Our flagship 'FI Core' program combines structured sprints with constant feedback to help you reach the milestones needed for investment and growth.
Understanding the significance of addressing internal struggles is crucial for entrepreneurs striving for success. Join us for an enlightening webinar where Jonathan Greechan and Alex Raymond will uncover practical strategies to overcome common obstacles such as burnout, impostor syndrome, and self-imposed limitations. Gain invaluable insights on maintaining balance and mindfulness amidst the journey of entrepreneurship, ensuring sustainable growth aligned with your core values. Don't miss out on this opportunity to equip yourself with the tools needed to conquer your inner demons while fostering professional success.
During the Accelerator Kickoff, you will meet the Local Leaders and your cohort of Founders, and establish how your startup will use the program to push your business forward.
Your cohort will be split up into the "Validate Track", "Launch Track" or "Growth Track", depending on each Founder's stage and existing progress.
The below deliverables are in addition to any custom "Epic Sprints" you may receive based on your specific challenges, and are just high-level previews of the 10-15 deliverables you'll complete through Working Groups and Office Hours:
In each weekly Feedback Session, Founders will pitch and outline their strategies/ progress to the Mentors for feedback, get tips and insights on the week's topic, and have multiple opportunities to ask questions. This week you'll get tips on how to develop a strong vision for your business.
Below are just high-level previews of the 10-15 deliverables you'll complete through Working Groups and Office Hours:
Discover how to boost your B2B sales using LinkedIn! Join us to learn about social selling – using platforms like LinkedIn to build Professional relationships and make sales. Whether you're already a startup founder or just getting started, this event will equip you with the tools and knowledge you need to drive meaningful results. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your B2B sales strategy to the next level, and network with like-minded individuals!
Join us for an exclusive event where we break down the secrets to successful fundraising using simple, actionable marketing tactics. Learn how to engage investors, amplify your message, and achieve real results for your startup. Whether you're a startup founder or you're in the ideation stage, this event is your ticket to fundraising success, and at the end, you are also invited to engage in a networking session with other founders with similar experiences to yours.
In this Feedback Session, Founders will present any customer development progress to the Mentors to examine if they are pursuing a scalable business with a clear and actionable customer problem. The Mentors will also provide tips on how to validate your key assumptions, interview potential customers effectively, and best interpret the feedback you receive.
Below are just high-level previews of the 10-15 deliverables you'll complete through Working Groups and Office Hours:
Join us for an exclusive event where you'll learn the insider secrets to crafting an irresistible pitch that captures investors' interests. Led by seasoned storyteller and marketing expert, Thea Sokolowski, this session will dive deep into the art of pitching, offering practical insights and proven strategies to help you stand out in front of potential investors. Whether you're a startup founder or entrepreneur, this event is your gateway to mastering the art of persuasion and securing the investment your venture deserves.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to be creative or have a magical 'aha' moment to find a great startup idea. In reality, anyone can come up with innovative business ideas by following a structured process. On this live event, Jonathan Greechan (Co-Founder & CEO of Founder Institute) will share a framework for crafting great startup ideas that he has learned from working with over 10K startups worldwide. Then, attendees will have the opportunity to share their ideas, get feedback from others, and meet aspiring entrepreneurs interested in their space. If you have rough ideas and don't know what to do next, this is the event to attend!
In this Feedback Session, Founders will share their pitch and revenue model with Mentors for feedback and continued refinement. You will also get tips on how to sustain your startup before receiving financing or revenue, identifying the most lucrative revenue source for your business, testing different revenue sources with your target customers, and more.
Below are just high-level previews of the 10-15 deliverables you'll complete through Working Groups and Office Hours:
To launch a great startup, it is critical to get feedback on your ideas from entrepreneurs who have been there and done that. On this live online event, we will gather several startup experts ready to provide feedback for aspiring entrepreneurs. The event will start by providing guidelines to create a compelling elevator pitch, and then attendees will have the opportunity to share your pitch with other entrepreneurs, advisors, and investors at virtual tables for instant feedback. Even if you don't want to share your pitch, you can still join to hear other startup ideas and witness how the experts review a pitch.
An entrepreneur never stops pitching, so this session focuses 100% on helping you build a great pitch. First, the mentors will share the latest best practices for pitching your startup - whether the pitch is for investors, team members, customers, partners, or otherwise. Then, you'll share your most recent pitch and receive constructive feedback on how to improve.
Below are just high-level previews of the 10-15 deliverables you'll complete through Working Groups and Office Hours:
This is the first big checkpoint in the program to determine your progress. During the Mentor Idea Review, you will present a longer presentation to a panel of FI Mentors for extensive review. You will receive a rating, as well as feedback on the long-term viability of your offering, revenue model, growth strategy, and more.
After the Mentor Idea Review, Founders receive a larger number of custom "Epic Sprints" with deliverables based on their specific challenges. Below are high-level previews of standard deliverables.
If you are currently raising funding for your startup, or are looking to raise funding in the future, then join this online 'Ask me Anything' (AMA) event featuring Tahira Dosani (Co-founder and Managing Partner of ResilienceVC). Learn how startup funding works, how investors evaluate pitches, the types of founders investors are looking for, and more. Anyone interested in raising funding from Silicon Valley angel investors or venture capitalists are welcome to attend. Come with your questions; our investors will be ready to answer them!
The Founder Showcase is Silicon Valley's leading international startup pitch event, helping pre-seed startups learn, launch, and connect to investors. At this interactive online event, you can watch the pitches of promising pre-seed startups from across the globe. We'll also feature an inspiring keynote presentation. Stay after the pitches to network and connect with the hundreds of international founders, investors, advisors, and executives in attendance.
In this Feedback Session, startup lawyers and CEOs will explain various legal agreements, startup legal components (such as equity), cap tables, how to protect intellectual property, the best practices for managing a law firm, and more. As usual, Mentors will also provide Founders with ratings and feedback on their startup pitch and progress.
Below are just high-level previews of the 10-15 deliverables you'll complete through Working Groups and Office Hours:
Learn the essentials of customer acquisition through Search Engine Optimization (SEO) at our event. Join Ali Abbas, an industry expert, as he shares practical strategies and demonstrations for leveraging SEO to attract your initial customer base effectively. Gain actionable insights to craft a winning SEO strategy tailored to your business goals and drive sustainable growth.
Join Ryan Micheletti, Head of Operations at FI, to learn more about the next phase of your journey with Founder Institute as a FI Alumni. Learn about Funding Lab, the FI Venture Network, and Alumni Success best practices, followed by Q/A. This is an interactive open Zoom Room session.
In this Feedback Session, Mentors will provide Founders with feedback on their current go-to-market plans and progress, and cover topics like marketing messaging, unit economics, customer acquisition, and more.
Below are just high-level previews of the 10-15 deliverables you'll complete through Working Groups and Office Hours:
Building a great Co-Founder team is one of the most difficult yet important steps in founding a startup. While many founders may start alone, there are multiple benefits of having a Co-Founder, and taking the time to establish a quality team can mean the difference between failure and success. Join us for this fun and interactive event where you will learn best practices for building and formalizing a Co-Founder relationship. In addition, you will have the opportunity to network with other entrepreneurs who are looking for a Co-Founder at virtual tables and speed networking sessions.
In this Feedback Session, Mentors will provide Founders with feedback on their current product, and/or product roadmap. Expert in product development will also discuss best practices in product management, roadmapping, managing product teams, and more.
Below are just high-level previews of the 10-15 deliverables you'll complete through Working Groups and Office Hours:
Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to be creative or have a magical 'aha' moment to find a great startup idea. In reality, anyone can come up with innovative business ideas by following a structured process. On this live event, Jonathan Greechan (Co-Founder & CEO of Founder Institute) will share a framework for crafting great startup ideas that he has learned from working with over 10K startups worldwide. Then, attendees will have the opportunity to share their ideas, get feedback from others, and meet aspiring entrepreneurs interested in their space. If you have rough ideas and don't know what to do next, this is the event to attend!
Join us to discover how open innovation bridges the gap between startups and corporates. We'll explore global challenges and spotlight two major initiatives: the GAEA program, aimed at driving energy autonomy innovations in Europe, and the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator, which fosters digital transformation partnerships. Learn how these initiatives empower innovators and idea holders to refine their concepts, navigate the entrepreneurial landscape, and unlock new funding opportunities for corporate collaboration and growth.
Similar to the Mentor Idea Review, the Investor Progress Review is the second major test in the program. In this session, Founders will focus on give a long presentation their progress and traction to a panel of Investors and Advisors for a detailed review. Founders will be evaluated based on their progress in the program, the company's scalability, and more.
Below are just high-level previews of the 10-15 deliverables you'll complete through Working Groups and Office Hours:
Every startup's success hinges on a well-crafted go-to-market strategy. At this live online event, we unlock the secrets to defining and reaching your target market effectively. You'll gain insights into identifying your ideal customer, crafting a value proposition that resonates, and deploying marketing tactics that convert. If you're determined to accelerate your startup's journey from concept to market leader, this event is your stepping stone.
In this Feedback Session, Founders will receive feedback from Mentors on their team plans and product progress. In addition, Mentors will discuss how to identify the roles needed to build a world-class company, how to develop a strategy to recruit, onboard and retain the best people, and more.
Below are just high-level previews of the 10-15 deliverables you'll complete through Working Groups and Office Hours:
Do you want to start your own technology company, but don't know where to begin? You are not alone. Every day millions of people go to jobs they don't enjoy, but few do something about it. At the "Employee to Entrepreneur" event, you can hear the stories, tips, and best practices of those who left their jobs to pursue their own startup company. Listen to the experiences of people just like you that have made the transition, and discuss any questions or concerns that you have. Afterwards, attendees will have an opportunity to network with other aspiring entrepreneurs and share their ideas for feedback.
Have you ever thought about starting your own business? There's never been a better time! But with so many people jumping into the startup scene, it's getting harder to grab investors' attention and get customers interested. That's where we come in. Join our event to learn simple yet powerful ways to make your startup stand out. We'll talk about what catches an investor's eye, common early mistakes to dodge, and what you should do before even thinking about creating your product. After the talk, stick around for a networking session with other startup founders just like you. Get ready to make your startup more appealing, step by step.
In this session, Mentors will provide Founders with feedback on their current growth, branding, metrics, and strategy. Mentors will discuss various growth tactics, setting growth goals and milestones, communicating your startup's growth progress and setbacks with stakeholders and advisors, and more.
Below are just high-level previews of the 10-15 deliverables you'll complete through Working Groups and Office Hours:
To launch a great startup, it is critical to get feedback on your ideas from entrepreneurs who have been there and done that. First, you'll learn the best practices for creating a concise and compelling elevator pitch. Then, you will have the opportunity to share your pitch with other entrepreneurs, advisors, and investors at virtual tables for instant feedback. Even if you don't want to share your pitch, you can still join to hear other startup ideas and witness how the experts review a pitch.
In this session, Mentors will give you insider tip and tricks to raise funding for your startup in the current market, and in your locale. Mentors will also cover numerous topics related to fundraising, including different fundraising options, how to raise funding, and more.
Below are just high-level previews of the 10-15 deliverables you'll complete through Working Groups and Office Hours:
Do you want to ask questions to startup investors about fundraising in a friendly, judgment-free environment? Are you looking to raise funding in the future, and want to learn what investors look for and how they evaluate potential investments? Then join us for this live, interactive Q&A event featuring VC's and other investors from our FI Venture Network - the Founder Institute's global network of investors actively funding early-stage startups. Don't miss this opportunity to expand your network and ask in-depth questions.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to be creative or have a magical 'aha' moment to find a great startup idea. In reality, anyone can come up with innovative business ideas by following a structured process. On this live event, Jonathan Greechan (Co-Founder & CEO of Founder Institute) will share a framework for crafting great startup ideas that he has learned from working with over 10K startups worldwide. Then, attendees will have the opportunity to share their ideas, get feedback from others, and meet aspiring entrepreneurs interested in their space. If you have rough ideas and don't know what to do next, this is the event to attend!
Do you want to start your own technology company, but don't know where to begin? You are not alone. Every day millions of people go to jobs they don't enjoy, but few do something about it. At the "Employee to Entrepreneur" event, you can hear the stories, tips, and best practices of those who left their jobs to pursue their own startup company. Listen to the experiences of people just like you that have made the transition, and discuss any questions or concerns that you have. Afterwards, attendees will have an opportunity to network with other aspiring entrepreneurs and share their ideas for feedback.
Completing the Founder Institute is an honor. The program is challenging, and the expectations are demanding.In this final session, you will celebrate with your peers, friends and family, as well as select Mentors. Some Founders will also pitch to a live audience, and you will officially onboard to all of the post-program resources and assistance the Founder Institute provides.
The FI Core Program is just the beginning of a life long journey.
Founder Institute Alumni get access to a series of advanced accelerator programs, ongoing support from our Silicon Valley Team, valuable partner and service discounts, and more to continue building the business for years to come.
There are no hidden costs, additional contracts or surprise subscription fees: all our post-program support is free and exclusive to FI Alumni companies, for life.
Dedicated Alumni Support Team in Silicon Valley
Access to the world's largest network of mentors and investors (35,000+)
Private Alumni mailing lists
$2M+ in partner discounts
Invites to FI sessions & network events
Potential introductions to investors
A series of virtual advisory programs where you work with our Silicon Valley HQ team to reach next milestones
Funding Lab helps get your lead investor within 6 months
The FI Venture Network matches Alumni ready for funding with a massive pool of investors that specialize in writing 'first or second checks' of funding
100% Free for FI Alumni
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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 7,500 entrepreneurs raise over $1.85BN 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.