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 7,500 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 (may 27, 2025), 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:
- Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Nathan Beckord: 12:00pm, may 12, 2025 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/366391
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- Lessons Learned Raising from Top Silicon Valley VCs: AMA with Rajeev Behera: 11:00am, may 29, 2025 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/371210
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 12:00pm, jun 02, 2025 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/370558
- How to Build Your MVP Using Artificial Intelligence : 12:00pm, jun 04, 2025 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/371452
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 7:00pm, jun 09, 2025 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/370748
- FI Alumni Panel: Meet Portfolio Companies and Ask Questions: 12:00pm, jun 23, 2025 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/371755
- Startup Finance & Banking Basics: AMA with Grasshopper Bank: 12:00pm, jun 25, 2025 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/372086
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 12:00pm, jun 30, 2025 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/371597
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 12:00pm, jul 07, 2025 (America/Lima): https://FI.co/e/370438
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)
- Alejandro Abdel Aziz: Founder & CEO, Nextonia
- Alejandro Gutierrez: CFO y desarrollo de negocios, Puntopay
- Alejandro Gutiérrez: Co-founder, LinkU Ventures SAS
- América Castiblanco: Directora de Emprendimiento, Innpulsa Colombia
- Ana Maria Ortegón: Socia Gerente, OMAS
- Ana María Prieto: Asociada, Brazil Venture Capital
- Andres Angel: CEO, Nominapp
- Andres Hernandez: Strategist and Writer, Andreherca
- Andres Vejarano Calderon: Socio, Abogado, Director, Invictum Capital, ANDI del Futuro, Kairos
- Andrés Londoño: Head of performance, Platzi
- Andrés Veléz: Founding CEO, Tributi
- Andrés Marcucci: Analista, Torrenegra Accelerator
- Andrés Bello: Director de Emprendimiento, Fundación Bolívar Davivienda
- 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
- Berg Moe: Chairman, 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 Ortegon: CTO, LOOPAY
- Carlos Guayara: CEO, TRII
- 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
- Christian Daube: Co-Founder, Coach & COO, Torrenegra Accelerator
- Christian Fresen: Partner, RAD. Estrategias Legales
- Conrad Egusa: CEO, Publicize
- Daniel Restrepo: CEO, Taller A
- Daniel Escobar: Team Manager , Wolox
- Daniel Cardona: Mentor, Defence Academy Chennai
- Daniel Otero: CEO and Founder , Muvo
- Daniel Toro: Co-Founder, LinkU Ventures SAS
- Daniel Puentes: Associate Founder, Partners Academy
- Daniela Restrepo: VP, PUBLICIZE
- Darío Lanchuske: CPO, Omni Bank
- David Diaz: CLC, Mesfix SAS
- David Aponte: CEO & Cofounder, Financial Lab & Taxes
- David Camargo: CTO, Bright Financial
- David Orrego: Ex Chief Growth Officer, Rocketfy.co
- David Carvajal: Founder, Cannvest
- David Wilson: Principal, Franklin Advisory
- 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
- Elodie Senatore: CEO, Heraclea
- Enrique Echavarria: CEO, WeAreDataLab
- Enrique Pons: Founder, Talago & Fincruit
- Erik Díaz: GP, Blackchiip VC
- Fabian Esteban Lopez Morales: Emprendedor incansable, GraciaLab
- Felipe Cano: CoFounder, LinkU Ventures SAS
- Felipe Alvarez: CEO , HOBBY CREATIVO
- Felipe Santamaria: Managing Director, Rockstart Colombia
- Felipe Garzon: City Coordinator, Acámica
- Felipe Rivera Reina: Head Entrepreneur
- Fernando Núñez: VP, PUBLICIZE
- Francisco Uriarte: Puerto Rico, ESP Group
- Gabriel Castillo Szpoganicz: Founder & CEO, Doc Doc
- Gabriel Calderón: CEO, Tu Orden
- Gregorio Londoño: Director, Red de Ángeles Inversionistas
- Guillermo Ramirez: Managing partner, Oxbridge Capital Partners (VC)
- Guillermo Guzman: Local Leader, Founder Institute Colombia
- Gustavo Marquez: CEO, Athena Inversion de Impacto
- Hans Christian Boehlke: Commercial Director, Celumania.com
- Hernando Trinidad Mendoza: FOUNDER, CARLOTA
- Iván Ariza: CEO, cargamos.com
- Javier Castro
- Jean Bernier: CEO y Founder
- Jehudi Castro Sierra: Asesor Presidencial, Tecnología
- 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 Quiroga
- Jorge Alvarado: CEO, Abbitec
- Jorge Quintero: CEO, The Monkey Hat
- Jorge Rubio: CEO, Foodiverso
- Jorge Hernan Nieto Botero: Founder & CEO, Expedit & Elevat-X
- 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: Managing Director, El Hub Ventures Studio, LLC
- 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: CEO & co-founder, Autoparti
- Lorena Sanchez Garcia: Erudit AI, COO & Board Member
- Luca Albertinazzi: Global Evangelist , Startup Grind
- Luis Barrios: CEO, ARKANGELES
- Luis Betancourt: Digital Marketing Advisor, Luisbetancourt.co
- 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, FI/LGA /LAAS
- Margarita Martinez, Blackshiip VC
- Maria Camila Ortegon: Coordinadora Legal, RapiCredit
- Maria Camila Gonzalez: CEO, Sarta SAS
- Maria Camila Salazar Castro: CEO, Vivir a conciencia
- 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
- Miguel Vanegas, Salamandra Ventures
- Nadia Stand: Co Founder, The SASI CO
- Natalia Guerrero: Psicóloga Especialista, Salud Ocupacional
- Nelson Irias: CEO, DataLabs
- Nicolai Eslava Barajas: CEO, Estratek Ventures
- Nicolas Becerra: Founder & CEO, Due Legal
- Nicolas Contreras: CEO, PappCorn
- Nicolás Poveda: CEO & CoFounder
- Oscar Andres Arango: CEO & Director, Yampi & Seniors Club
- Pablo Ramirez: CEO y Founder, Litmoi
- Pablo Molina: CEO, Mirapaltecho
- Pablo Molina Candel: CTO, CoverWallet
- 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
- Ricardo Peña Ruiz: Founder, Korporativa e Innfluence
- 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 Rojas: Managing Director, Cube Ventures
- Santiago Aparicio, FitPal
- Santiago Garzón: CTO, StartOp
- Santiago Quimbaya Barreto: Investment Analyst, Ventures Corporation
- Santiago Suarez: CEO & Partner, Addi & YCombinator
- Sebastian Caro: CEO, Tocaro Capital
- Sebastian Leon: Founder, Facebook
- 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
- Victor Dey: Mentor - Enterprise Media at Oxford Entrepreneurs, University of Oxford
- Walied Albasheer: 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 7,500 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)
