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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 Orange County Spring 2016 Semester!

If you want to build a startup in Orange County and could use expert training and feedback, then apply to the Orange County Founder Institute today, or attend a free event.

Those who apply by the Early Admissions Deadline (Feb 28, 2016) 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 Orange County in 2015, the Founder Institute has helped launch several promising companies in the region, and our efforts in Orange County have also been profiled by several high profile media channels.

To celebrate the launch, the Orange County Founder Institute will several free startup events for the general public, where you can meet top entrepreneurs and learn more about the program:

  • Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession

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 Orange County are local startup leaders Aman Singha (Operations, Smart Utility Systems), Chaya Jadhav (Cofounde, Disruptrs), and Choy Chew (Director of Sales - Technology, TriNet).

In addition, some of Orange County's top entrepreneurs will mentor founders in the program, providing them with expert training, feedback, and evaluation. The list of mentors for the Orange County Spring 2016 includes:

  • Adeo Ressi: CEO, Decile Group / VC Lab
  • Anderee Berengian: Chairman & CEO, Cie Digital Labs
  • Andrew Bermudez: CEO & Co-Founder, Digsy, Inc.
  • Anurag Bist: Founder, Ashmar
  • Atul Patel: CEO and Founder, Orbee
  • Big Data Joe Rossi: Principal Technologist
  • Bob Drobish: Investor / Board Member / Advisor
  • Brendon Kensel: Founder & President, PrimaHealth Credit
  • Carey Ransom: Chief Product Officer, Experian Consumer Services
  • Chris Dover: CEO/Founder, Geniusly
  • Chris Hawkins: Founder, SignNow
  • Cori Linder: VP of Marketing, Retail Realm
  • David Gerken: Associate Partner, Digital Business Strategy, IBM
  • Don Vivrette: Founder & Chief Ideation Officer, Mackenzie Corporation
  • Drew Cather: Vice President
  • Fabian Geyrhalter: Founder and Principal, FINIEN
  • Fred Thiel: Former CEO & Chairman, Local Corporation
  • Henri Duong: Founder, Principal, Enclave Web Group (EWG)
  • Jason James: President, Regents & Park
  • Jason Taylor: Executive Director
  • Jeff Jackel: CEO, Chatter
  • Jeff Curie: CEO, Bitvore
  • Josh Stomel: CEO, Neohire
  • Kimberly Kovacs: Founder & CEO , MyJane, Inc
  • Malcolm Lewis: Founder & CEO, RefGo
  • Mark Surfas: CEO, Rockets and Robots
  • Mark Edwards: Co-Founder, Virtu Partners
  • Matthew Hannus: VP Strategy and Corporate Development , Kochava
  • paul spiller: President & COO, Acorns
  • Pete Deutschman: CEO, The Buddy Group
  • Russell Stern: CEO, Solarflare Communications, Inc
  • Sergey Sundukovskiy: Co-Founder, CTO and Chief Product Officer, Certemy
  • Shawn Ahmed: President & CEO, Pivotus
  • Thomas Poletti: Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
  • Tim Chan: Founder | CEO, Level3 Apps, Inc.
  • Vince Bianco: CEO, Advanced Medical Reviews

  • 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.

                                  We hope you will join us in Orange County and launch a company in 2017.

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