Since launching in San Diego in 2009, the Founder Institute has graduated over 50 companies, including successful local startups like Embarke, Kaliki, DonationMatch, Feetz, Explorence, Green Kid Crafts, and many more.
The San Diego Founder Institute is now accepting applications for the San Diego Fall 2026 Semester. If you could benefit from expert training and advice to launch a technology startup in San Diego, click here to apply today.
Those who apply by the Early Admissions Deadline (Apr 26, 2026) will have their application fees waived (typically $50) and are eligible for Founder Institute Fellowships.
In the Founder Institute's four-month, part-time program, promising startup entrepreneurs “learn by doing” and launch a company through structured training courses and expert feedback from a large network of business mentors. Plus, you are not required to quit you day job to participate, so you can begin building a business around your ideas without putting your livelihood at risk.
In order to celebrate the launch, the San Diego Founder Institute will host a “Pre-Curriculum” of free startup events for the general public:
- Turn Your Expertise Into an Audience on LinkedIn: 9:00am, Apr 27, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/394627
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- How to Overcome the Fear of Starting Your Own Company: 9:00am, Apr 28, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/393968
- How to Get Your First 10 Customers Without a Marketing Team or Budget: 9:30am, May 04, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/394470
- How Anyone Can Become a Solo Founder with AI: 9:00am, May 05, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/396496
- Stop Guessing: How to Use AI to Validate Your Startup Idea in Days : 9:00am, May 12, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/396659
- How to Choose the Right Startup Idea Before You Build: 5:00am, May 18, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/394960
- How to Tell Stories That Win Clients and Investors with Lubna Forzley: 9:00am, May 19, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/396328
- [Restricted] VIP Pitch Lounge: Get Unfiltered Feedback from Global Investors & Advisors: 9:00am, May 26, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395394
- Inside the Founder Institute: Real Stories From Alumni: 9:00am, Jun 02, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/394993
- Startup Advisors 101: How to Find Advisors and Maximize their Impact: 5:30pm, Jun 08, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/394652
- 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/396163
- Turn Startup Hesitation Into Action: A Founder Mindset Framework: 5:00pm, Jun 15, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/393132
- Stop Guessing, Start Raising: An Investor Q&A : 5:00pm, Jul 06, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/392784
- Stop Overthinking and Build a Great Startup Idea: 9:00am, Jul 20, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395098
- From Idea to Action: The Startup Mindset : 5:30am, Aug 10, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/393255
- Meet FI Alumni Founders: High-Growth Startups Panel : 9:00am, Aug 10, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395156
- Build a Startup Idea Investors Won’t Ignore: 5:00pm, Aug 18, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395175
- What Makes Investors Say Yes: Startup Funding AMA: 9:00am, Sep 01, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/392872
- Break the Idea Loop and Decide What to Build: 5:00pm, Sep 21, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395223
- From Idea to Traction: Lessons From Global FI Alumni: 5:30pm, Oct 05, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395249
- From Dreamer to Doer: Build the Founder Mindset: 9:00am, Oct 13, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/393385
- From Founder to Funded: Interactive Q&A with Top Startup Investor: 9:00am, Nov 03, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/393008
- From “Maybe” to Momentum: Building a Great Startup Idea: 5:00pm, Nov 17, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395317
- From First Idea to First Funding: Global Alumni Stories: 9:00am, Dec 01, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395351
The San Diego Chapter will be led by by longtime Founder Institute Director and San Diego Startup advocate, Jeanine Jacobson.
In only 17 years of operation, over 8,900 graduate companies across 200 cities have used the Founder Institute to validate their idea, develop their plans, refine their product, build an advisory board, prepare for seed funding, and more.
