The Founder Institute, the world’s premier pre-seed startup accelerator, announced today that it is officially returning to Houston. The Silicon-Valley based program has chapters in over 200 cities worldwide, and early-stage entrepreneurs in Houston can again take advantage of the Founder Institute's renowned structure, mentor support, and network to build an enduring company.
Applications to the Houston Founder Institute are now open, and anyone interested in building a technology company can apply at FI.co/apply/houston.
The Founder Institute provides high-potential entrepreneurs and teams with the critical support network and structured process needed to build an enduring company, from launch to team and funding. Since 2009, the program has helped over 7,000 Graduates raise over $1.75BN funding, get into seed-accelerators, generate traction, recruit a team, build a product, transition from employee to entrepreneur, and more.
To celebrate the launch, the Founder Institute will host several free startup events in Houston, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs and hear more about the program:
Houston Events:
- FI Houston 2024 Graduation: Meet the New Portfolio Companies (In-Person): 6:30pm, May 21, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/343005
Global or Regional Events:
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- How to Build a Fundable Start-up Brand: 12:00pm, May 20, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/343649
- FI Startup Accelerator Graduation with Kelly Perdew (VC at Moonshots Capital): 12:00pm, May 21, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/347522
- Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 12:00pm, May 22, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/343848
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 7:00pm, May 27, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/345497
- How to Quickly Establish Safe, Reliable, and Compliant AI Startups: 12:00pm, May 29, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/343857
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 12:00pm, Jun 03, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/343428
- Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with a Venture Capitalist: 7:00pm, Jun 05, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/343861
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 7:00pm, Jun 10, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/345618
- Startup Success: Mastering the Product Discovery Process (Online Workshop): 12:00pm, Jun 11, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/347413
- [Restricted] Venture Trailblazers, featuring James Currier (Founding Partner at NFX): 9:45am, Jun 12, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/348972
- Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 12:00pm, Jun 12, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/343663
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 12:00pm, Jun 17, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/345649
- How to Take a Value Proposition to Finding Product Market Fit: 12:00pm, Jun 24, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/343678
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 12:00pm, Jun 26, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/345142
- Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder: 7:00pm, Jul 01, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/345675
- How Founders Beat Anxiety for Peak Performance : 12:00pm, Jul 03, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/345695
- How to Acquire your First 100 B2C Customers: 12:00pm, Jul 08, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/344394
- Adam Robinson’s Journey: Bootstrapping Retention.com to $22M ARR: 11:00am, Jul 12, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/348745
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 7:00pm, Jul 15, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/345720
- Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 12:00pm, Jul 17, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/345743
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 7:00pm, Jul 22, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/343949
- How to Build a Personal Brand: The Startup Founders Guide to Thought Leadership: 12:00pm, Jul 24, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/343132
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas : 12:00pm, Jul 29, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/345764
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 7:00pm, Aug 05, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/345771
- How to Achieve a Product-Market Fit: 12:00pm, Aug 07, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/347136
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 12:00pm, Aug 12, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/344086
- The Startup Founders’ Guide to Building AI Products Quickly & Easily : 12:00pm, Aug 14, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/347938
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 7:00pm, Sep 09, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/344202
- Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 12:00pm, Sep 16, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/345880
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 12:00pm, Sep 23, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/343532
- Startup Fundraising Q&A: Meet Investors from the FI Venture Network: 7:00pm, Oct 14, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/345911
- Employee to Entrepreneur: How to Make the Transition to Startup Founder : 12:00pm, Nov 04, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/343324
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 7:00pm, Nov 18, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/344681
- What is Entrepreneur DNA? Insights from 15 Years of Social Science Research: 7:00pm, Nov 25, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/345422
- What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 12:00pm, Dec 04, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/345325
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 12:00pm, Dec 09, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/344779
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 12:00pm, Dec 16, 2024 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/344898
The individuals that have been critical in bringing the Founder Institute to Houston include local startup leaders James Phelan (Investment & Growth, The Cannon), Martín Martinez (Executive Director, Founder Institute Texas), Mery Ramirez (Co-Founder/COO, ResQ TRX), Natasha Gorodetsky (Founder & CEO; Head of Product, Product Pursuit).
We are very excited to help entrepreneurs build enduring companies in Houston," says Adeo Ressi, CEO of the Founder Institute. "Texas is home to some of America's top companies and universities, and we think the pieces are in place to build a sustainable startup ecosystem that drives Houston's future economy.
In addition, many of the region's top founders, CEOs, and investors have signed on to mentor new entrepreneurs in the Houston Spring 2025 Founder Institute program, including:
- Aaron Chavez: Managing Partner, (un)conventional ventures
- Aaron Hines: Co-founder, Darbe
- Aaron Gathmann: Executive Director, North Texas Angel Network
- Aaron Swinton: Co-Founder & Managing Director , ShockVentures
- Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO PLATFORM
- Abe Chu: Co-founder & CMO, NextSeed
- Adeo Ressi: CEO, Decile Group / VC Lab
- Akeel Bernard: Community Development Manager , Impact Hub Houston
- Ali Syed: CEO / Founder, Emerald Labs
- Allie Danziger: Founder, Integrate
- Amy Tran: Investor, Early Stage Investments, IMPAVIDUS
- Ana Rojas Bastidas: Founder & CEO, Orolait
- Andrea Sager: CEO, Legalpreneur
- Andres Gomez: Founder, Editeer
- Anh Mai, Company of Nomads
- Armando Mualumene: Founder and Project Developer & Team Leader, The iDEASLab
- Ashley Connell: CEO & Founder, Prowess Project
- Ashley DeWalt: Managing Director, DivInc
- Atul Patel: CEO and Founder, Orbee
- Austin Langley, ASL Consulting
- Bade Aluko: Managing Partner, White Hibiscus Capital
- Ben Ghazi: Co-founder and CTO, Codiac
- Bram Cohen: Founder/Chief Scientist, BitTorrent
- Brandy Guidry: Executive Director, The Cannon
- Brianna Flemings, Jem
- Carolyn Rodz: Founder and CEO, Hello Alice
- Cassandra Iku: Community and Operations Coordinator, SheSpace
- Chantell Preston: Co-founder/CEO, Facilities Management Group
- Charles Dauber: CEO, Warm Commerce
- Christine Galib: Founder, road less traveled enterprises
- Christy Cardenas: Managing Partner, Grit Ventures
- Courtnay Siegfried: VP, Communications & Impact
- Creig Graham: VP Partnerships, Budapop Bottling Co.
- Curt Olivares: 2x Founder | Startup Advisor | Tech Career Coach, Product Saint
- Dana Marruffo: Owner, Buzz Public Relations, LLC
- Dana Abramovitz: Founding Team, SXSW
- Denise Giordano: Commercial Training & Development Manager, BP Energy - Retired
- Didar Bekbauov: Founder and CEO, Xive Inc
- Eduardo Buelna: Director Structured Products, BP Energy
- Eléonore Cluzel: Sr. Director of Accelerator Partnerships, Empire State Development
- Elisa Sepulveda: FI Mentor, Mentor
- Elizabeth Tsai: Founder & CEO , HiOperator
- Elizabeth Gore: President, Hello Alice
- Eric Fishhaut: President, Gelber & Associates
- Erin McClarty: Principal, Erin McClarty, PLLC
- Erin Fitzpatrick: President, MendIt, Inc.
- Fareed Zein: Founder and CEO, Unytag
- Farell Duclair: CEO, Starborn Solutions LLC
- Fernando Moguel: Creator, The Syneverse
- Gabe Zichermann: CEO, Failosophy
- Gaby Rowe: CEO, The Ion
- Gary Katz: Patent Attorney & Managing Attorney, Katz Law Group
- Gina Bianchini: Cofounder, Ning
- Gina Morales: Founder & CEO, a Mana Project
- Giselle Bisson: Managing Director, Chain Reaction PR
- Grace Rodriguez: CEO, Impact Hub Houston
- Graciela Perez: Founder & Lean Start Up Coach, Lean Sigma Tech, LLC
- Guillermo Barrera: Founder and President , CliniCore International
- Gustavo Sanchez: Founder, Pandata Tech
- Guy Parker: Chief Strategy & Creative Officer, Ambient Way
- Harini Bhamidipati: Founder & CEO, Bearable
- Harvin Moore, Frontera Technology Ventures
- Heath Butler: Founder/Managing Partner, Gestalt Growth Advisors
- Heather Harde: Former CEO, TechCrunch
- Heather Mezher: Sr. People Business Partner, Code42
- Huan Le: General Counsel, DiCentral
- Indrajit Datta: Co-founder & President, Equipt Innovation, Inc.
- Jag Singh: Managing Director, A.R.M. Consulting
- James Kaskade: CEO, Janrain Inc.
- James Phelan: Co-Founder, The Cannon
- James Adams: Director of Operations, Gallant
- Jasmine Victoria: Founder & CEO, The Cathexis Project
- Jason Assir: Principal Consultant, Opex Digital Consulting
- Jason Trahan
- Javier Fadul: Chief Innovation Officer, HTX Labs
- Javy Martinez: Managing Director | Startup Advisor | Event Host, Founder Institute North Texas
- Jay Jamison: Founder & President
- Jay Steinfeld: CEO/Founder, Blinds.com/Global Custom Commerce [Home Depot]
- Jay Patel: Co-Founder & CEO, Enlight
- Jc Garrett: Chief Executive Officer, Dashfire
- Jeff Scott: Founder/CEO, iDOMOCILIO
- Jess Hughes: Founder and President, Citizen Pilates
- Jessica Reitmeier: Co-Founder, Pandata Tech
- Jessica Seidel: Principal, Signify Marketing
- Jo Clark: Founder and CEO, Circle.ooo
- Joe Betts Lacroix: CTO, Vium
- Joe Daniels: Partner, Co-Chair - Emerging Companies, Partner & Co-Chair, Emerging Companies Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
- Joey Jones: Co-Founder/Chief Revenue & Compliance Officer, CurveBlock Ltd
- John Young: principal, Alkimie Pte. Ltd.
- John Ngo: DBA, John&Partners Global
- Jonathan Abrams: Founder and CEO, Nuzzel
- Joseph Daniels: Partner, Co-Chair -- Venture Capital and Emerging Companies Group , Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough
- Joshua Wang: Software Engineering Career Coach, Over the Shoulder Coding
- Joy Hutton: Founder and CEO, Joy of Consulting
- Juan Felipe Campos: Partner, Manos Accelerator via Google Launchpad
- Juliana Garaizar: Lead Investor, Portfolia
- Julie Hartman: Founder/President, J. Hartman
- Justin Moore: CEO, Axcient, Inc.
- Katie Wallace: Founder, Hux Sustainables
- Keith Kriegler: CEO, Ideas Are Us
- Kelsey Ruger: Chief Product & Technology Officer, Hello Alice
- Ken Cohen: Managing Principal, Grow Associates, LLC
- Kenley Clark: Founder and CEO, TC Energy
- Kennie Matthews: Chairman & CEO, M Infrastructure, Inc.
- Kerry Rupp: General Partner , True Wealth Ventures
- Kian Gohar: Founder & CEO, Geolab
- Krishna Vattipalli: Founder and CEO, Imaginnovate Techsolutions
- LaGina Harris: CEO / Visionary / Founder, The Us Space
- Levi Baer: Co-Founder, Second Shift
- Levi Velez Reed: Venture Partner, Loyal VC
- Levi Test Cermak Test
- Lila Smith: Founder, #SayThingsBetter
- Lina Mateus: Founder and CEO, Digi-Clicks
- Lindsay Eulenfeld: Senior Director of Operations, MassChallenge
- Lori Freese: Principal, FreeseMediaGroup
- Lyndon Mouton: Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer, New Paradigm Technology Partners / Veiled Growth
- Marco Antonio Morales: Co-Founder, SOPLIX
- Marcos Polanco: CTO, Bellwether Coffee
- Maria Fernanda Burgos: Founder & CEO, Startup Advisor
- Mariana Muntean: Founder & CEO, Cinevva
- Mark Friedman: Mentor, retired
- Martín Martinez: Founding & Executive Director, Founder Institute Texas
- Matt Mandell: Principal, PayNerd.com
- Meghan Hendley Lopez: Co-Founder; Director of Corporate Engagement , SUNN and TekRevol
- Mery Ramirez: Co-Founder/COO, ResQ TRX
- Miao Yan: Corporate Development Manager-Renewable Energy, NOV
- Michael Umansky: Co-Founder & CEO, Edgy Labs
- Michael Girdley: Investor and Entrepreneur, Geekdom Fund
- Mike Breck: Principal, Acuity Thinking
- Mike Francis: CEO, Nanotech
- Molly Walsh: Director, Founder Institute Dallas
- Mona Defrawi: CEO & Founder, Radivision
- Munjal Shah: CEO, Like.com
- Muriel Foster: Director, gBeta
- Natasha Gorodetsky: Founder&Head of Product, Product Pursuits
- Neal Murthy: Chairman, Haven Holdings
- Neal Hamil: President, Carnan Properties
- Noah Wallach: Founder, Hope OS
- Noah Fons: Coordinator, Greater Houston Partnership
- Olayinka James: President/CEO, AKEA Services Inc
- Oleg Lysiak: Partner Success Manager, Honeycomb Software
- Parag Jain: Dr, Texas Children's Hospital
- Paul O'Brien: CEO, MediaTech Ventures
- Paul Kwiatkowski: Co-Founder and CTO, GroupRaise
- Payal Patel: Principal, Softeq Ventures
- Phil Libin: Founder & CEO, All Turtles
- Phil Clarke: CEO, Ecosweet, Inc.
- Philip Kaplan: Founder and CEO, ADHD Labs
- Rafael Kartaszynski: CEO, TechEdge Developers
- Rahul Agarwal: Principal Technical Product Manager, Hasura
- Rahul Brahmbhatt: Investor / Mentor, Day One
- Raja Mawad: Founder, Thrv.health
- Rajesh Setty: Rajesh Setty - Serial Entrepreneur and Author, WittyParrot
- Rajneesh Dwivedi: Co-Founder and CEO, Second Medic
- Ram Prasad: Fractional CPO/CTO, Delence
- Rebecca Councill: Chief Social Officer, CLR Digital Media Services
- Richard Jones: Partner, Healthseers
- Richard Munassi: Co-founder, Blackfin Technology Partners
- Richard Seline: Cofounder, Resilience Innovation Hub
- Richard-Sebastian Alexander: Founder & CEO, Darbe.co
- Riley Knox: CEO & Co-Founder, Accelerate3D
- Robert Tucci: Managing Director, HALO
- Robert Pieroni: Director of Economic Development, Central Houston Inc.
- Roberto Moctezuma: Founder and CEO, Fractal River
- Ron Palmeri: Founder/CEO , Layer, Inc/MkII Ventures
- Russ Fradin: Chairman & CEO, Dynamic Signal
- Ryan Micheletti: Fouder, Illuminate Nootropics
- Saima Siddiqui: Director of Product Management, Joyride.com
- Salvatore Grignano: Marketing Officer, Italian Trade Agency (ITA) - Houston
- Sameer Sortur: Founding Partner, SquareCircle Ventures
- Santiago Sanchez: Founder & CEO, Etailers Ecommerce
- Sarah Hein: CEO, March Biosciences
- Sarah Vega: Former Product Owner, Innowatts
- Sarika Tyagi: Chief Product & Operations Officer, My22BMI
- Sarika Tyagi: Product Leader, ScarletFreshShoe | Amazon
- Scott Gale: Executive Director, Halliburton Labs
- Sebastien Long: Founder & CEO, Lodgeur
- Shlomi Podgaetz: Director/CEO, Rizasmart Consulting
- Sloan Foster: Principal , Envisage Associates
- Sneha Lundia Agrawal: Founder & CEO, Step2Growth
- Sophia Clark: Founder & Creative Director, Galiatea
- Stephen Meade: Founder & CEO, MonetaPro
- Steve Jennis: Founder and CEO, Jennis Consulting Group
- Steve Jennis: Founder and CEO, Jennis Consulting Group LLC
- Stewart Pisecco: Director of Innovation (Ret.), Pearson
- Tabbie Saenz: Founder, Business and Trade Alliance
- Talha Bin Shuja: Startup and Business Consultant, High Hope International
- Tanu Jain: Lead Product Manager, BioIQ
- Telha Ghanchi: Managing Director, Valhalla Investment Group
- Tiana Laurence: GP, Laurence Innovation
- Tim Marx: Venture Partner, Baird Capital
- Tim De Silva: Founder & CEO, Culture Pilot
- Travis Baldwin: Managing Partner, J. Galt Finance Suite
- Trey Smith: CPA, Beaumont Inc.
- Ty Audronis: Founder/ ceo, Tempest Droneworx
- Vijay Sekhara: Director Of Strategic Partnerships, MassChallenge
- Wade Pinder: Founder, Product Houston
- WAEL DOUKMAK: CEO, AHLAN, Inc.
- Wenceslao Casares: CEO, Bling Nation
- Will Bunker: Entrepreneur, Co-Founder of One-and-Only (became Match.com)
- Winston Choe: Founder/CEO, Innoscape
- Yared Akalou: CEO/Founder, Alcove Group
- Yemi Oluseun: Founder/ CEO - Fintech, SaaS Business Growth, Automation & Change Management, The Change Hive
- Yj Lin: Senior Program Manager, Dell
- Yogesh Kondaskar: CEO, Bizteon
- Ziv Gillat: Co-Founder, Recogni Inc.`
- And many more to be announced.
The Founder Institute is designed for founders and teams all throughout the pre-seed stage, including aspiring founders with a full-time job, solo founders, teams, and founders of established companies that are pre-funding. Our mission is to "Globalize Silicon Valley" and create sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.
Join us in Houston to build a great company in 2019.
Apply to the Houston Spring 2025 Founder Institute today, or learn more at FI.co/overview.
