Today, the Founder Institute, the world's premier idea-stage accelerator and startup launch program, is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the Ho Chi Minh - Vietnam Autumn 2026 Semester!
If you want to build a startup in Ho Chi Minh City and could use expert training and feedback, then apply to the Ho Chi Minh City Founder Institute today, or attend a free event.
Those who apply by the Early Admissions Deadline (Sep 01, 2026) will have their application fees waived (typically $50), and if you enroll by the Early Deadline you are also eligible for Founder Institute Fellowships.
Since launching in Ho Chi Minh City in 2015, the Founder Institute has helped launch several promising companies in the region, and our efforts in Ho Chi Minh City have also been profiled by several high profile media channels.
To celebrate the launch, the Ho Chi Minh City Founder Institute will several free startup events for the general public, where you can meet top entrepreneurs and learn more about the program:
- Stop Guessing, Start Raising: An Investor Q&A: 11:00pm, Sep 01, 2026 (Asia/Jakarta): https://FI.co/e/403868
- [Restricted] VIP Pitch Lounge: Pitch Live and Get Feedback from Investors & Advisors: 11:00pm, Sep 08, 2026 (Asia/Jakarta): https://FI.co/e/401173
- How to Create a Great First Startup Pitch using AI: 7:30am, Sep 15, 2026 (Asia/Jakarta): https://FI.co/e/403616
Leaders of the world’s fastest-growing startups have used the Founder Institute to transition from employee to entrepreneur, test their startup ideas, build a team, get their first customers, raise funding, and more - like Udemy, Realty Mogul, iCarsClub, Itembase, goplaceit, and Appota. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200 cities and 100 countries, the Founder Institute's mission is to "Globalize Silicon Valley" and create sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.
Running the Founder Institute's efforts in Ho Chi Minh City are local startup leaders Bobby Liu (Senior Director, Topica Edtech Group), Quang Mai Duy (Vice President, Vinasa), Cong Tran (Cofounder, Tima), and Tuan Pham (Founder & CEO, TOPICA Edtech Group).
In addition, some of Ho Chi Minh City's top entrepreneurs will mentor founders in the program, providing them with expert training, feedback, and evaluation. The list of mentors for the Ho Chi Minh - Vietnam Autumn 2026 includes:
- And many more to be announced.
The Founder Institute is the most challenging and effective step-by-step startup launch program for talented and motivated aspiring entrepreneurs. If you are serious about launching a startup, the Founder Institute can give you the structured process, constant feedback and evaluation from expert mentors, and global network of entrepreneurs you need to start an enduring company. In addition, the Founder Institute is the only program of its kind that focuses on people versus ideas, accepts founders with day jobs, and shares equity with all participants.
