEO, LOOPAY
- Eduardo Maldonado: Co-founder and Board Member, GDX Travel
- Eduardo Hernández, Magma Partners
- Edward Cullen: Founder & CEO, Crescite
- Elodie Senatore: CEO, Heraclea
- Enrique Pons: Founder, Talago & Fincruit
- Enrique Echavarria: CEO, WeAreDataLab
- Erik Díaz: GP, Blackchiip VC
- Fabian Esteban Lopez Morales: Emprendedor incansable, GraciaLab
- Felipe Santamaria: Managing Director, Rockstart Colombia
- Felipe Rivera Reina: Head Entrepreneur
- Felipe Garzon: City Coordinator, Acámica
- Felipe Cano: CoFounder, LinkU Ventures SAS
- Felipe Alvarez: CEO , HOBBY CREATIVO
- Fernando Núñez: VP, PUBLICIZE
- Francisco Uriarte: Puerto Rico, ESP Group
- Gabriel Calderón: CEO, Tu Orden
- 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, Indio VC
- Gustavo Marquez: CEO, Athena Inversion de Impacto
- Hans Christian Boehlke: Commercial Director, Celumania.com
- Iván Ariza: CEO, cargamos.com
- Javier Castro
- Jean Bernier: CEO y Founder, AnniQ & SQT
- Jehudi Castro Sierra: Asesor Presidencial, Tecnología
- Jennifer Poole: CRO, Publizice
- Jennifer Timm: Head of Consulting, Agora Partnerships
- Jeremy Bruck: Managing Partner, Data Valuation & Monetization
- Jeronimo Silva: Director Ejecutivo , BICTIA
- Jessica Mercedes: Country Manager, Holberton School Colombia
- Jorge Quintero: VP of Growth , VECI
- Jorge Quiroga
- Jorge Alvarado: CEO, Abbitec
- Jorge Hernan Nieto Botero: Founder & CEO, Expedit Capital
- Jose Caparroso: Business reporter & cross-platform coordinator, Forbes
- Jose Ovalle: Investor, StartOp
- Jose Betancur: Director, Nodo
- José Miguel Velasco: Head of Startup Acceleration, Corporación Ventures
- Joseph DiTomaso: CEO, AllTheRooms
- Jose Rafael Donado Vallejo: CEO, S
- Juan Colmenares: Growth Lead, Graphite Growth
- Juan Angarita: CRO, HoyTrabajas.com (YC W22)
- Juan Camilo Vallejo: Co-founder, Co-CEO, & PM, Valienta
- Juan Carlos Monroy: Director área de Mercadeo Digital, Departamento de Mercadeo , EAFIT
- Juan Carlos Suarez: CEO, Qenta
- 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: Founder & CEO, Workia, Inc
- Karen Mesa: Entrepreneurship & Innovation consultant, Independent
- Khaliq Yar Haidary: CEO, Netzone, Ltd.
- Laura Jimenez Tatis: Financial Mentor, Leancase
- Laura Rudd: CEO, BabyTopia
- Laura Lopera: Coordinadora I+D, Sura
- León Papu: Founding Partner, Marathon Lab
- Leonardo Gaitan, Autoparti
- Lorena Sanchez Garcia: Erudit AI, COO & Board Member
- Luis Barrios: CEO, ARKANGELES
- Luis Betancourt: Digital Marketing Advisor, Luisbetancourt.co
- 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: CEO & Chief of Strategy, Feral (thinkferal.com)
- Marc C Lange
- Marcela Lopez: Estratega de Marketing, Alexander Torrenegra
- Marco De Biasi: Managing Partner, Latin American Angels Society
- Margarita Martinez, Blackshiip VC
- Maria Camila Salazar Castro: CEO, Vivir a conciencia
- Maria Camila Gonzalez: CEO, Sarta SAS
- Maria Camila Ortegon: Asesor Jurídico, Taller A Abogados
- 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
- Maryori Vivas: LatAm Director, Vermilion LLC
- Mateo Trujillo: Product Lead, RappiPay
- Michael Luzner: CEO
- Nadia Stand: Co Founder, The SASI CO
- Nelson Irias: CEO, DataLabs
- Nicolai Eslava Barajas: CEO, Estratek Ventures
- Nicolas Contreras: CEO, PappCorn
- Nicolás Poveda: CEO & CoFounder , Lici/Mátic_
- Oscar Andres Arango: CEO & Director, Yampi & Seniors Club
- Pablo Ramirez: CEO y Founder, Litmoi
- Pablo Navarro: Partner, Marathon
- Pablo Molina Candel: CTO, CoverWallet
- Pablo Molina: CEO, Mirapaltecho
- Pedro Lopez Sela, FrissOn Capital
- 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
- René Lomelí: Partner, 500
- Ricardo Mejia B.: Co-Founder, PappCorn
- 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
- Santiago Aparicio, FitPal
- Santiago Quimbaya Barreto: Investment Analyst, Ventures Corporation
- Santiago Suarez: CEO & Partner, Addi & YCombinator
- Santiago Garzón: CTO, StartOp
- Santiago Rojas: Local Leader
- Sebastian Leon: Founder, Facebook
- Sebastian Caro: CEO, Tocaro Capital
- Sebastián Jaramillo: LATAM Commercial Director, Rappi
- Sebastián Gallo: Head of Operations, Torre
- Sergio Pachón: Co Founder, Kiwi Campus
- Sergio Espinosa Rivera: CTIO, Akadia Life
- 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
- Uri Melamed: Managing Director , EyP S.A.S. / Irie VC
- Valentina Giraldo Henao: Founder, LaValentina Design
- Walied Albasheer: Managing Partner, Intuitio Ventures
- William Duran: Investment Director, Enter Capital
- Yatan Blumenthal Vargas: Co-founder, Berlin Hardware Accelerator
- Yemi Oluseun: Founder/ CEO - Fintech, SaaS Business Growth, Automation & Change Management, 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 7,000 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)
