Chicago Founder Institute Opens Applications for the Fall 2015 Semester

Since launching in Chicago in 2012, the Founder Institute has graduated over 50 companies in the region, including some of the area's fastest-growing startups like Better Weekdays, DigitalGroundUp, Easy Beauty, and more. In addition, our efforts in Chicago have also been profiled by several top media channels, including BuiltInChicago, The New York Times, and more.

Today, the Founder Institute is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the Midwest Fall 2025 Semester!

If you could benefit from expert training and advice to launch a technology startup in Chicago, click here to apply today.

Those who apply by the Early Admissions Deadline (Jul 27, 2025) will have their application fees waived (typically $50) and are eligible for Founder Institute Fellowships.

The Founder Institute is the world's largest entrepreneur training and startup launch program, with over 8,100 graduate companies spanning 200+ cities worldwide. In our 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 testing and developing your startup ideas without putting your livelihood at risk.

In order to celebrate the launch, the Chicago Founder Institute will several free startup events for the general public, where you can meet top entrepreneurs and learn more about the program:

How to Get Investors to Notice Your Startup: AMA with Marta Marrucco: 12:00pm, Sep 17, 2025 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/373872
Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 12:00pm, Sep 22, 2025 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/377477
Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 12:00pm, Oct 06, 2025 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/377809
Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 12:00pm, Oct 27, 2025 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/377646
How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 7:00pm, Nov 10, 2025 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/378911
Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Kirby Winfield: 12:00pm, Nov 17, 2025 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/379407
Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 12:00pm, Nov 24, 2025 (America/Chicago): https://FI.co/e/379538

See all upcoming events

The Chicago Chapter will be led by local leader Jason Jacobsohn, Managing Director of Reliable Venture Partners and an advisor to over 100 emerging businesses on investment and strategy.

In addition, some of Chicago's top entrepreneurs will help teach founders in the program, including:

Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO PLATFORM
Ablorde Ashigbi: CEO, 4Degrees
Adeo Ressi: CEO, Decile Group / VC Lab
Aditya Nath: Head of Sales NA, Mobilisights, A Stellantis Company
Aidan Salvi: Founder, Angel Investor, Advisor, Technologist, Multiple
AJ DeLeon: CEO, Innovare
Alex Glenn: Founder, Automated.af
Alex Gorsuch: Co-founder, CTO, Ascent Integrated Tech
Alex Lambert: Venture Capital Manager, mHUB
Andrew Lee: CEO, Esper
Andrew Loulousis: Vice President of Strategy and Venturing, TechNexus Venture Collaborative
Andy Cwik: Co-Founder & CEO, hubub
Ashish Rangnekar: CEO & Co-Founder, BenchPrep
Aviv Shalgi: CEO, Solar Simplified
Bart Carlson: CEO, Azuba
Ben Stacey: CEO, Pitchverk
Benjamin Seidman: Co-Founder, Mella Pet Care
Blake Allsmith: CEO, Jumpdocs.com
Bob Gillespie: Managing Partner, REACH Commercial
Bob Matteson: CEO, Relivable
Brad Schnitzer: Program Manager, Techstars Chicago
Brad Spirrison: CEO, Grown In
Brian Lee: Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer, Roamli
Cate Brady: Founding Director, Bulk AG Innovations
Charles Kwon: Managing Partner, Concitor
Chereesca Bejasa: CEO, Zenevate, LLC
Chris Sorensen: Founder & CEO, Lake Forest Venture Management
Chris Foltz: Global Entrepreneur-In-Residence, Founder Institute
Christina Holloway: Executive Coach, Compass Enterprises LLC
Cory Warfield: Chief Connection Officer, Coryconnects
Craig Zingerline: Founder and CEO , Growth Minded
Dan Ushman: Founder and CEO, TrendSpider
Daniel Roberts: Founder, Scout Alarm
David Culver: Co-Founder, VentureSHOT
David Douglas: Founder & CEO, Yolobe Inc.
David Rosen: CEO, Acrelic Group
David Zaretsky: CEO, Chief Scientist & Co-Founder, Snips Media
David Hurst: CEO, Orbital Transports
David Kirshenbaum: Founder/Connector in CHief, www.MeadeConnect.com
Derick Jiwan: Innovation and Business Development Manager, WinField United at Land O' Lakes
Desiree Vargas Wrigley: Chief Innovation Officer & Executive Director of TechRise, P33
Don Bora: Principal Technology/Owner and Co-Founder, Eight Bit Studios
Eddie Patzsch: Co-Founder, PartnerPortal.io
Eric Broughton: CEO, OK2Charge
Fernando DeLeon: Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer, Innovare
Franklin Kamnang Ngansop: Co-Founder, Vitamin C&S Coaching
Garry Cooper: CEO/ Co-Founder , Rheaply
Gary Gaessler: SaaS Community Builder, Nylas, Co-Founder of CloudElements
Gavenraj Sodhi: Senior Product Manager, Hitach Vantara
Gavin Martin: Founding Partner, onPurpose Growth
Genevieve Thiers: Founder, Sittercity
George Powell: Founder, CEO, Easy Beauty
George Khalife: Vice President, U.S. Capital Formation, Toronto Stock Exchange
Gigi Kizhakkechethipuzha: Founder, ImpelHub
Greg Jaros: Founder & CEO, PocketKnock
Heather Holmes: CEO & Founder, Genivity
Jacqueline Kuehl: Managing Director, Digital Marketing Concentration, DePaul University
Jason Randolph: Senior Vice President Marketing & Strategic Growth, Tradier
Jason Jacobsohn: Managing Director, Propellant Ventures
Jean Bordelon: Vice President of Data Management, Bounteous
Jed Abernethy: Corporate Innovation and Startup Executive, Entrepreneur / Digital Transformation
Jeff Lyons: Operating Director, City Capital Advisors, LLC
Jeff Hyman: Chief Talent Officer, Strong Suit Executive Search
Jeff Weber: Founder, Chalenj
Jeffrey Coney: Executive Coach and Mentor
Jeremy Baras: Director of Business Development, Startup Space
Jill Miller: CEO, Lunum
Joe Bezdek: Co-founder, DivX, Inc.
Joe Born: CEO, Aiwa Corp.
Joe Lee: CEO, Inverse
John Dallas: CEO, Enclave Academy and Hillview Partners Network LLC
John Ernst: Chief Growth & Technology Officer, Founder, Advisor, Entrepreneur, Executive
June W Choi: Managing Partner, Serval Ventures
Karim Djerboa: Business Development Specialist, MAVENTERSE
Katie Hench: Co-Founder, Infiniteach
Kelly Fitzsimmons: Co-Founder, Custom Reality Services
Kevin Taylor: Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, Stetson University
Kim Rubenstein: Cofounder, Chief Research + Product, Compatibility
Kord Kutchins: Development Advisor, ESO HUB
Laurence Hayward: Venture Partner, Independence Equity
Lavina Ramkissoon: AI Ethics and Technology Policy, African Union
Louis Morales: President, The Catnip Times
Maaike Doyer: Founder, Epic Angels
Marisa Bryce: CEO, Lightning Snow
Mark Achler: Managing Director, Math Venture Partners
Mark Phinick: B2B Deal Coach, Let's Make It Rain
Marsha McVicker: Founder & CEO, Lyla
Marshall Stanton: Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer, Catalina Marketing Corporation
Matt Mandell: Principal, PayNerd.com
Matthew Miller: Director, Product Strategy & UX, Digital Intent
Matthew Willis: SVP Americas & General Counsel, advantageclub.ai
Meghan Hoover: CEO, SceneSave
Michael Carruth: President/Founder, Fiodan Corporation
Michael Kramer: Founder and CEO, ManageHub, Inc.
Michael Kelly: CEO, DeveloperTown
Michael Carney: President, MWC Accounting
Michael Lamb: Co-Founder & President, nativeMSG
Mike Kritzman: Founder & CEO, SkillNet
Mike Anguiano: Founder, SupplyHive
Mike Moyer: Founder, Fair and Square Ventures, LLC
Mindi Knebel: Founder & CEO, Kaizan Health
Mohammad Hossein Tavangar: Director , Founder Institute Germany
Neil Kane: Founder & President, Illinois Partners, LLC
Nicholas Freeman: Co-founder & Chief Growth Officer, Innovare
Nicole Loftus: Founder & CEO, Pop Venture
Parminder Batra: CEO, TraknProtect
Patricia Riskind: Head of Global Healthcare, Qualtrics
Peter Tapling: Managing Director, PTap Advisory, LLC
Phil Leslie: Managing Partner, Workbox Ventures
Pinaki Saha: Founder & CEO, Anshar Labs
Prateek Mathur: CEO, Activated Scale
Rajanish Karki: Founder, Beats Bazar
Rajesh Voddiraju: Founder & Group President, HealthiPASS Inc
Reva Minkoff: Founder and President, DigitalGroundUp Inc. and Digital4Startups Inc.
Rinku Patel: Co-Founder & CEO, Polysight
Rod Hart: Founder & Principal Advisor, LayLine Innovation Advisors
Ronald Franczyk: CTO & Partner, Red Foundry
Ross Kimbarovsky: Founder and CEO, crowdspring
Ryan Jeffery: MR, gener8tor
Sagar Pande: Co-founder, Blaze Power
Sanjaykumar Patel: Founder -Patent & Trademark Attorney, EXCELON IP - Patent & Trademark Attorneys
Scott Issen: President & CEO, Future Founders
Shaniqua Davis: CEO and Founder, Noirefy
Shawn Park: Founders Team Associate, P33
Sina Roshan: Cofounder & CPO, Peekage (Techstars 2020)
Stephen Meade: Founder & CEO, MonetaPro
Sukhi Singh: Managing Director, SSS Ventures
Ted Greene: Partner, Old Willow Partners
Timothy Kelley: CEO, TeleRay
Tino Go: Founder & CEO, Baru
Tokiah Kennedy: Head of Platform (S4P), Spotify
Tom Giles: Founder, Megatron Ventures
Ujjwal Gupta: Cofounder & COO, BenchPrep
Vern Chan: Certified Startup Coach, Your Pivot
Vladimir Pletyukhin: Founder and Creative Director, Launch Deck
William Furlong: Founder & CEO, SquareStack
William Mortimore: CEO, Project Foundry
Yarin Gaon: Strategy & Marketing Specialist, Y.G.
Yemi Oluseun: Growth & GTM For FinTechs, The Change Hive