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 (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 Silicon Valley Founder Institute will host a "Pre-Curriculum" of free startup events for the general public:
Silicon Valley Events:
- How Anyone Can Become a Solo Founder with AI: 9:00am, May 05, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/396465
- How to Tell Stories That Win Clients and Investors with Lubna Forzley: 9:00am, May 19, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/396102
Global or Regional Events:
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- [Restricted] VIP Pitch Lounge: Pitch Live and Get Feedback from Investors & Advisors: 9:00am, Apr 21, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395523
- Turn Your Expertise Into an Audience on LinkedIn: 9:00am, Apr 27, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/394626
- How to Overcome the Fear of Starting Your Own Company: 9:00am, Apr 28, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/393960
- 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/394463
- 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/396645
- How to Choose the Right Startup Idea Before You Build: 5:00am, May 18, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/394961
- [Restricted] VIP Pitch Lounge: Get Unfiltered Feedback from Global Investors & Advisors: 9:00am, May 26, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395380
- Inside the Founder Institute: Real Stories From Alumni: 9:00am, Jun 02, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/394986
- Startup Advisors 101: How to Find Advisors and Maximize their Impact: 5:30pm, Jun 08, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/394653
- Fundraising Reality Check: Startup Funding Q&A for Founders: 9:00am, Jun 09, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/396149
- Turn Startup Hesitation Into Action: A Founder Mindset Framework: 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
- Stop Overthinking and Build a Great Startup Idea: 9:00am, Jul 20, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395088
- Meet FI Alumni Founders: High-Growth Startups Panel : 9:00am, Aug 10, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395146
- Build a Startup Idea Investors Won’t Ignore: 5:00pm, Aug 18, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395165
- What Makes Investors Say Yes: Startup Funding AMA: 9:00am, Sep 01, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles): https://FI.co/e/395201
- 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 16 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.
