Today, perhaps more than ever before, the world needs entrepreneurs to build a better future.
At the Founder Institute, we know this is a time of great uncertainty, but we also know that economic downturns are a great time to start a business. This isn't just conjecture - it is supported by historical business cycles and the experiences of seasoned entrepreneurs. The Founder Institute itself 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 Japan Fall 2026 program.
If you could use a structured process and a lifetime of support from Tokyo and Silicon Valley's top investors and entrepreneurs to build something meaningful, then apply to the Japan Fall 2026 Founder Institute today.
We will be hosting several free startup online events in Tokyo over the coming weeks, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs from the comfort of your home:
Japan Events:
- Building a Business Model & Monetization: Turning Idea into Revenue: 6:00pm, Jul 14, 2026 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/402534
- Productize & Automate With AI: From Idea to Scalable Systems: 6:00pm, Jul 21, 2026 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/402602
Global or Regional Events:
- How to Build Without a Team Using AI with Jonathan Greechan: 1:00am, Jul 15, 2026 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/401826
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 Tokyo-Silicon Valley program will be led by top startup leaders, including Erdinc Ekinci (Co-founder, CEO , Co-capital), Japan Admin, YuLi Shein (Co-founder, COO, Openfor.co, inc).
In addition, some of Japan'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 Tokyo-Silicon Valley Founder Institute includes:
- Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO PLATFORM
- Adam Najberg: Senior Advisor, CorpBridge Advisors
- Ahram Chui: Director , Gyeongnam Venture Investment
- Aki Ohashi: Vice President, Evolution Ventures
- Alex Chang: Senior Vice President (& TIEF Fund Leader), Industrial Technology Investment Corp.
- Alexander De Vore: CEO, MadeHere
- Alexander Uttendorfer: CEO, Liquid Frame
- Alyssa Chen: Principal of Accelerator and Community, AppWorks
- Andreea Marinescu: CEO, Tech Add-Venture
- Andrew Shuttleworth: Mentor, Founder Institute
- Andy Cheng: Head of Japan, GrandTech Cloud Services Inc.
- Anna Leshchuk: Founder, BREAMS
- Anna Silifonova: CEO, 5&5 Studios
- Arcui Usoara: Global Board Advisor and Brand Strategist, Founder, Iaculus
- Asuka Kondo: Design Director , D4V (Design for Ventures)
- Atsushi Hamada: Co-founder and CEO, Aeru.me, Inc
- Benjamin Joffe: Founder & CEO, Plus Eight Star
- Brian Yoo: Startup Advisor, LinkedIn Branding Expert, Founder at CareerLab
- Cedric Wagrez: VP, ML Tech & Japan AI, TaskUs
- Cenk Baladura: Founder&VC Partner, Namcebawon Group & Co-Capital
- Cenk Bayrakdar: Managing Director, Revo Capital
- Chiamin Lai: Managing Partner, UB Ventures
- Chintan Oza: Founder, Anantam Ecosystems
- Chris Foltz: Global Entrepreneur-In-Residence, Founder Institute
- Christoph Sollich: Christoph Sollich - The Pitch Doctor, The Pitch Doctor
- Colin Magne: Founder, Japan Angels
- Conrad Kimball: CEO, ADU.Works
- Constantine Demetriou: Mr, Neom Investment Fund
- Daisuke Ito, ad-dice Co., Ltd.
- Daleep Panessar: Senior Product Manager, Amazon
- Daniel Maggs: CEO & Co-Founder, Bisu
- Darren Menabney: Professor and Partner Faculty , GLOBIS University - Graduate School of Management
- David Yeng: Managing Director, Hong Kong IEC (Singapore), Managing Partner, Founders Venture Capital
- David Yi: General Partner, Ethos Fund
- David Kenji Chang, A-N Partners
- Donald Soo ドナルド•ソー: Former CEO
- Donghwa Chung: Attorney, Star Law Firm
- Dr. Ish Anand: Board member, iCapital Ventures
- Dr. Joe Hüg: Managing Director / Professor of Practice, IOAK, Corp. / iU University
- Dr. Mayank Singh: Co-founder, CEO , Impute Inc.
- Ed Thompson: Marketing Consultant / Founder, Concept Design I/O
- Edgar Chiu: Co-founder & Managing Partner, SparkLabs Taiwan
- Erdinç Ekinci: Managing Director, Founder Institute Japan/Korea/Taiwan
- Eugene Lee: CEO, Socialtext
- Eugene Kim: Co-Founder, Managing Director, SEATTLE PARTNERS LLC.
- Eugene Kim: Co-founder & Partner, SparkLabs Group
- Eugene Noh: Investor, Self Employed
- Evan Burkosky: Co-founder & CEO, kimaru.ai
- Fion Lee-Madan: Technical Co-Founder, COO and Customer Success, Fairly AI Inc.
- Francisco Soares: Founder, Furious Green
- Franklin Kamnang Ngansop: Co-Founder, Vitamin CS Coaching
- Fredrik Debong: Serial Entrepreneur in Medtech, Fintech, and Innovation Management, Angel Investor
- Fujiyo Ishiguro: ＣＥＯ, Netyear Group Corp.
- Fumiaki Koizumi: CEO, Fumiaki Koizumi & Associates
- Fuminori Gunji: Global Head of GTM, ZooKeep
- Gaurav Malhotra: CEO and Founder, Hire Pundit
- Giang Trịnh: Managing Partner, VMCG Capital
- GRAEME OGILVIE: Independent Advisor, Fractional Executive, Angel Investor , Who says I can't - Senior Partner
- Hany Sayed: Chief Digital Officer, Gyozer Proptech
- Haru Noda: Senior Capitalist, YANMAR VENTURES
- Haruka Takamori: Investment Manager, STRIVE
- Hideki Takita: CEO, Bliss Cline Co.,Ltd.
- Hideki Suzuki: CEO , TSUCREA Co., Ltd.
- Hirokazu Nagano: CEO, KLab Venture Partners株式会社
- Hiroko 裕子 Nishiyama 西山: ディレクター, NPO Seitaikai
- Hiroshi Nishikawa: Representative Director, Solve AI
- Hiroyuki Anno: Founder and CEO, DELIGHT Global Inc.
- Hooi Yen Chin: Director, Polaris Law Corporation
- Ian Huang: General Partner, Good People Ventures
- Ibrahim Orhan: CEO - CoFounder, Kanaria Tech Inc.
- Ikuo Hiraishi: CEO, SunBridge Global Ventures Inc.
- Ippei Takushima: Partner, Kimura Takushima & Yamaguchi
- Iva Buschmann: Director, Tokyo Leadership Institute
- Ivan E. Germanov: Certified Coach, Founder Institute
- Jack Huang: Managing Partner, Dreamhub Ventures
- Jacky Lou: Advisor/Coach for , Startups and Founders
- Jad Tarifi: CEO & Co-founder, Integral AI
- Jan Kaiser: Vice President, Head of Corporate Finance | Turnaround & Transformation | IPO | Private Equity | Value Creation, Marelli
- Jared Campion: Founder & CEO, Dream Drive
- Jason Everaert: Product Manager, Fintech
- Jatin Kataria: Managing Director, InMeSta Ecosystem + WeShapeUp Venture Studio
- Jay Onda: Director (Investments) | CVC Advisory Board Member, Marubeni Ventures | National Venture Capital Association
- Jed Ng: Super Angel & Founder, Angel School
- Jeffrey Paine: Founding Partner, Golden Gate Ventures, Singapore
- Jeni Chang: Managing Director, Founder Institute San Francisco
- Jennifer Lin: Investor , Headline
- Jeongwoo Lim: Associate, W-inc.
- Jeremy Kai Proctor: Venture Capitalist, Headline
- Jerry Chi: Head of Japan, Stability AI
- Jet Son Tan: Founder & CEO, TrendRider
- Jihun Yeon: Investment manager, Nautilus Investment
- Jin Tanaka: Director of Investment | Resident Mentor, DEEPCORE | 500 Global
- Jinho Jang: Founder , Agoras Inc. - CodeFriends.net
- John Kirch: Director, Ichigo Asia K.K.
- John Millar: Dr, Techbridge Capital
- John Kojiro Moriwaka: CEO, Silicon Valley Ventures
- John Y. Sasaki: Principal / Attorney-at-Law, JSV Foreign Law Office
- Jonathan Nguyen: Founder & CEO, Unsensible
- Jordan Fisher: Co-founder & Executive Chairman, Zehitomo
- José Francisco Fernandez Serna: Angel Investor, AgriFood Founder and Executive, CEO of E-motion Foods, Partner in DesertTech Ventures, and Board member in different organizations
- Josh Green: Founder, Green Innovation Consulting
- Joshua Flannery: Founder & CEO , Innovation Dojo Japan
- Julie Oh, Coach Julie Oh
- Jun Kojima: Venture Capitalist, Golden Egg Ventures / Egg FORWARD Inc.
- Karin Wellbrock: Executive Leadership Coach and Co-Founder., Kay Group K.K.
- Karthik Rampalli: Venture Capitalist, Beyond Next Ventures Inc
- Kazuo Nagasaki
- Kei Shimada: Executive | Entrepreneur | Award-winning Innovator | Global Keynote Speaker| Startup Mentor | Angel Investor | EMBA, Liquid One Studio
- Kei Watanabe: Co-founder, Glasp Inc.
- Keigo Shimada, D.Sc.: Investment Associate, Coral Capital
- Ken Covey: Investment Manager, QXLV
- Kenji Sadamoto: Founder, CEO, Heart Forever Co. Ltd.
- Kenta Izumi | 泉 健太: COO, CMO and Executive Vice-President
- Keshni Morar: Managing Director, FI South Africa + Investable
- Keshni Morar: Managing Director, FI South Africa + Investable
- Kevin Leung: CEO, Muku Labs
- Kevin Brockland: Founder & Managing Partner, Indelible Ventures:
- Khalil Maaouni: Head of Data and Digital, Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc.
- Kim Yongho: Co-Founder and CEO, STRA Co., Ltd.
- Kiyotake Sugita: Founder, KLAR株式会社
- Kiyoyuki Suzuki: CEO, Advanced Media, Inc.
- Kohei Noda: Director/Global Tech BD/Start-up investor, Mentor/Stanford LEAD alumni, Distinguished Scholar, Hakuhodo DY Holdings
- Kojiro Seto: Startup Advisor, bTANK LLC
- Koki Tanaka: VC, Incubate Fund
- Kotaro Mori: Deputy Secretary General, Yokohama Future Organization
- Krishan Caldwell: APAC Commercial Solutions Leader (Flexibility) , Kraken
- Kyo Ueda: CEO / Founder, Lingo Mii
- Lauren Nham: Investor, MetaCap Ventures
- Leo Ma: Founder, EO Studio Japan, EO Studio
- Lu Dong: Founder and CEO, TakeMe Co.,Ltd.
- Luca Meguro: Investor, MS&AD VENTURES
- Luca Meguro: Manager, Strategic Partnerships & Investment Senior Associate, MS&AD VENTURES
- Maaike Doyer: Founder, Epic Angels
- Mahesh Kasar: Managing Director, Aavya Inc. Japan
- Makihara Arisa: Junior Associate , Anobaka
- Manji Suzuki: Founder, SUZUKI MANJI OFFICE
- Marco De Biasi: Startups Investor & Advisor /Program Director/Conselheiro Fiscal, LGA/Italcam/Mobicity
- Mari Nishiyama: Startup Partner Lead, Stripe
- Marko Simic: Chief Technology Officer, Ascent Robotics, Inc.
- Masahiro Samejima: Founding Partner, UCHIDA & SAMEJIMA LAW FIRM
- Masumi Shimafuji: Founder, xRsion Inc.
- Max Zheng: Director of Investments, Blockchain Founders Group
- Maximillian Naza: Chief Executive Officer , PasciVite
- Michael Sheetal: Founder / CEO, PlayBrain Inc.
- Michael Sudano: Senior Robotics Operations Engineer, Woven Planet Holdings
- Michael Lee: CEO and Founder , CreBiz Factory
- Michael Ho: Founder , Ventures Cubed
- Mikio Kawahara: Chief Investment Officer / Head of Investment and Business Development, UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd.
- Milad Moazzenzadeh: Founder and CEO, Driven Global Consulting Co,. Ltd
- Min Myat Swan Pyae: Co-Founder, Juncture
- Mohammed Kashif: Senior Quality Assurance Automation Engineer, Department of Motor Vehicles
- Motohide Takeda: Exective Director, TKD.Institute
- Motoi Nakazato: 取締役, 株式会社リブセンス
- Naoko Kurosawa: Senior Manager, TSUCREA Co., Ltd.
- Naoko Fujihira: Founder/CEO, Kachibin
- Narimasa Makino: Manager, SunBridge Global Ventures Inc.
- Neeti Virmani: LP and Advisor, Loyal VC
- Niklas Tawast: Venture Capitalist, Digital Garage, Inc.
- Nitin Mistry: Founder, MC Squared Solutions
- Niyati Gupta: Product Design Lead, Netflix
- Noriya Tarutani: Director of Innovation Division, JETRO / J-Startup Affairs
- Omar Munawar: Senior Investment Associate, SEEDRA Ventures
- Paloma Lecheta: Regional Director - LatAm, Founder Institute
- Paolo Ottaviani: Sr. Program Manager - Southern Europe | Program Director - Visa Innovation Program Europe | Venture Partner Biometric Ventures, Tenity | Biometric Ventures | Visa Innovation Program Europe
- PASCHAL OFFORDUM: Associate , Shujaa Capital
- Pina (Yoichiro) Hirano: CEO, Asteria Corporation
- Rancho Lee: Co-founder & APAC Partner, Simsan Ventures
- Raphael Hodé: CEO, Design Director, nowthen
- Rebecca Chai: Ventures Associate, Plug and Play Japan
- Reisa Matsuda: Community Manager, Google Japan
- Rene Budeck: Venture Capitalist, Stealth
- Richard Orman, NAKATOMI
- Roger Do: CEO, Co-Founder, Watchdog Cyber Defense
- Rosario B Casas: Co Founder, XR Americas, LLC / Business Creative Partners SAS
- Rosario B Casas: Co-Founder, BCPartners Tech
- Ryan Micheletti: Head of Global Operations, Founder Institute
- Ryan Ahamer: Founder, LokaLingo
- Ryo Ishibashi: Prog Director, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Ryoichi Kaneko: Partner, Anderson Mori & Tomotsune
- Ryousuke Okinume: CEO, POTESTA
- Ryusuke Murao: Branding Specialist / Best-selling writer, STARBRAND Co.,Ltd.
- Sameer Sortur: Founding Partner, SquareCircle Ventures
- Sameer Karulkar: Founder and Partner, Coverpage Ventures Advisory LLP
- Sanjaykumar Patel: Founder -Patent & Trademark Attorney, EXCELON IP - Patent & Trademark Attorneys
- Sasha Kaverina: Partnerships & Growth, Le Wagon Tokyo
- Satoshi Okuda: CEO, Primestyle
- Satoshi Okuda: CEO, Primestyle Co.,Ltd.
- Satoshi Nunokawa: Associate , Incubate Fund
- Schyler Alexandra Cole: Entrepreneur in Residence, Value Create Ventures
- Sergio Escobar: CEO & Partner, BCF Ventures, Managing Director, Lalotte Ventures
- Sergio Elias Wilson: Foreign Associate, So & Sato Law Firm
- Serkan Toso: Co-Founder, byFood
- Sertac Yeltekin: Founder & Executive Director, InVirtuoLabs
- Shinya Yamamoto: Founder & CEO, Link & Innovation, Inc.
- Sho Sato: CEO, LUDiMUS Inc.
- Shuji Honjo, Tama Graduate School of Business
- Sinjin Wolf: Co-founder & CEO , kimaru.ai
- So Saito: Founder, So & Sato Law Offices
- So Yeon Kim: Founder & CEO, Lapis APAC Pte Ltd.
- Stella (Jeehyon) Yoh: Principal, SOSV and Orbit Startups
- Stevan Markovic: Head of Strategic Growth: LP Community, VC/PE Partnerships & LP-GP Events, AQVC
- Steve Monaghan: General Partner, Finmirai
- Steve Sidhu: Consulting Partner, VMCG
- Sujan Sanku, Mba, Llm, Bse: Japan Channel Partner, Paramount Consortium of Companies INC
- Sung Jae Lim: Venture Capitalist, Headline
- Sush Bapna: General Partner, 10Ten Ventures
- Tadashi Takaoka: Gerente General
- Takahiro Hayashi: CEO, HEROZ
- Takanari Hayama: CEO, http://www.igel.co.jp/index.html.ja
- Takeru Ohe: Founder, T. Ohe & Associates
- Takeshi Ebihara: General Partner, Rebright Partners / Batavia Incubator
- Taku Furukawa: Founder & Organizer, Tokyo Fabhub
- Takujiro Oto: Co-Founder and CEO, Drive Japan Inc.
- Tao Romera Martinez: Chief Operating Officer, Soundraw
- Taruho Kuroda: Senior Director, R&D Asia-Pacific Hub, LEO Pharma
- Tatsuya Kato: Chairman of the Boards & Co-Founder, Mido Holdings Ltd.
- Tatsuya Zenbutsu
- Ta Wei Wang: Managing Director, Pinehurst Studio
- Tetsuo Iwasaki: Chairman,Founder, 株式会社IIOSS
- Tetsuya Noguchi: CEO, i-mobile
- Tilo Bonow Piabo: Investor, Cavalry Ventures
- Timothy Connor: CEO & Founder, Synnovate
- Todor Panev: Co-Founder, CBDO, Talnets AG, Sindex, Sigoor
- Tomohiro Miyake: CEO, ClubT
- Tomohiro Murata: CFO, Voyagin
- Tomohiro Uchida: Partner, Translink Capital
- Toon Poelstra: Head of Financial Services, Uber
- Toshio Furuta: CEO, Clair law firm
- Toshiro Uno: CEO, xone-consulting
- Tunc Berkman: SIF Ventures CoFounder, TreeoVC LP, Angel Investor, and Founder, .
- Tyson Batino: Co-Founder, SmartStart Japan
- Vennela Subramanyam: Product Manager, Google
- Vinod Vasudevan: Vice President, Deloitte Tohmatsu Venture Support
- Vladimir Pletyukhin: Founder and Creative Director, Launch Deck
- Walied Albasheer: founder and managing partner, Intuitio Ventures
- Wei Chen: Venture Capitalist, Fubon Financial Holding Co., Ltd.
- Woohyun Nahm: Early Stage Investor, Korea Investment Accelerator
- XIAOXI GUO: COO and Co-Founder, I.W.G.
- Xinmei Cai: Engineering Director, Google Japan
- Yamato Sasagawa: Investor, World Innovation Lab (WiL)
- Yasemin Karatas: Open Innovation Department-GRIC Director, for Startups, Inc.
- Yasuchika Wakayama: CEO, Breakpoint
- Yasumasa SAITO: Manager, CVC Department, SBI Investment Co., Ltd.
- Yoichi Morimoto: Head of Business Development, HiJoJo Partners Inc.
- Yoichi Ito: Dean of entrepreneurship dept., LINE Yahoo academia
- Yoshihiro Kidachi: President, BOIDSCraft Corporation
- Yu Hosaka: Lawyer, NEXAGE Law Office
- Yuichi Terada: Founder & President , Hiyoura Lab
- Yuji Tanabe: Co-Founder and CTO, Aeterlink
- Yuki Shirato: Managing Director, Yakumi
- Yuki Sato: Co-founder, CEO , Obniz Inc
- Yu Li Shein: Co-Director , Founder Institute Japan/ Korea/ Taiwan
- Yu Li Shein
- Yusuke Kohno: CEO, JITSUBO Co., Ltd.
- Yuto Saiki: Founder & CEO , Outlier, Inc.
- Yvie Tai: Director, Business Development, Qualcomm
- Zolboo Bayarsaikhan: Co-founder and CEO, START
- 諭（Satoshi) 石川（Ishikawa): CEO, Transaction Inc.
- And many more to be announced.
Since 2009, the Founder Institute has helped over 9,000 Alumni raise over 2BN 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 Japan and help build the future.
Apply to the Japan Fall 2026 Founder Institute today, or learn more at FI.co/overview.
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