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 Seattle Fall 2026 Semester!
If you want to build a startup in Seattle and could use expert training and feedback, then apply to the Seattle Founder Institute today, or attend a free event.
Those who apply by the Early Admissions Deadline (Jul 19, 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 Seattle in 2009, the Founder Institute has helped launch several promising companies in the region, and our efforts in Seattle have also been profiled by several high profile media channels.
To celebrate the launch, the Seattle Founder Institute will host several free startup events for the general public, where you can meet top entrepreneurs and learn more about the program:
- Vibecoding 101 for Startups: Build Your First App w/ Mark Montalban: 9:30am, Jun 01, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/398058
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- Inside the Founder Institute: Real Stories From Alumni: 9:00am, Jun 02, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/398503
- How to Launch an AI-Powered Company With a Day Job Featuring Adeo Ressi: 11:00am, Jun 08, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/399230
- Startup Advisors 101: How to Find Advisors and Maximize their Impact (POSTPONED): 5:30pm, Jun 08, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/398971
- What It Takes to Get Funded: Live Investor Q&A w/ Maayan Teper: 9:00am, Jun 09, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/398619
- Turn Startup Hesitation Into Action: A Founder Mindset Framework: 5:00pm, Jun 15, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/398633
- Stop Guessing, Start Raising: An Investor Q&A : 5:00pm, Jul 06, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/398646
- Meet FI Alumni Founders: High-Growth Startups Panel : 9:00am, Jul 07, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/398739
- Stop Overthinking and Build a Great Startup Idea: 9:00am, Jul 20, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/398678
- Build a Startup Idea Investors Won’t Ignore: 5:00pm, Aug 18, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/398764
- FounderX Silicon Valley 2026: Global Conference in San Francisco: 5:00pm, Aug 25, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/399739
- What Makes Investors Say Yes: Startup Funding AMA: 9:00am, Sep 01, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/398797
- How to Build a Strong Pipeline of Entrepreneurs for your Innovation Hub: 9:00am, Sep 15, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/398291
- Break the Idea Loop and Decide What to Build: 5:00pm, Sep 21, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/398807
- From Idea to Traction: Lessons From Global FI Alumni: 5:30pm, Oct 05, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/398824
- From Dreamer to Doer: Build the Founder Mindset: 9:00am, Oct 13, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/399059
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 Seattle are local startup leaders Aswin Pranam (Senior Product Manager - New Ventures, McKinsey), Raghav Nair (Services Test Engineer, The Pokémon Company International), and Robert Le (Senior Analyst, Emerging Technology - PitchBook).
In addition, some of Seattle's top entrepreneurs will mentor founders in the program, providing them with expert training, feedback, and evaluation. The list of mentors for the Seattle Fall 2026 includes:
- Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO PLATFORM
- Adam Mangone: CEO , Mangone Ventures
- Adeo Ressi: CEO, Decile Group / VC Lab
- Ahmed Muzmmal: VP of Engineering (Cofounder), Gaper
- Alain Raynaud: CEO, FairSoftware
- Alan Gonzalez: Founder & CEO, DevMatch
- Albert Lam: Partner, Dorm Room Fund
- Aleksandra Manuilova: Senior Portfolio Development Manager, Microsoft
- Alex Katzman: Founding Partner, Growth Inflection
- Ali Sidki: Investment Consultant, Sidki.com.
- Allison Byers: Founder & CEO, Scroobious
- Amber Fehrenbacher: Growth Marketing Director & Venture Fellow at Material Change Institute , Condoit
- Amit Gupta: Sys Dev Manager, Amazon
- Amit Bhanot: Venture Partner, Loyal VC
- Amy Hutchins: Founder, Chief Product Officer, Unearth Technologies, Inc.
- Amy Swanson: CEO & Co-Founder, Ultropia
- Andrew Lee: CEO, Esper
- Andrew Klein: Founder, Zccounting
- Andy Herman: Founder, Signtag Corp.
- Angie Parker: Executive Director, Alliance of Angels (AoA)
- Aniket Naravanekar, Skillsheet
- Anisha Vinjamuri: Founder & President , boza
- Ankit Srivastav: Angel Investor / Product Leader, Family Office
- Apurva Bhargava, TrusTrace
- Aracelis Nass: Senior Business Program Manager, Microsoft
- Aspen White: Cofounder and CEO, AerwareAI
- Aswin Pranam: Sr. Product Manager, UVC Partners
- Audrea Fink: Sales Coach & Strategist, mConnexions
- Aviv Shalgi: CEO, Solar Simplified
- BARRET NEWBERRY: CEO, Leasera
- Ben Stacey: CEO, Pitchverk
- Ben Rush: Business, Pioneer Square Labs
- Ben Hallen: Neal and Jan Dempsey Endowed Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, University of Washington - Michael G. Foster School of Business
- Bill Bromfield: Partner, Fenwick & West
- Bill Bryant: General Partner, Threshold Ventures
- Bob Crimmins: General Partner, Startup Haven Ventures
- Brandon Zhang: Business Analyst II, Amazon.com Services Llc
- Brian M Pasalich: Chief Executive Officer | Co-Founder, Behave Technologies (Formerly Syntoniq, Inc.)
- Bryan Rutberg: Partner, AG Consulting Partners
- Cairen Cheese
- Candice Dietz: Founder, Givespace
- Carmela Fortin: CEO, Seattle Startup Coaches
- Caroline Frost: Product Manager, Amazon Web Services
- Carson Nye: Investor, Two Ravens
- Chandler Lewis: Founder, 360 Social Impact Studios
- Charles Kwon: Managing Partner, Concitor
- Cheale Villa: Founder, CEO + Visionary Rabbit, Visual Caffeine
- Chinara Askerzade: Managing Partner at PocketVC early-stage VC, PocketVC Studio and PocketVC Technologies Inc
- Chloe Feingold: Financial Advisor, Edward Jones
- Chris Kelley: Principal, DFJ
- Chris Haberle: Principal Product Marketing Manager, AWS
- Chris Bruno: Owner, X2Y Strategic Advisors
- Christina Lomasney: Director of Commercialization, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- Christy Johnson: CEO, Artemis Connection, Inc
- Cindy Engstrom: CEO and Founder, Solomomo
- Claire Mc Taggart: Founder & CEO, Square Peg Hires
- Clare Gould: Founder & CEO, Your Vesa
- Claudius Mbemba: Venture Investment Director, Startup Haven
- Cody Birkland, Ultropia
- Colleen Hilton: CEO, Alli Connect
- Collin Dayley: Founder, Collin Dayley Coaching
- Connor Gray: CEO, Stealth
- Craig Guarraci: Founder, Tech PM Career Path, LLC
- Dan Fine: Managing Partner, Fine Solutions
- Dan Kihanya: Director, REI Path Ahead Ventures, REI
- Dan Moore: Cofounder, Tarka
- Dana Sather Robinson: Pitch Trainer, Pitch Coach, Angel Investor, Pitch 4 Impact Inc
- Danl Kasow: Principal, Sorted Solution
- Daria Boldyreva: Founder, Wunderdogs
- Dave Cotter: Owner, Kelsor Ventures LLC
- David Anderson: GM, Kilby Silicon Valley Labs at Texas Instruments
- David Jorjani: Founder, Qatalyst Labs
- David Abu: Snr PM, Microsoft
- Dean P: President and CEO (retired), Switchboard Incorporated
- Diane Najm: CEO/Founder, PhotoPad
- Divyanshu Sharma: Software Engineer 3, Platform Security (Authentication & Authorization), CrowdStrike
- Dominique Simmons: Founder and CEO, CX UX Spark
- Edmond Sanctis: Partner, REASON Venture Partners
- Elisa La Cava: Investor, Madrona Venture Group
- Emeka Alozie: Director, IntuitiveX
- Evan Poncelet: evan@dreamward.vc, Dreamward Group / Venture Black
- Fabian Geyrhalter: Founder and Principal, FINIEN
- Fredrick Tsang: IP Attorney, Fenwick & West
- Gabriela Camilli: Investor, Act One Ventures
- Garrett Gross: Sr. Director of Growth, Xemelgo
- Gary Gaessler: SaaS Community Builder, Nylas, Co-Founder of CloudElements
- Gaurav Malhotra: CMO, PickMyCar USA
- Gillian Muessig: Co-Founder, Moz
- Gira Wieczorek: Managing Partner / Co-Founder, Aleberry
- Gira Wieczorek: Founder
- Glenn Wisegarver: CEO, Sigma IQ
- Graciela Perez: Founder & Lean Start Up Coach, Lean Sigma Tech, LLC
- Hiroki Kudo: Founder, CEO, Easy Proposal
- Huba Rostonics: CEO, System & Soul
- Ian Lurie: EVP, Clearlink
- Irina Menn: CEO, Hopela
- Jake Hite: CTO, Compete to Create
- James Hu: CEO, Jobscan
- James Jenkins: Engineering Manager, Andrews Cooper
- Jana Krystofova Mike: Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Critical Care at University of California, San Francisco
- Janiece Jenkins: Associate, Fenwick & West
- Janis Machala: Corporate Director, Paladin Partners
- Jay Goyal: President, Actively Learn
- Jaya Venkata Sravani Potturi: Senior Product Manager - Technical, Amazon
- Jeff Croft: CRO, Kurvv
- Jeffrey McIntosh: Founder, McIntosh Tea
- Jen Haller: Chief of staff, Ascend VC.
- Jenn Steele
- Jennifer Azapian: Former Venture Partner and Advisor , Loyal VC | Mighty Capital
- Jephte Ioudom Foubi: Data & AI engineer - solution architect, FoubsLabs
- Jeremy Zaretzky: Managing Director, Founder Institute Seattle
- Jeremy Bruck: Managing Partner, Data Valuation & Monetization, Gulp Data
- Jesse Posey: Co-Founder, COO, Managing Partner, Dreamward Group
- Jewel Atuel, Dash Foundry
- Jim Poss: CEO, Modifi
- Joe Bezdek: Co-founder, DivX, Inc.
- John Borofka: Founder, Walnut+Oak
- John Kinsella: Senior Engineering Leader, AWS
- John Robinson: Founder and Owner, Resolution Photomatching
- Jonathan Greechan: Co-Founder & CEO, Founder Institute, GP Founder Capital
- Jonathan G. Blanco, Niftmint
- Jordan Hopson: Venture GM and Principle, BCG X
- Jordan Syms: Group Account Director, Prophet
- Joseph Horsman: Investor, Madrona
- Josh Trujillo: Entrepreneurship Consultant, Rural Innovation Strategies, Inc. / Center on Rural Innovation
- Josh Dougherty: Co-Founder & CEO, A Brave New
- Julian Fung: Solutions Architect, Real Estate Investor, Qualtrics, Avalanche Assets
- Julie Pham: CEO, CuriosityBased
- June W Choi: Managing Partner, Serval Ventures
- Karin Kidder: Executive Director, E8 Angels
- Kate Loose: Investment Director, Capria Ventures
- Kate Edwards: AWS Startup BD/Co-Founder at Heartbeat , Heartbeat
- Kathleen Baxley: Interim CFO / Strategic Venture Advisor
- Kayla Kroot: Fundraising & Storytelling Consultant, Kayla Kroot LLC
- Kelly Lawton Abbott: Partner, SSM Law
- Ken Kranseler: Managing Director, Kabuki Strategy
- Ken Horenstein: Founder, GP, Pack Ventures
- Kerra Melvin: Partner, DLA Piper
- Kevin Yu: Co-founder & CTO, Socedo Inc.
- Kevin Chan: Director, Product Marketing, Fleetio
- Khurram Agha: Founder, Aghaz Investments
- Kristopher Alford: Venture Capital, Cercano Management
- Kt Mc Bratney: Head of Community , Renew Venture Capital
- Lainey Lee: Director, Founder Institute
- La Jolla Jantaraamornkul
- Laura Malcolm: Founder/CEO, Give InKind
- Leila Ergul Demir: Founder, Partner UP
- Levi Velez Reed: Venture Partner, Startup425
- Lewis Lin: CEO, ManageBetter
- Lindsay Randall: Sr. Program Manager, Moonbeam
- Lisa Fernow: President, Fernow Consulting
- Loren Kosloske: Head of New Verticals - Mobility, Uber
- Louis Newkirk: Co-Founder / City Leader, Venture Black / Founders Live
- Luke Arrigoni: Founder / CEO, Loti
- Madhu Singh: Chief Legal Officer, Foundry Law Group
- Marc Krejci: Founder, Pathfinder Foundry
- Mark Landay: Managing Director, Dynamic Synergy
- Matt Mandell: Principal, PayCard.com
- Matt Paulin: Founder , zCrowd
- Matt Rubright: VP of Early and Growth Stage Tech, Silicon Valley Bank
- Matthew Lickwar: Co-Founder | Growth | Operations | Product, Ynomia
- Maureen Ezekwugo: Chief Customer Officer, RealSelf
- Maximilian Von Poelnitz: Investment Director, DSM Venturing
- Melissa Li: Managing Partner and Head of Community, Dorm Room Fund
- Melissa Reaves, Story Fruition
- Mercedes Bankston: Venture Partner, Loyal VC
- Meredith Felton: Senior Product Marketing Manager, Enable
- Michael Goldman: CFO, EN 360 Holdings
- Michael Avent: Partner, Perkins Coie LLP
- Michael Dryja: Principal and Registered Patent Attorney, Law Offices of Michael Dryja
- Mikaela Kiner: CEO & Founder, Reverb
- Mike Vandenbos
- Mike Cozart: Angel Investor and Startup Advisor, Relumin
- Milkana Brace: CEO, Jargon
- Minda Brusse: Founding Partner, First Row Partners
- Mohana Sudhan Gandhi: Principal Engineer, Amazon Web Services
- My Le Goel: Founder & CEO, Flight Live, Inc.
- Nelly Yusupova: Founder, TechSpeak.co
- Nick Hughes: Founder & CEO, Founders Live
- Nicole Doyle: Founder, CEO, Aspir
- Nishanth Lingamneni: Angel Investor, Family Office
- Noah Wallach: Founder, Hope OS
- Noemi Ceapa: Founder / CEO, The Consulting Studio
- Omi Iyamu: Product Manager, Google Austria
- Pablo Casilimas, OneSixOne Ventures
- Pascha Scott: Partner and Co-founder, VERTETUDE
- Paul Watt: Global Business Manager, Google
- Paul Adams: CEO & Founder, Sound Financial Group
- Peter Leonard: CEO, Meddle
- Peter Crawford: Co-Founder & COO, Eduvero
- Pilar Fernandez Hermida: Founder i-Expand (We help Health Tech companies go global), i-expand
- Pooria Arab: Managing Partner, Beeloud
- Pradeep UN: Founder, CEO, Seerflix Inc
- Puneet Kohli: CEO, Careerflow.ai
- Rachel Kroft: Fractional CPO, Happy Warriors
- Raja Mawad: Founder, Thrv.health
- Rebecca Lovell: Director, Create33
- Rich Minice: Corporate Associate, Fenwick & West
- Richard Bristol, Bristol Advisory
- Richard Shaw: Senior Lead Product Manager, Shopify
- Rick Graham, Radd Studio Inc.
- Rob Hillas: Founder, PlainVanilla
- Robert Le: Director, FI Seattle
- Robert Prasher: Mr. , Notifi
- Rohre Titcomb: COO, Female Founders Alliance
- Ron Gentile: Founder, Moodfit
- Ruth Becke: Founder & CEO, Plantmatch
- Ryan Micheletti: Head of Global Operations, Founder Institute
- Ryan McRobert: Partner, Fenwick & West
- Saaniya Ekram Shaikh
- Saikiran Chandha: CEO, SciSpace (Formerly Typeset.io)
- Sanjit Singh: COO, Various Companies
- Santosh Khare: Founder & CEO, Touchbase, Inc.
- Sarah Studer: Program Manager, University Of Washington, WE Lead
- Scott Weller: President, Radian Labs
- Shaahin Cheyene: Founder and President, Podcastcola Inc.
- Shama Keskar: Cofounder & CEO, VoxAI
- Shilpa Sharma: Co-founder & CEO, Flyte (flyteai.com)
- Sneha Lundia Agrawal: Founder & CEO, Step2Growth
- Sri Kasam: Director of Engineering, Nfinity
- Stacy Saal: Managing Director, Jelly Collective
- Steve Cherewaty: Founder & Creative Director, Abacus
- Steve Carver
- Suzanne Mills: Biz Dev & GTM - Retail & Fintech, Stealth Startup
- Symon Perriman: CEO & Founder, FanWide
- Tai Rattigan: Global Head of Partnerships & Alliances, Deel
- Tarun Gulati: Founder & CEO, Contemplate
- Taylor Black: Principal Program Manager, Office of the CTO Incubator , Microsoft
- Temitope Dawodu: Growth Strategist , Amazon
- Terri Richardson: CEO, Accelerate Consulting Group, LLC
- Thibaut Labarre: Founding Engineer, SingleFile.io
- Tony Nguyen: Founding Partner, TKN Tyson LLP
- Travis Murdock: Executive Vice President, Ruder Finn
- Vladimir Pletyukhin: Founder and Creative Director, Launch Deck
- Will Barrett
- Yemi Oluseun: Growth & GTM For FinTechs, The Change Hive
- Yoko Okano: Co-founder, First Row Partners
- Zac Corker: Sales & GTM Consultant, Private
- Zorrawa Jefferson: Zorrawa Jefferson , True Start Ventures
- 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.
