Now, more than ever, the world needs entrepreneurs to build the future.
At the Founder Institute, we know times are tough, but we also know that economic downturns are a great time to start a business. This isn't just conjecture - the Founder Institute was started in April of 2009 (during the "Great Recession"), and world-leading companies like Microsoft, Tesla, and Apple also took advantage of cost savings during a recession to launch and get their initial traction.
That's why we are excited to announce today that applications are now open for the Boston Fall 2025 program.
If you could use a structured process and a lifetime of support from Boston's top investors and entrepreneurs to build something meaningful, then apply to the Boston Fall 2025 Founder Institute today.
We will be hosting several free startup online events in Boston over the coming weeks, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs from the comfort of your home:
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 8:00pm, May 05, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/369957
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 8:00pm, May 07, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/366288
- Corporate Innovation in Action: How to Overcome Roadblocks: 1:00pm, May 08, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/371059
- Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Nathan Beckord: 1:00pm, May 12, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/366369
- Future-proofing CPG Brands: Key Strategies for Sustainable Growth: 10:00am, May 15, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/370950
- Lessons Learned Raising from Top Silicon Valley VCs: AMA with Rajeev Behera: 12:00pm, May 29, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/371193
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 1:00pm, Jun 02, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/370539
- How to Build Your MVP Using Artificial Intelligence : 1:00pm, Jun 04, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/371326
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 8:00pm, Jun 09, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/370736
- FI Alumni Panel: Meet Portfolio Companies and Ask Questions: 1:00pm, Jun 23, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/371736
- Startup Finance & Banking Basics: AMA with Grasshopper Bank: 1:00pm, Jun 25, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/371936
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 1:00pm, Jun 30, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/371578
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 1:00pm, Jul 07, 2025 (America/New_York): https://FI.co/e/370311
Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200+ cities worldwide, the Founder Institute provides high-potential entrepreneurs and teams with the devoted support network and structured growth process needed to get to traction and funding. Participants in the 4-month core program also get access to a lifetime of support through the Founder Institute's industry-leading post-programs.
The Boston program is led by some of the region's top startup leaders, including Anna Welland (Senior Portfolio Manager, Avian LLC), Serephina Ha (Managing Director, Founder Institute - LA).
In addition, some of Boston's top investors, entrepreneurs, and CEOs will be participating in the program, providing them with expert feedback and evaluation. The list of startup mentors for the Boston Founder Institute includes:
- Aaron O'Hearn: Director, Self
- Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO PLATFORM
- Adam Brod: Head of Technology & Engineering, BookBub
- Adeo Ressi: CEO, Decile Group / VC Lab
- Adi Iyengar: Director of Engineering , Two Front
- AJ Kintner: Owner, Mrktplc.com, Moneypub.co
- Alex Yang: Co-Founder , ClearCut Surgical
- Alexandra Marshakova
- Alexei Erchak: Founder, Luminus Devices
- Allison Byers: Founder & CEO, Scroobious
- Amir Eldad: Founder, Aternity
- Ande Lyons: Startup Coach, Startup Life with Ande Lyons
- Andrea Jackson: Vice President, Biopharma, Mitra Biotech
- Anika Havlicek: Director, First Republic Bank
- Anuj Adhiya: VP of Growth, Sophya
- Arcui Usoara: Founder/CEO, Iaculus
- Areen Shahbari: CEO , Cactus Int.
- Arjun Bhatnagar: Partner, RallyCry Ventures
- Arun Buduri: Founder & President, Pixm
- Avner Schneur: Founder, Emptoris
- Barry Coffman: Angel Investor & Mentor, Launchpad Venture Group
- Ben Stacey: CEO, Pitchverk
- Ben Littauer: Angel Investor, Walnut Venture Associates
- Benjamin Bungert: Director of Operations, LearnLaunch Accelerator
- Bill Wade: Managing Member, Company.com
- Bobbie Carlton: Founder, Innovation Women
- Brandon Oliver: Operations Manager, DCU FinTech Innovation Center
- Brian Shin: Founder and CEO, Visible meaures
- Brian Bartlett: Partner, The DMF Group
- Brian Gilman: Vice President Business Development & Sales, Gamalon Labs
- Brian Denenberg: Managing Partner, Agile Sales Method
- Brian Hough: CTO, Airblock
- Byron Morgan: Founder, Vinylmint
- Candace Ohm: Founder, Canz.Art
- Catherine White: Managing Director, Golden Seeds
- Caya (Jose) Cayasso: CEO, Slidebean
- Charbel Kaed: Senior Software Engineer, Google
- Chareeda Rustana: Startup Banking, Silicon Valley Bank
- Charles Hadsell: Founder & CEO, ePropertyCare
- Charlie Tillett: Consulting CFO, 50-50-50 Consulting
- Charlie Berg: Owner & Principal Consultant, Tactical Business Partners
- Chintan Oza: Founder, Anantam Ecosystems
- Chris Petty: Co-Founder, 908 Devices
- Chris Bouton: CEO, Vyasa
- Chris Anderson: General Partner, A2ZVenture.com
- Christian Magel: Founder, Venture Lane Boston
- Christian Mongillo: Business Development Manager, HubSpot for Startups
- Christos Perakis: CEO, Zoottle
- Chuck Goldstone: CEO, Chuck Goldstone Communications
- Claudine Bettendroffer
- Clement Cazalot: Managing Director, Self
- Colin Mahony: SVP, HP MEDICAL
- Conrad Egusa: CEO, Publicize
- Craig Snodgrass: Venture Partner, Valor Ventures
- Dan Olschwang: Founder & CEO, Equal.Rent
- Danielle Letayf: CEO & Founder, Badassery
- David Rosen: CEO, Acrelic Group
- Dean Walsh: TiE ScaleUp Program Manager, Tie Boston
- Deb Pine: Executive Director, Center for Women and Business, Bentley University
- Dharmesh Shah: Founder and CTO
- Dina Sherif: Executive Director, Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship at MIT
- Dipul Patel: Co-CEO, Ecovent
- Doug Brenhouse, MetaCarta (Nokia)
- Doug Levin: Founder, Black Duck
- Dr. Hanan El Basha: Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Maverika
- Duncan Walker: Co-Founder, Jebbit
- Durjoy Bhattacharjya: Founder and CEO, Medicalrecords.com
- Edward Finn: Principal, The DMF Group
- Elizabeth Gazda: Co-Founder, Doni
- Emily Burns: CEO, Learnivore
- Emily Green: Board Director & Advisor, Multiple companies
- Eric Bosco: Former CEO, ChoiceStream
- Eric Asquith: CEO, Residential Way
- Erik Bullen: Startup Advisor & Investor, Various Ventures
- Erik Meyers: Founder & CEO, Erik S. Meyers Consulting
- Eunice Nyandat: Founder /CEO, MBM Africa
- Fady Saad: Co-Founder & Director of Partnerships, MassRobotics
- Farid Nemri: Program Manager, In-Q-Tel
- Felipe Fernandes: CEO, Pi Tech
- Frank Days: CMO, Tesora
- Fred Joyal: Fred Joyal - CEO & Co-Founder, Futuredontics (Los Angeles FI) , Futuredontics
- Furqan Nazeeri: Founder/President/CEO, Viridus, inc.
- Gaurav Bhattacharya: CEO & Co-Founder , Involve.ai
- Graham Sutherland: Co-Founder, Canetia Analytics
- Gregory Karelitz: Head of Partnerships & Growth, HubSpot for Startups
- Gregory Raiz: Managing Director, Self
- Hamit Hamutcu: Co-Founder, IADSS
- Hany Alhamidi: Founder, eMentoring
- Heather Ames Versace: Co-Founder & COO, Neurala
- Howard Bornstein: Principal, Innospark Ventures
- Howie Hecht: Co-Founder, Appanite AdsSciences
- Hunter Ashmore: Deeptech startup & VC strategy consultant, Independent consultant
- Ian Lamont: Founder & President, i30 Media Corporation
- Ignacio Castro: Managing Partner, 128vc
- Igor Belagorudsky: President, FastCTO
- Itai Nevo: Partner, DLA Piper
- Izhar Armony: General Partner, Charles River Ventures
- James Schermerhorn: VP Sales, Spark::red
- James Doscher: Founder, Digital Health Advisors
- Jamie Oldershaw: General Manager, DealerRater and VP Reputation Strategy, CARS Inc., DealerRater
- Janet Chacon: CEO, Airblock Technologies
- Jason Whaley: Board Director (former CEO), Manus Biosynthesis
- Jason Reynolds: Lead UX Design Instructor, General Assembly
- Jay Jamison: Founder & President
- Jay Singh: Senior Technology Transfer Specialist, NASA Ames Research Center
- Jeff Kitt: Vice President, Publicize
- Jeffrey Bazar: Managing Director, JBV Capital
- Jen Riedel: Senior Program Manager, 1863 Ventures
- Jen Millard
- Jeremiah Pate: Founder & CEO, Lunasonde
- Jeremy Halpern: Partner, Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP
- Jeremy Singh: MBA Student, Babson
- Jingjing Li: Program & Marketing Manager, The Capital Network
- Joanna Horton McPherson: Speaker, Author, 6x Entrepreneur, Coach, Joanna Horton McPherson
- Joe Daniels: Partner, Co-Chair - Emerging Companies, Partner & Co-Chair, Emerging Companies Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
- Joel Abdinoor: CFO, NewStore
- John Prendergast: Founder, Blueleaf
- Jomy Methipara: Business and intellectual property (IP) Attorney, Dickinson Wright
- Jonathan Greechan: Co-Founder & CEO, Founder Institute
- Jonathan Miller: Executive Leadership Coach, Level 7 Leadership
- Jose Estabil: Co-Founder, ADN Genomix
- Jose Martins: Director , Founder Institute Boston
- Jose Estabil: Chief Business Officer, Cipherome
- Joseph Daniels: Partner, Co-Chair -- Venture Capital and Emerging Companies Group , Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough
- Joshua Herzig-Marx: Founder and PM Coach, Founder and PM Coach
- Joyce Bell: CFO, Brand Networks
- Joyce Sidopoulos, MassRobotics
- Juan Leung Li: Senior Associate, General Catalyst
- Juan Necochea, MassRobotics
- Julian Awad: CEO Founder, Smart Genetics
- June W Choi: Managing Partner, Serval Ventures
- Jung Starrett: Principal & Co-founder, SoulCo LLC
- Justin Kang: General Partner, Visible Hands
- Kate Pugh: President, AlignConsulting
- Katelyn Alberts: CEO & Founder, VERVERY
- Katie Burkhart: Founder & CEO, KBurkhart & Co. // Illumyne
- Keith Kocho: Co-Founder & CEO, OrbitHCI
- Kelly Perdew: Cofounder, Moonshots Capital
- Khashayar Dashti: Founder & COO, Bastion
- Kimberly Minafra: Division Chief - Partnerships Development and Agreements , NASA Ames Research Center
- Larry La Salle: President, Scaled OKRs
- Lavina Ramkissoon: Africa's Voice - Chairperson and Director #aiMom, Founder Institute
- Limin Liang: Managing Director, BUild Lab Student Innovation Center, Boston University
- Liz Powers: Chief Happiness Spreader, ArtLifting
- Louie Balasny: Director of Tech and VC, First Republic Bank
- Madison Sowards: Community Manager, MassChallenge
- Magda Farhat
- Manrique Feoli: Founder, Hound Software
- Mara Rada: Chief Operations and Strategy, Loon (loonbio.com)
- Marcos Polanco: CEO, Deedit
- Mariah Lichtenstern: Founder-CEO, DiverseCity Ventures
- Marie Meslin: Executive Director, The Capital Network
- Mark Little: CEO, N2 Biomedical
- Martín Martinez: Founding & Executive Director, Founder Institute Texas
- Matt Johnson: Founder
- Matt Walsh: Founder, Noted Analytics
- Matt Albrecht: Advisor, Cogo Labs
- Matthew Galica: IP Attorney, Mintz
- Max Faingezicht: Co-Founder & CEO, ThriveHive
- Mehul Sompura: Founder, Diamond Hedge
- Michael Schumann: VP of Sales, Keysoft Solutions
- Michael Hayes: Director, Project 32 at MIT CSAIL
- Michael Burtov: Founder & CEO, GeoOrbital
- Michael Hanson: Startup and Growth Strategy Consultant, Optimum Dynamics LLC
- Michael Fodera: CEO, Trova
- Michael Akkerman
- Miglena Georgieva: Principal, jtbd.online
- Mike Grandinetti: Serial Tech Entrepreneur and Faculty , Harvard & Brown
- Mina Behrooz: Head of Partnerships for HubSpot Canada, HubSpot
- Nachi Junankar: CEO and Co-founder, Avrio
- Nadia Shalaby: CEO, ITE Fund
- Nadine Zerrini: Director, Founder Institute Boston
- Nars Krishnamachari: Founder, RueBaRue
- Nelly Yusupova: Founder, TechSpeak.co
- Nick Ducoff: Co-Founder / CEO, Edmit
- Nicos Vekiarides: CEO, Attestiv Inc.
- Nitin Pachisia: Founding Partner, Unshackled
- Noreen Hafez: GTM and Product Launch Leader, Blocsinc.io
- Norm Laviolette: Co-Owner/Founder, Improv Asylum / Laugh Boston
- Ory Zik: Founder CEO, kWhal
- Pano Anthos: CEO, Hangout.net
- Parker Cassidy: COO, Mitra Biotech
- Patricia Letayf: Co-Founder and Director, Five One Labs
- Paul Silva: General Partner, Launch413
- Paula Long: SVP of Engineering and Products, Talla
- Phil Libin: Founder & CEO, All Turtles
- Pilar Fernandez Hermida: Founder i-Expand (We help Health Tech companies go global), i-expand
- Pj Anand: CEO, Alcyone Life Sciences
- Poorvi Patodia: Founder, Biena Foods
- Preeti Tadikonda: Financial Advisor & Consultant, aCubed Limited
- Rachel Spekman: Director of Programming, MassChallenge
- Rachel Dines: VP of Product and Technical Marketing, Chronosphere
- Radhika Dutt: Founder & Product Management Mentor, Likelii
- Raj Sahu: Founder and CEO at , Utobo Inc
- Raza Shaikh: Managing Director, Launchpad Venture Group
- Raza Shaikh
- Rebecca Xiong: CEO, GrowEpic
- Reid Hamilton: Managing Director, Founder Institute and Toronto Stock Exchange
- Richard Soley: CEO, Object Management Group
- Richard April: CMO/SVP of Marketing, Advisor
- Richard Dulude: Co-Founder, Underscore VC
- Rick Myers: Co-Founder & CTO, JogNog
- Ries Mc Quillan: Business Development Manager, Vested
- Riley Knox: Founder, Accelerate3D
- Rishi Dean: GM, Publisher Solutions, Visible Measures
- Robert Hughes III: Director, First Republic Bank
- Robert Rae: Founder, CEO, Intent Solutions Group LLC
- Robin Smith: CEO, Orig3n
- Rohanna Wise: Founder, CEO, Wise Trading Technologies
- Rohini Manyam Seshasayee: Correspondent , Impact Entrepreneur
- Roy Rodenstein: Founder, Going, Inc.
- Rudradeb Mitra: Serial Entrepreneur, Omdena Inc.
- Rupal Patel: Founder, VocaliD
- Ryan Micheletti: Fouder, Illuminate Nootropics
- Sabine Resoagli: Co-Founder, Accelerat3d, Inc.
- Sachin Shah: COO, 55ip
- Saiba Singh: Manager, Accenture, Ex- KFC, Ex-Google & Founder, Sugar Rush
- Sami Shalabi: Tech Exec, Former Googler
- Sanjay Pothen: Director, Emerson Launch
- Sapna Tyagi: Vice President, Product at Virtudent
- Sarah Holmes: Associate, Unshackled Ventures
- Satish Tadikonda: Managing Partner, Avigo Solutions
- Scott Miles: EVP, Partnerships and Emerging Markets, Invaluable.com
- Sean Lindsay: Co-Founder, CTO, Viximo
- Senofer Mendoza: General Partner, Mendoza Ventures
- Sergey Gribov: Partner, Flint Capital
- Sergio Escobar: CEO & Partner, BCF Ventures, Managing Director, Lalotte Ventures
- Sidney Nakahodo: General Partner, Seldor Capital
- Simeon Simeonov: Founder & CTO, Shopximity
- Simon Holroyd: Director, Pivotal Labs
- Simone LaPray: Program Manager, TechStars Boston
- Sriram Gollapalli: Managing Director, Long Angle
- Stamatis Astra: Venture Partner, Innovation Ventures
- Stephany Lapierre: CEO, Tealbook
- Stephen Smith: President & CEO, G7 Research
- Steve Bowman: Pitch Doctor , BizClarity
- Steven Kane: CEO, LuckyLabs
- Steven Gonzalez: Venture Partner, Seldor Capital
- Subha Silverman
- Sun Altbach: CEO & President, PIC Therapeutics
- Sundar Narasimhan: SVP, President for Sabre Labs and Product Strategy, Sabre Labs
- Suzy Sharpe: Founder & CEO, CastingQual
- Tawanda Mahachi: Co-Director, Founder Institute Boston
- Thomas Elliott: CEO, Left Hook
- Thos Niles: COO, Brio Systems
- Tom Ryden: Executive Director, MassRobotics
- Tony Liu: Co-Founder, JobGet
- Tracy Graziani: CEO, Graziani Mutimedia LLC
- Tyler Durman: CEO & Founder, Ignition Growth Consulting
- Varun Ramdevan
- Vasilios Roussos: Managing Director, DCU FinTech Innovation Center
- Vijay Somandepalli: Co-Founder & CTO, American Robotics
- Vincent Marsland: Senior Founder Success Manager, Communitech
- Vivek Soni: Managing Director, TiE Angels
- Vladimir Pletyukhin: Founder and Creative Director, Launch Deck
- Wes Barlow: Founder, Coffr
- William Perkins: Member, Mintz
- Winston Chen: Founder, Voice Dream
- Yasmin Cruz: General Partner, Visible Hands
- Yemi Oluseun: Growth & GTM For FinTechs, The Change Hive
- Yusuf Bashir: SVP, Palladium Capital Group
- And many more to be announced.
Since 2009, the Founder Institute has helped over 7,500 Alumni raise over $1.85BN funding, get into seed-accelerators, generate traction, recruit a team, build a product, transition from employee to entrepreneur, and more (see the FI 10 Year Impact Report here).
Join us in Boston and help build the future.
Apply to the Boston Fall 2025 Founder Institute today, or learn more at FI.co/overview.
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