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 Korea - Japan 2026 Semester!
If you want to build a startup in Seoul and could use expert training and feedback, then apply to the Seoul Founder Institute today, or attend a free event.
Those who apply by the Early Admissions Deadline (Mar 29, 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 Seoul in 2017, the Founder Institute has helped launch several promising companies in the region, and our efforts in Seoul have also been profiled by several high profile media channels.
To celebrate the launch, the Seoul Founder Institute will several free startup events for the general public, where you can meet top entrepreneurs and learn more about the program:
- $860M, 114 VC Deals: Why Saudi Arabia Leads MENA Startups (2025) with Omar: 6:00pm, Jan 19, 2026 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/387123
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- Why Startups and Small Businesses Require Different Policy Approaches: 3:00am, Jan 21, 2026 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/386965
- Brainstorm a Great Startup Idea for 2026: Online Workshop: 10:00am, Jan 21, 2026 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/386968
- Meet Global Alumni from Founder Institute: 3:00am, Feb 03, 2026 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/386946
- How to Adopt an Entrepreneurial Mindset: 10:00am, Feb 10, 2026 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/386917
- Founder’s Guide to AI: Working with AI as Your Partner: 3:00am, Feb 18, 2026 (Asia/Tokyo): https://FI.co/e/386949
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 Seoul are local startup leaders Duke Lee, Jinah Kim, and Myung Jong Lee.
In addition, some of Seoul's top entrepreneurs will mentor founders in the program, providing them with expert training, feedback, and evaluation. The list of mentors for the Korea - Japan 2026 includes:
- Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO PLATFORM
- 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
- Anna Leshchuk: Founder & CEO, Breamsresearch
- 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
- 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
- Conrad Kimball: CEO, ADU.Works
- Daisuke Ito, ad-dice Co., Ltd.
- Daniel Maggs: CEO & Co-Founder, Bisu
- Darren Menabney: Professor and Partner Faculty , GLOBIS University - Graduate School of Management
- David Yeng: Managing Partner, Founders Venture Capital
- 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: Founder, Investment Lead of Co-capital, Co-Founder & CEO of Openfor.co & Co-capital.co, Managing Director of 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.
- 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: Founder/MD, InMeSta & Managing Partner, JK Venture Studio
- Jay Onda: Director (Investments) | CVC Advisory Board Member, Marubeni Ventures | National Venture Capital Association
- Jeffrey Paine: Founding Partner, Golden Gate Ventures, Singapore
- Jeni Chang: Founder | Investor | Advisor
- Jennifer Lin: Investor , 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
- 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
- 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
- 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: SVP, Head of Sales - APAC / Global Partner Alliance and Indirect Channel Sales, Rakuten Symphony
- 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: Co-Founder and CEO, 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
- Noriya Tarutani: Director of Innovation Division, JETRO / J-Startup Affairs
- Paloma Lecheta: Regional Director - LatAm, Founder Institute
- 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
- 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
- Steve Monaghan: General Partner, Finmirai
- Sujan Sanku, Mba, Llm, Bse: Japan Channel Partner, Paramount Consortium of Companies INC
- 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
- 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
- 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.
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.
