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 Waterloo this Winter 2016.
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 Waterloo, then fill out an Interest Form. If enough people complete this form by the Launch Deadline (Oct 12, 2021), then the Founder Institute will formally launch a Winter 2016 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 Winter 2016 program, the Founder Institute will host several free startup events:
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
Leading the Founder Institute's efforts in Waterloo are Madusha Cooray (Manager, Startup Services, Communitech) and Sunil Sharma (Founder & Managing Partner, Spotline Inc.).
Other successful entrepreneurs who have pledged their support to mentor founders in a Waterloo Founder Institute program include:
- Alex Astrum: Developer Relations, Google
- Alexander Jager: Founding Partner, Amplifier Advisors
- Andrew Ricchetti: Founder, CakeAI, CoinMako
- Anwer Ali: Consultant, IMUKSYS
- Arshad Merali, Rivvi
- Barry Hillier: Founder & CEO, eQuo/ DOS
- Ben Stacey: CEO, Pitchverk
- Benton Leong: General Partner, ArchAngel Fund
- Bob Embleton: CEO, Perigee Convergent Solutions Inc
- Brice Scheschuk: CEO, Globalive Capital
- Cerys Goodall: COO, Vetster
- Chad Ford: Vice President Innovation, Communica and Partner, Pactech Ventures, Director, Western Canada Founder Institute
- Chris Leclerc: Coordinator, Programs and Client Experience, Accelerator Centre
- Dinah Davis: Founder, Code Like A Girl
- Edward Fan: Partner
- Elaine Lukowski: Vice President, Home & Entertainment, Health & Beauty Merchandising, Loblaw
- Fion Lee-Madan: Technical Co-Founder, COO and Customer Success, Fairly AI Inc.
- Gavin Jocius: Founder & Principal, River Wise Ventures
- Gina Yoo: Co-Founder & COO, Mannr
- Haoyang Liang: Director of Product Development, Orbiseed
- Isaac Adejuwon: CEO & Founder, Metricsflow
- Joseph Dales: Co-Founder & Director, RHA Partners
- Konata Lake: Partner
- Mary Beth Kyer: Co-Founder, Sponsor Circle
- Melika Hope: Product Director, Twitter
- Michael Kosic: Founding Partner, Loyal VC
- Mike Lingle: Entrepreneur / Mentor, Rocket Pro Forma
- Mike Peasgood: Co-Founder, Aeryon Labs
- Nadir Chaudhry: Founder, Tenamint
- Raymond Luk: CEO, Hockeystick
- Rick Spence: Former Editor and Publisher, PROFIT (Canadian Business)
- Robert Whiteside: Director, Founding Partner, Treemark Capital
- Ryan McCartney: Fractional CRO, Self employed
- Sarah Hartkorn: Associate, White Cap Venture Partners
- Sean Yo: Product Management Fellow, ISPMA
- Stanislav Stepanov: CEO, Teleportainment Inc.
- Venu Sripada: CEO, Onboard Newhire
- Vikas Gupta: CEO, AVARA
- Wendy Robertson: Managing Director, Assemble Inc.
- Will Greenblatt: Co-Founder & Managing Director, OutLoud Speakers School
- Xenia Chen: Founder , Threads
- Yogi Yoganathan: CEO/Co-Founder, RemitBee
- And many more to be announced.
Help bring the Founder Institute to Waterloo 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.
(aerial view of Kitchener town center Kitchener-Waterloo image by Shutterstock)
