The Founder Institute's four-month curriculum covers everything you would expect from an early-stage startup program, including topics like "Startup Legal and IP” towards the beginning, to “Fundraising” near the end. What makes the curriculum special is the Mentors that teach it, whose passion, feedback and support helps our companies avoid rookie mistakes and set the foundation for a meaningful and enduring company.
The Founder Institute carefully recruits approximately 25 Mentors per Semester, who are normally the CEO or founder of a successful startup. Rather than specialists or consultants, we prefer Founders and CEOs to give our companies "the entrepreneur's perspective." The mentors share their experiences, best practices, and mistakes, while also providing specific guidance and feedback on the Founder companies.
In addition, the Founder Institute's unique Graduate Liquidity Pool allows our mentors to share in the equity of companies formed in each program - and, their share is based solely on the anonymous ratings they receive from the Founders both during, and after the program. In this way, the Founder Institute incentivizes mentors to take a special interest in our startups, and provide as much assistance as possible after the program.
We have a great lineup of Mentors confirmed for the Spring 2013 Warsaw Founder Institute, including many from out of town. See the full list below.
Adam Hościło
Co-founder, Twisted Logic
Co-founder at Twisted Logic, a mobile development company. Experienced Mobile Strategy Consultant and Product Developer. IT Project Manager in the past. Expert in iOS development projects (interfaces, App Store, marketing). He was the product owner and business manager of a Digital Publishing system for iPad named iPublisher http://getiPublisher.com/ He is of the co-founders of the Bootstrap initiative - one of the first barcamp-style meet-ups in Poland. Specialities: Mobile Application Development, Consulting, Digital Publishing, Business Development, Lean Thinking
Adeo Ressi
CEO, TheFunded.com
Adeo Ressi is Founding Member of TheFunded.com, an online community of 17,000 CEOs to research, rate, and review funding sources worldwide. Adeo also runs the Founder Institute, a mentoring program that helps entrepreneurs launch hundreds of world-class companies each year. The Institute is the eighth start-up that Adeo has founded or built, four of which were acquired and three of which are still operating.
Andrzej Godlewski
Deputy Director , TVP1
Andrzej Godlewski is respected Polish journalist and senior media executive who has lead a number of press, Internet and TV projects. An active partcipant in a range of international media initiatives, he has a strong track record of building creative, highly motivated and flexible teams that have frequently proven up to the most difficult challenges. Andrzej has an extensive network of contacts that spans a whole spectrum of business and political circles. He senses market trends and makes difficult decisions easy, all of which puts him in the forefront for leading new business ventures.
Arkadiusz Hajduk
CEO, Huge Thing
Arkadiusz has an extensive experience in concept and product development, project management, human resources management, customer support, business development, operations management and many other aspects of running a business. Arkadiusz is CEO and co-founder of Huge Thing (http://hugething.org) – a business acceleration program for high potential teams with global ambitions. Simultaneously, he serves as an investment manager at Speed Up Venture Capital Group where he works with potential investments and portfolio startups. Arkadiusz is actively involved in a number of entrepreneurial initiatives like Poznan Startup Weekend, Startup Sprint and P-Team. Previously Arkadiusz spent few years in a number of web startups, including one of the leading European social lending platforms smava, where he was serving a number of different roles, also co-founder. Arkadiusz was blessed with opportunity to work within multinational teams of great people, while living in Denmark, Hungary, Sweden, Canada and Poland. Arkadiusz earned his M.Sc. degree at Technical University of Denmark (DTU).
Edi Pyrek
Consultant
Edi Pyrek - consultant, mentor, coach. Trained 2 Prime Ministers, ministers, members of parliament, bosses and owners of biggest companies (including the ones of "WPROST" list of the richest). Used to be a coach of the Parliament Speaker and the candidate for President - Prof. Zbigniew Religa. Organized elections for Seym as well as local elections. After 9.11 worked as a peace negociator among Afgani tribes. Created brand names for companies and individuals (politics, business, media). Author of 8 books (last three were published by National Geographic), producent and scriptwriter of documents and series of documentaries (for Polish Public Television TVP and Discovery Channel) and for theatre. Permanently cooperating with National Geographic, Nowe Media, etc. Therapist. Univercity lecturer (eg. SWPS). One of the most popular speakers of TEDx (TEDx Warsaw 2012,TEDx Women Poznan 2012). Also gave lectures in Russia, United Arab Emirates. Trained the Opposition of one of the old Russian Republicis. Recently building brands based on "Brand Religion"
Ela Madej
Co-Founder , Applicake, Base CRM, R&U
Co-founded Applicake (applicake.com), Base CRM (getbase.com) and the European Rails Conference Railsberry (railsberry.com). Is also building global startup community with JoinHive (joinhive.com), founded Mobile Mobile Conference ( mmconf.com) and is mentoring at Startup Weekend. Together with her team she was featured in Wprost magazine's 2011 list of Poland's "100 Future Richest". Currently focused on her new company Rainbows and Unicorns Corp., recently funded by the prestigious Y Combinator. More on elamadej.com
Filip Miłoszewski
Co-founder, Board Member, Listonic
Co-founder of Listonic - mobile shopping list, one of the most popular mobile apps in Poland. Product guy with a strong focus on simplicity & usability. Passionate about mobile products, involved in development of such since 2008, gained considerable know-how regarding mobile marketing, product development as well as running a startup. Active enthusiast of the lean startup movement. Graduate of Coventry University & Technical University of Lodz enjoys running, spends lot of his free time watching stand up comedy.
Jakub Domeracki
CEO, Idea Box S.A.
Jacob is a manager with passion for venture capital, finance and entrepreneurship. Professionally he is the CEO of Idea Box S.A, a SPV of the Idea Bank – the first bank in Poland, which delivers services tailor fitted to the needs of entrepreneurs. Idea Box is conducting direct investments in private equity model. Idea Box has two aims of focus: venture capital and business incubation. Previously Jacob worked for one of the leading venture capital fund in Poland. Considering his academic background, he is a graduate of the Warsaw School of Economics, took part in programs at London School of Economics and Institute of Management Technology, India.
Jan Zając
CEO, Sotrender
CEO & co-founder of Sotrender, actionable statistics for social media marketers. Internet researcher, assistant professor at the Chair of Social Psychology, University of Warsaw. Big fan of shoestring traveling, cycling, hiking and being offline.
Maciej Maciejowski
CEO, MoonSpace
Experienced manager and expert in online media. Graduate Management at University of Science and Technology in Kraków. Since 1993, heavily involved in the development of the Internet. Since 1996 he was constantly linked with a company that is now called Grupa Onet.pl SA. He was first webmaster in Onet.pl. As director of product innovation he managed teams which create most of the currently active sites in Onet. Today, engaged in product development, growth hacking and give assistance to statups. Privately he writes a blog moonopol.pl about processes occurring on the Internet
Marcin Chwalik
Co-founder, Ceneo.pl
Co-founder of Ceneo.pl – no.1 price comparison business in Poland and no.2 e-commerce destination in Poland by traffic. After selling Ceneo to Allegro a member of Allegro management team responsible for overlooking Allegro Group M&A efforts in CEE Region. An active member of MIH/Napers global M&A e-commerce projects, especially in Latam/Asia.
Michał Sadowski
CEO, Brand24
He graduated Master Degree at the Faculty of Computer Science and Management at the Wroclaw University of Technology. From 10 years associated with the Internet industry. Founder and Chief Executive of Brand24 S.A. He is also co-founder of services such as PinoTV.pl, Moblo.pl, Slajdzik.pl, Livesite.pl. He is a blogger and commentator of the phenomena associated with the IT industry.
Michał Jaskólski
VP, R&D Director, Grupa Nokaut S.A.
Co-founder, VP and R&D Director of Grupa Nokaut S.A. listed on the main Warsaw Stock Exchange market. Responsible for graphic design and UX teams, as well as for e-commerce market research. Co-founder of Morizon S.A. real estate company listed on NewConnect stock market. Online since 1997. Involved in web design and web development since 1999. Used to be a web designer, web developer, senior analyst, team leader, project manager and product manager in many different companies including Wirtualna Polska and Implix. Fascinated by the new technologies, ideas and startups. Geek and early adopter. Captures the world around by taking photos and listens to alternative music (often - live).
Paweł Fornalski
CEO, IAI S.A.
Paweł Fornalski is mainly known as Founder & CEO of IAI S.A., polish publicly listed company providing e-commerce solution IAI-Shop.com, which support 2000 polish internet stores which generates over 1 bilion PLN of turnover. Now he mainly focuses on developing foreign markets for IAI in UK, Ireland and Germany, offering similar services which are named for this markets IdoSell.com. He is also involved as founder of one of the oldest and most known polish music portals Hip-Hop.pl. Previously he created many social media portals. He is in internet industry since 1999. During 13 years he also freelanced and published well known blog. He graduated master and phd studies in Computer Science on Technical University in Szczecin, where he still lives. In free time he plays ice hockey and roller hockey, also in leagues.
Paweł Szydziak
A Board Member, Idea Box S.A.
Paweł Szydziak - scientifically and professionally connected with economic administrative law, and capital market law. Currently serves as a board member Idea Box SA, the management company of business incubator Idea Bank. A graduate of Law from the University of Warsaw.
