The Founder Institute, world's premier startup bootcamp for talented entrepreneurs, is now accepting applications for the Silicon Valley Fall 2026 Semester. The flagship Silicon Valley semester will now be in its 15th edition, with previous semesters having graduated great companies like Udemy, Retailigence, Cake Health, Getable, Breezy, Shopalize, Skimble, Yumvy, Spikes, and many more.
If you could benefit from expert training and advice to launch a technology startup in Silicon Valley, click here to apply today.
Those who apply by the Early Admissions Deadline (Jul 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 Silicon Valley Founder Institute will host a "Pre-Curriculum" of free startup events for the general public:
Silicon Valley Events:
- How to Get Your First 10 Customers Without a Marketing Team or Budget: 9:30am, Jun 22, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/400523
- Economic Development: How to Build Entrepreneurial Communities: 8:00am, Jun 23, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/400534
- [Restricted] VIP Pitch Lounge: Pitch Live and Get Feedback from Investors & Advisors: 9:00am, Jun 30, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/398182
- How to Build Without a Team Using AI with Jonathan Greechan: 9:00pm, Jul 14, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/400524
Global or Regional Events:
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- How to Think Like a Founder and Take Action: 5:00pm, Jun 15, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395029
- Stop Guessing, Start Raising: An Investor Q&A : 5:00pm, Jul 06, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395066
- Meet FI Alumni Founders: High-Growth Startups Panel : 9:00am, Jul 07, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395146
- Stop Overthinking and Build a Great Startup Idea: 9:00am, Jul 20, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395088
- Build a Startup Idea Investors Won’t Ignore: 5:00pm, Aug 18, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395165
- FounderX Silicon Valley 2026: Global Conference in San Francisco: 5:00pm, Aug 25, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/399740
- What Makes Investors Say Yes: Startup Funding AMA: 9:00am, Sep 01, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395201
- How to Build a Strong Pipeline of Entrepreneurs for your Innovation Hub: 9:00am, Sep 15, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/398281
- Break the Idea Loop and Decide What to Build: 5:00pm, Sep 21, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395213
- From Idea to Traction: Lessons From Global FI Alumni: 5:30pm, Oct 05, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395238
- From Dreamer to Doer: Build the Founder Mindset: 9:00am, Oct 13, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395275
- From Founder to Funded: Interactive Q&A with Top Startup Investor: 9:00am, Nov 03, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395296
- From “Maybe” to Momentum: Building a Great Startup Idea: 5:00pm, Nov 17, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395309
- From First Idea to First Funding: Global Alumni Stories: 9:00am, Dec 01, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395343
For the Silicon Valley Fall 2026 semester, a team of local Directors will bring fresh energy, international startup experience, intimate knowledge of the Founder Institute program and curriculum, and the personal support and network of Founder Institute CEO, Adeo Ressi. The directors include:
- Ana Baltodano: Ana Baltodano is the founder and CEO of Visualyst, an innovative social-retail destination for today's generation of online shoppers. She is also the co-founder of LocalHero, a friends-helping-friends location-based mobile application that connects people who need something with friends and people nearby who are more likely to be of help; and trip-Jane, the first social travel engine inside Facebook.
- Ryan Micheletti: Ryan Micheletti is the Regional Success Manager of the Americas at the Founder Institute, and is an Investor and Manager of Micheletti Enterprises, LLC, an investment company focused on early-stage startups, real estate, and bars. He is also the Director of Operations at Vet-Tech Startup Accelerator, the nation's leading entrepreneurship training center for military veterans.
- Tuyet Tan: Tuyet Tan is the Regional Success Manager of Asia at the Founder Institute. With considerable legal experience, Tuyet has functioned in a variety of legal roles, including Project Manager and Senior Research Associate at Mason Tillman Associates, Judicial Extern at San Francisco Superior Court, and contract attorney for numerous companies.
In addition, the Silicon Valley Founder Institute features some of the world's most experienced entrepreneurs as Mentors to help our new companies succeed. See the full list of mentors here.
In only 17 years of operation, over 9,000 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.
