Lead a Founder Institute Chapter
AI is creating a new generation of entrepreneurs, and Founder Institute is looking for exceptional Local Leaders to lead that shift and help aspiring entrepreneurs become AI-native founders building the next wave of AI-powered companies.
Fully VirtualProgram Dates
Deadline
Apr 12, 2026
Lead the AI Founder Revolution in Your City
Accelerator Lab is FI's official training and onboarding program for new FI chapter leaders — giving you everything you need to launch and grow a world-class program that helps idea-stage founders build AI-native companies from zero to funded.
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Get Trained with a World-Class Onboarding Program
- Accelerator Lab equips you with FI's proven 17-year methodology, operational playbooks, and leadership frameworks — so you can run a high-impact program from day one and confidently guide founders from idea to funded startup.
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Tap Into a Global Network of 40,000+ Mentors & Investors
- Connect your local founders to FI's global network of mentors, investors, and ecosystem partners across 100+ countries and 6 continents — instantly giving your community a world-class support structure.
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Deliver the World's Leading AI-Native Company Builder
- Give your founders access to FI's FounderGen platform — a full suite of AI startup agents, structured methodology, and purpose-built tools designed to take idea-stage founders from zero to funded, faster than ever before.
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Build Your Local Startup Ecosystem
- Establish yourself as a key ecosystem builder in your city — connecting local entrepreneurs, investors, and talent through a globally recognized, AI-powered company building program.
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Earn Equity While Making an Impact
- Through FI's Equity Collective, you get a stake in every company you help create, putting you in the same position as an early angel investor in the next wave of AI-native startups in your city.
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Get Ongoing Support from FI's Global HQ Team
- You're never building alone. FI's HQ team provides continuous operational support, co-marketing, and strategic guidance at every stage to help your chapter thrive and grow.
Who Should Apply to Accelerator Lab?
We're looking for experienced, community-driven leaders who see the AI revolution for what it is — the greatest opportunity for new company creation in a generation — and want to be the person who brings that opportunity to their city. Please apply if you are:
- An experienced entrepreneur, investor, or startup ecosystem builder who is ready to invest your expertise into the next generation of founders in your community.
- Passionate about helping ambitious professionals make the leap from employee to AI-native founder — and motivated by their success, not a paycheck.
- Well-connected locally, with the credibility, network, and drive to attract aspiring founders and plug your community into a global company building ecosystem.
- Ready to lead a structured, high-accountability program backed by 17 years of proven methodology, 8,900+ portfolio companies, and the world's leading suite of AI startup tools.
Apply to Accelerator Lab
Join FI's training and onboarding program for new Local Leaders and start building your chapter today
Program Mentors
Meet the FI HQ leaders who will support you through your training in Accelerator Lab and beyond.
Accelerator Lab Schedule
Below are the upcoming Accelerator Lab program dates for new Local Leaders
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Running FI Toronto helps me build and access deal flow of high quality early-stage stage startups.
Sunil SharmaFI Canada -
Founder Institute’s structured weekly sprints keep founders focused, while hands-on support and mentor feedback help them refine their ideas. FI equips AI-native founders to launch AI-powered startups.
Janet TodorovaFI Central Eastern Europe -
The feedback from our partners and the founders themselves has been overwhelmingly positive, with founders praising the quality of the FI platform and curriculum.
Levi ReedFI Seattle & Startup425 -
Founder Institute delivered world-class acceleration experiences tailored for Pakistani founders. The training, structure, and network provided by FI empowered NIC to support startups more effectively and sustainably.
Sayyed Ahmad MasudFI Pakistan & National Incubation Center -
Founder Institute is consistently developing new tactics to run a startup accelerator and defining best practices for the industry!
Eva Dimitrova WorstFI Germany
FI Partners
Local Leaders gain instant access to FI's global partner network — connecting your community to top investors, ecosystem organizations, and industry experts worldwide.
Powered by the Founder Institute
Based in Silicon Valley, the Founder Institute is the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator. Since 2009, FI's accelerators have helped launch thousands of fast-growing, funded technology companies across nearly every geography, industry, and sector.
8,900+
Portfolio Companies
2BN+
Portfolio Company Funding
200+
Chapter Cities
100+
Chapter Countries
6
Continents
40,000+
Global Mentors & Advisors
Delivered via World Class Tools
Local Leaders in training get access to the Founder Institute's 'FounderGen Platform' - the world's leading LMS for startup creation.
- Experiential learning and structured, action-oriented sprints
- Embedded videos, templates, and resources to help with every step of the chapter-building process
- State of the art AI tools to help participants augment their capabilities and speed up progress
Frequently Asked Questions
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Accelerator Lab is Founder Institute's official training and onboarding program for new Local Leaders. It gives you the methodology, tools, operational playbooks, and support you need to successfully launch and run an FI chapter in your city.
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Local Leaders run FI chapter programs in their city — recruiting and supporting aspiring AI-native founders, running community events, facilitating sessions, connecting participants with their local and FI's global mentor and investor network, and building a thriving local startup ecosystem.
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No prior accelerator experience is required. Accelerator Lab is specifically designed to train and onboard new leaders from scratch, using FI's 17-year proven methodology and comprehensive operational playbooks.
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Becoming a Local Leader is free. Instead of a financial commitment, we're looking for something more valuable — an established presence in your local startup ecosystem and a genuine drive to help the next generation of founders succeed. That might mean you're a former founder, an active community builder, or someone with deep relationships across the local ecosystem: angels, advisors, universities, government, and corporate partners.
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FI's Equity Collective means that Local Leaders participate in a shared equity structure — so when the founders you help build succeed, you and the mentors in your chapter benefits too.
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Local Leaders are not compensated with a salary. They earn a percentage of the entrance fees paid by founders who join their chapter, and through FI's Equity Collective, they receive equity in the companies they help build — similar to the position of an early advisor or angel investor. In some cases, leaders secure sponsorships for their chapters.
Apply to Accelerator Lab
Complete your application today and take the first step toward leading an FI chapter in your city
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The Founder Institute is the world’s most proven network to turn ideas into fundable startups, and startups into global businesses. Since 2009, our structured accelerator programs have helped over 8,900 entrepreneurs raise over 2BN in funding. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 100 countries, our mission is to empower communities of talented and motivated people to build impactful technology companies worldwide.
