The first founder applications have been received for the San Diego / Orange County semester beginning in November. Congratulations!
The application form has been improved, making it easier to apply. (1) The LinkedIn requirements were reduced from 35 connections to 10 connections. (2) Having a FaceBook URL is now optional. (3) Providing feedback on the Institute program is also optional.
All applications are processed in the sequential order that they are received. If you apply before the early admission deadline on October 9th, 2009, you will have two separate chances to be admitted into the program. The first acceptance letters will be sent out on October 16th for the founders that applied before the early admission deadline. Everyone else will be notified on October 30th. Applying early is better, since space in the San Diego / Orange County semester is limited by venue capacity.
The Institute has already received some questions that we are happy to help answer below:
Will the Session be convenient for Orange County, as well as San Diego?
Yes. The Institute has arrangements for a venue just north of San Diego and south of Orange County in the Del Mar Heights area. The goal is to host the Institute in a convent location for the greatest number of entrepreneurs in the region.
Can I apply if I have an established startup?
Yes. The Institute will accept any founder that is running a business less than a couple of years old with less than one million in annual revenues, as a general rule of thumb. The first semester of the Founder Institute included founders with a wide range of experiences. 20% of the 54 companies that graduated from the inaugural semester were already incorporated at the beginning of the program. Some of the founders had nearly complete products with sizable partners.
Do I need to attend all sessions in person?
Yes. However, it is understood that founders may have important business travel or illness that prevents them from attending one or two sessions in a semester. The Institute makes exceptions on a case by case basis.
See other answers to common questions in the FAQ.
