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The Founder Institute, the World’s Premier Early-Stage Accelerator Calling for Aspiring and Early-Stage Entrepreneurs in Need of Mentorship, Training and Funding. Program Offers +2M$ in Perks from Selected Partners.

Since launching in Montreal earlier in 2014, the Founder Institute has helped launch over thirty companies in the region with several graduates at premium later stage accelerators like Techstars, Y Combinator, 500 Startups, and Texas Medical Center Accelerator. Additionally, founders have raised more than $7M in funding from Rockies Venture Club, SOS Ventures, Real Ventures, Right Side Capital, angel investors in both US and Canada. Founder Institute Montreal has launched some of Canada's fast-rising early-stage startups like Hykso, Logrr, Lean Systems, Unito, Food Room, and many more (also see Canadian Impact Report).

Our efforts in Montreal have also been profiled by high profile media channels, including TechvibesRadio Canada TelevisionLes AffairesBetakit, TVA Argent: Techno Pour TousMTLinTechTechcrunch and more.

Applications to the Montreal Founder Institute are open now, and anyone interested in launching a technology company is welcome to apply at http://FI.co/apply/Montreal

Anyone who enrolls by the Early Application Deadline on 2017-06-18 is eligible for a variety of Founder Institute Fellowships - including the Female Founder Fellowship, which is offered to the best overall female applicant.

The Founder Institute aims to accelerate the Montreal Startup Ecosystem, and provide Silicon Valley training and mentorship to help local early-stage entrepreneurs launch enduring companies, and then scale their business globally." - Adeo Ressi, Founder & CEO of the Founder Institute

For aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs up to the challenge, the Founder Institute’s comprehensive Silicon Valley step-by-step program provides the structure, mentor support, and global network of entrepreneurs needed to start an enduring company. Montreal Founder Institute graduates are eligible for Futurpreneur Fast-Track Accelerator funding of $15,000 to $45,000 (equity free) upon completion of the program. In addition, the Founder Institute is the only program of its kind that focuses on people versus ideas, accepts founders with day jobs, and shares equity with all participants.

Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 60 countries and 150 cities, leaders of the world’s fastest-growing startups have used the Founder Institute to transition from employee to entrepreneur, test their startup ideas, build a team, get their first customers, raise funding, and more - like Udemy, Realty Mogul, iCarsClub, Itembase, goplaceit, and Appota.

In order to celebrate the launch, the Montreal Founder Institute will host a "Pre-Curriculum" of free startup events for the general public, where you can meet top entrepreneurs and learn more about the program:

The upcoming Montreal semester will be led by three leaders of the Montreal startup ecosystem: Jean-François Ouellet (Associate Professor in Entrepreneurship, HEC Montréal), LP Maurice (CEO, Busbud) and Sergio A. Escobar (Global Director, Founder Institute & Global Facilitator, Techstars Startup Programs).

Other technology leaders who have signed on to mentor new entrepreneurs in the Montreal Founder Institute program include top founders from the city, and beyond:

  • Ben Yoskovitz: Founding Partner, Highline BETA
  • Caterina Rizzi: Co-founder, Breather
  • Chris Arsenault: Managing Partner, iNovia Capital
  • Claude Théoret: CEO & Founder, Nexalogy 
  • Danial Jameel: CEO, Oohlala
  • David Dufresne: Partner, 500 Startups Canada
  • Dax Da Silva: CEO, LightSpeed
  • Ethan Song: CEO, Frank & Oak
  • Frederic Bastien: CEO, Mnubo
  • François Arbour: Co-founder, Premiumbeat.com
  • Gian Carlo Di Tommaso: VP Finance, Luxury Retreats (acquired by Airbnb)
  • Jeff Hoffman: Co-founder, Priceline.com & Partner, ColorJar
  • Jean-François Marcoux: General Partner, White Star Capital
  • Marc-Antoine Ross: CTO, PasswordBox (acquired by Intel)
  • Pierre-Alexandre Fournier: CEO, Hexoskin
  • Steven Abrams: Partner, IT Venture Fund, BDC Capital
  • Sylvain Carle: Partner, Real Ventures
  • Yuri Navarro: Executive Director, National Angel Capital Organization
  • See full list of mentors, visit: https://fi.co/mentors/montreal

Anybody who is interested can apply to the Founder Institute in Montreal at http://fi.co/apply/Montreal. Anyone who enrolls by the Early Application Deadline on 2017-06-18 is eligible for a variety of fellowships - including the Female Founder Fellowship, which is offered to the best overall female applicant.

The following partners of the Montreal chapter deserve recognition for their generous and continous support to our entrepreneurs: Spiegel SohmerFuturpreneur Canadaand WeWork.

                                      We hope you will join us in Montreal and launch a company in 2017.


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