Great Startup Mentors Confirmed for the Los Angeles Founder Institute

In the Founder Institute's four-month, part-time program, promising startup entrepreneurs participate in weekly training and feedback sessions that are led by Founder Institute Mentors.

Our Mentors provide the passion, experience, and support that helps our Founders launch meaningful and enduring companies.

The Founder Institute is about practical, actionable training and feedback - not theory. To achieve this, we bring in experienced Founders and CEOs to give our companies the most relevant and valuable advice. In a confidential setting, they share horror stories, best practices, and realistic feedback to help our Founders avoid "rookie mistakes" and be successful.

In the upcoming Los Angeles Spring 2026 Semester, we have secured a truly exceptional roster of Founder Institute Mentors, including many from out of town.

See the full list below:

Aaron Ross: Author, Predictable Revenue
Aaron Abram: Entrepreneur with 1 exit & Advisor., Pricestack, Kangarootime, & Osurv
Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO PLATFORM
Adeo Ressi: CEO, Decile Group / VC Lab
Aeolan Kelly: CEO & Founder, Benchmark Equine
Alan Cole: Alan Cole - CEO, GovX (San Diego FI), Gov X
Alex Lightman: Alex Lightman - Chairman, Witkit (Kuala Lumpur FI) , Witkit
Alex Deighton: Serial Entrepreneur & Startup Advisor
Alex Dang: Senior Advisor and Former Partner, McKinsey & Company
Allison Silvers: Early-Stage Investor; Startup Advisor, Tech Coast Angels
Ally Fekaiki: Founder and CEO, Juno
Alphonzo Terrell: Co-Founder and CEO, Spill
Amanda Lettmann: CEO, COO & Co-Founder, Kardia Ventures/ SimpleDisability, Inc.
Amy Chang: CEO, Delta Nutrassentials
Andy Abramson: CEO, Comunicano, Inc
Angela Lee: CEO & Co Founder, From Fat to Finish Line
Angelo Di Leva: Founder & CEO , Simply I Do, Inc.
Anson Wu: Creative Director, Grey Journal
Anthony Mazzarella: CEO, MyLife.com
Ar Tabrizi: Co-Founder , Human 1st Ventures
Ariel McNichol: CEO & Co Founder, SmartSpark
Ashtan Moore: Entrepreneur, Portfolio Manager
Atilio Spaccarotella: General Partner, Swivel Ventures
Benjamin Narasin: Founder & General Partner, Tenacity Venture Capital
Bennett Batten: CEO, Lumpsucker Studios
Bernardo Herzer: CEO / Founder, LEHR Inc.
Brian Liu: Chairman & Co-Founder, LegalZoom.com
Bridgit Lombard: CEO & Founder, Marea Partners
Brock Pierce: Vice Chairman, Affinity Media
Bryan Hall: Principal Architect (San Diego FI), Seismic
Charlie Jackson: Founder, Silicon Beach Software
Chas Rampenthal: General Counsel, LegalZoom.com
Cheryl Yeoh: EIR, Silicon Valley Bank
Chris Snook: Managing Partner/Venture Catalyst in Residence, Launch Haus
Chris Bechtel: Managing Partner, Growth Engine Labs
Christopher Harz: Vice President, VirtualAgility
Cliff Boro: Managing Partner , The Team Group, LLC.
Corey Coto: CEO, Kaizen Insights
Cory Rosenberg: CEO & Co-Founder , Biista
Courtney Nichols Gould: CEO & Co Founder, SmartyPants Inc.
Craig Hagopian: CEO & Founder, Chalk Media Holdings, Inc.
Dan Shapiro: Dan Shapiro - Founder, Sparkbuy (Seattle FI) , Stealth
Daniel Landsman: Aerospike, Head of NA/MarTech/Gaming
David Johnson: Co Founder & Chairman of the Board, From Fat to Finish Line
Delilah Panio: Vice President, Capital Formation, TMX Group
Derrick Oien: CEO & Founder
Dhaval Waghulde: Lead Systems Engineer, Rivian
Dimitri Villard: CEO, Live Longer, Inc.
Dolly Singh: CEO & Founder, Thesis Couture
Don Di Pietro: Co-Founder/COO, XIRKL Networks
Don Swan: Private Equity Associate, Skyview Capital
Donna Antebi: CEO
Eddie Hartman: co-Founder, LegalZoom
Edmond Banayan: Entrepreneur / CEO / VP of Biz Development / Board Observer / Investor / Mentor, See LinkedIn
Elizabeth Topp: CEO & Co Founder, MOD - Meaningful Organizational Design
Evan Rifkin: CEO, Burstly.com
Fabian Geyrhalter: Founder and Principal, FINIEN
Fabrice Gould: Founder & CEO, Diggen
Francisco Dezen: Business Development , Vidya Technologies
Frank Mastronuzzi: Founding Partner, Punch Financial
Franklin Kamnang Ngansop: Co-Founder, Vitamin CS Coaching
Fred Joyal: Fred Joyal - CEO & Co-Founder, Futuredontics (Los Angeles FI) , Futuredontics
Gabe Zichermann: CEO, Failosophy
Gaurav Bhattacharya: CEO & Co-Founder , Involve.ai
George Bandarian Ii: Founder & Managing Partner, ValueScaler
Gioia Messinger: Gioia Messinger - Founder and Chairman, Avaak, Inc. (San Diego/Orange County FI), LinkedObjects, Inc.
Greg Hallinan: Founder & CEO, ModMedia, Inc
Gregg Spiridellis: CEO, JibJab
Hany Alhamidi: Founder, eMentoring
Henri Duong: Founder, Principal, Enclave Web Group (EWG)
Irving Hsu: Investor, Mayfield Fund
Jad Meouchy: CTO, Angel Investor
Jake Tan: Founder, ErgoTune
Janet Todorova: Head of Expansion, Founder Institute
Jason Calacanis: Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, Author, LAUNCH, All In, This Week in Startups
Jason Nazar: Jason Nazar - Co Founder & CEO, Crew32
Jason Pang: COO, Bodymatter, Inc.
Jason Butcher: Founder & CEO, Orbit Capital
Jay Samit: Former CEO, SocialVibe
Jay Tsao: CEO & Founder, GM Technologies
Jay Kossifos: Founder & CEO, Pay Close Attention, Brand & Venture Partners
Jayla Siciliano: Founder, Bon Affair
Jeffrey Paine: Founding Partner, Golden Gate Ventures, Singapore
Jenny Pollock: Founder, Women and AI
Jesse Dylan: CEO, Wondros
Jilliene Helman: Co-Founder & CEO, Realty Mogul
Jimmy Hendricks: Jimmy Hendricks - CEO & Co-Founder, , Light Post Digital & Deal Current Network
Joe Betts Lacroix: CTO, Vium
Joe Bezdek: Co-founder, DivX, Inc.
Joe Bayen: CEO, Credit Plus
John Girard: CEO, CIENCE
Jon Carder: CoFounder and CEO , Empyr
Jon Funk: Founder & President, Ocean Road Partners
Jong Choi: Co-Founder & Managing Director, Chaperone Ventures
Jordan Greenhall: Co-Founder & Former CEO, DivX
Joseph Yeh
Joshua Azran: Founder, Azran Financial APC
Joshua Lee: Founder & CEO, Ardius (Acquired by Gusto)
Justin Wu: Founder, Growth.ly
Ken Rutkowski: CEO / Founder, METal
Ken Ong: Senior Vice President, Salesforce.com
Kevin Yamazaki: CEO & Founder, Sidebench
Kim Walpole: CEO & Co Founder, Trials.ai
Liz Gasser: Managing Partner, High Camp Ventures
Lucy Beard: Lucy Beard - CEO & Founder, feetZ
Madeline Fraser: CEO & Founder, Gemist
Manoj Khani: CEO & Founder, Memorita
Mara Rada: Chief Operations and Strategy, Loon (loonbio.com)
Marcos Polanco: CEO, Deedit
Mark Landay: Managing Director, Dynamic Synergy
Mark Hellinger: Chief Marketing Officer, InvolveSoft
Mark Wald: Managing Director, Supporting Strategies
Mark Wasiljew: Fractional Head of Partnerships, Breakmark Consulting
Matt Walker: Founder, DayPoint
Michael Stemple: Mike Stemple - Founder, Inspirer , Inspirer
Michael Green: President , Tech Coast Angels
Michael Taus: Founder / CMO / TechStars Mentor, Rent.com, CrowdStreet, Rentable, ApartmentIQ, Amplion, FoundersPad
Mike Fleck: Vice President, Security, CipherPoint (a Covata Ltd. company)
Mike Sherbakov: General Partner, The Veteran Fund
Nektar Baziotis: Founder, ICARUS
Nick Cates: Founder & CEO, Showpads.com
Nitsan Tucker: COO & Co-Founder, Truemance, Inc.
Noah Wallach: Founder, Hope OS
Nolan Bushnell: CEO and Founder, uWink
Oded Noy: Founder & CEO, Social Approach
PASCHAL OFFORDUM: Associate , Shujaa Capital
Patrick Barry: Founder and CEO, Kinduce
Philip Lieberman: Founder/CEO, Analog Informatics Corporation
Rafael Kartaszynski: CEO, TechEdge Dynamics
Ralph Simon: Chairman Emeritus & Founder, MEF
Rebecca Sadwick: Founder & Managing Partner, Strategica Partners
Reichart Von Wolfsheild: Chief Software Architect, CTO & Co-Founder, Qtask
Rick Hernandez: Redefined Logistics, Head of Business Development
Ricky Velasquez: Founder, Mooch (exited)
Rishi Sharma: West Coast Lead , Newlin VC
Robert Tercek: President, General Creativity Consulting
Robin Lee: Investment Screening Director, Tech Coast Angels
Ronen Olshansky: Co Founder , CrossCampus
Ruslan Nazarenko: Head of Growth, Scale AI
Ryan Kaltman: CEO, Brevity Inc
Sam Saddigh: CEO / Founder, Knightsbridge Branding
Sam Strasser: Founder & CEO, Treasure
Sameer Sortur: Founding Partner, SquareCircle Ventures
Sarah Song: Startup Advisor, Los Angeles, CA
Saumya Bhatnagar: CTO & Co-Founder, Involve.ai
Scott Painter: Co Founder, BrightHouse
Scott Wayman: Founder & CEO, Kangarootime
Sean Markin: CEO & Co Founder, Myvana
Serephina Ha: Managing Director, Founder Institute - Los Angeles and Boston
Sergey Sundukovskiy: Co-Founder, CTO and Chief Product Officer, Certemy
Seth Shapiro: President
Shaahin Cheyene: Founder and President, Podcastcola Inc.
Shar Ghoudsifar: Founder & CEO, Helpkin
Shuki Lehavi: CEO & Co-Founder, Gumiyo
Simon Mainwaring: CEO, Mainwaring Creative
Sina Roshan: Cofounder & CPO, Peekage (Techstars 2020)
Siobhan Oldham: CEO & Founder , Azestfor, Inc.
Snow Lee: Co-Founder & CEO, Runbear
Steen Strand: Director, Snap
Stephane Fymat: Founder & CEO, Smartplane Inc.
Stephen Meade: Founder & CEO, MonetaPro
Steve Hansen: CEO, WePlay
Steve Lehman: Co-Founder, "C" Student Entertainment
Stuart Oden: CEO, JLink
Susy Pang: Director of Customer Operations, InvolveSoft
Talha Basit: Co-Founder & CEO, Spiraldot Health
Taryn Rose: CEO
Taylor Milsal: Managing Director, Cotor Inc
Taylor Cavanah: CEO & CO-Founder, Locai, Inc.
Thom Kozik: CEO/Co-Founder, Eventual.app
Tim Drees: Co Founder & Prior CEO
Tim Suski: Co Founder, Rush Cycle
Todd Terrazas: Founder, President, & Executive Director, AI LA
Tom Marchesello: Investor Trend & Strategy Director, United States Fund
Tom Andrus: GM & SVP
Tony Karrer: Tony Karrer - CEO/CTO, TechEmpower (Los Angeles FI), TechEmpower
Tony Greenberg: Chairman and Founder, RampRate
Travis Schmidt: Founder, WorldFare
Trevor Jensen: CEO, Bullibone
Tyler Turner: Founder & CEO, Beauy Fox
Vidya Dinamani: Co Founder & Principal, Product Rebels
Vince Kohli: Serial Entrepreneur & Super Angel Investor, Deleted
Walter O'brien: CEO, Scorpion Computer Services
Wayne Bos: Chairman, Minergy
Wesley St. Louis: Founder, CEO, HecTech
William Quigley: CEO, OPSkins and WAX Token
Yemi Oluseun: Growth & GTM For FinTechs, The Change Hive
Yunus Sevimli: Co-Founder & CTO, Almond Fintech