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9,000+ companies launched

awaiting new founder...

You've been saying someday. AI just made it today

Bring the idea. AI helps fill the skill gaps, mentors guide you every week, and you can start without quitting your job.
Startups Built
9,000+
Alumni Funding
$2BN+
Chapter Countries
100+
Mentors & Investors
40,000+
Founders Trained
750,000+
Company Exits
200+
Estimated Portfolio Value
$20BN+
Chapters in Developing Nations
26%
Years in Operation
17+

// What you get

Mentors rate your work. AI does the busywork.

No cofounder, team or finished product needed. About 60 percent of a typical cohort are solo founders. 10 sessions plus Funding Day, about 15 to 20 hours a week, more in the final stretch. You can keep your day job.

  • Frank your always-on AI agent: Knows every Sprint, deadline and mentor. Connect Gmail, Calendar, Asana or Stripe and Frank works on your real company.

  • Playbook: Your week-by-week plan, built for your idea and stage

  • AI Assist: Drafts each deliverable with you, from your own answers.

  • Pitch Gym: Practice on an AI investor that pushes back and scores you.

  • 40,000+ mentors and investors:  The network behind your chapter. The mentors in your sessions rate your work every week.

Founder working with AI tools
Oddbox wouldn't exist without the Founder Institute. FI gave me the structure I needed to take Oddbox from idea to an MVP.
My investor materials, my data room, my pitch deck, all of it exists because someone was going to ask for it each Thursday morning. I've never had that kind of forcing function.
  • First funding offer 2 weeks after Funding Day
  • Delaware inc. Aug 2026
Joining the Founder Institute was a defining chapter in my founder journey. The experience, the pressure, and most importantly the mentorship shaped how I think, build, and lead TransTRACK today.
Without Founder Institute, Udemy may have never raised any money.
Before the program I was using ChatGPT for basic tasks. By the end of the summer I had built an AI agent marketing team, 1,500 synthetic customers and a voice AI avatar agent. I didn't even know what Python was.
  • AI marketing team built
  • 1,500 synthetic customers
FI's accelerator was tough, but it prepared me for life as an entrepreneur. The support from local leaders, mentors, and ecosystem partners helped us close our first round.

// How it works

A clear path from idea to Funding Day.

10 sessions plus Funding Day. Plan on 15 to 20 hours a week, more in the final stretch. You can keep your day job.

Validate the idea.

Set your vision, test it with real customers and design a revenue model.

Build the first version.

Build a first version, get scored at Idea Review, and set up your company.

Find your first customers.

Launch, get paying customers, and work on growth week over week.

Pitch at Funding Day.

A five minute pitch and a live demo to angels and VCs invited by your chapter.

Local support.
Global possibility.

Global businesses start local, so FI builds sustainable startup ecosystems to help aspiring entrepreneurs. Apply to build alongside top local investors, advisors, and mentors.

Ainharan Vivekananthan

Founder/ CEO, ArcheloLAB LTD

Aminath Ali

Founder, HaliAli Coaching and Consultancy Services

Ayami Wanasinghe

Regional Director - South Asia, Founder Institute

Chamo Hewawasam

Co-Founder/COO, Aenigm3 Labs | Kordor AI

Josheph Adhikari

Co-founder, Sampanna Capital & Advisory

Kamran Taufiq Khan

Program Manager, National Incubation Center Islamabad

Minhaz Anwar

Chief StoryTeller, BetterStories

Rabika Hassan

Manager of Special Projects, BetterStories

Saira Qayyum

Founder, Dream On!

Sanju Peramuna Arachchi

Venture Partner, Founder Institute - South Asia

Sayyed Ahmad Masud

Director, Change Mechanics Pvt Ltd

Shakil Mahmud

Founder, CEO & CTO, Posh Celebration Limited & AI Factory

Mafaz Ifharm

Co-founder/Chief Story Teller, Show & Tell

Fathhi Mohamed

Co-Founder, Street82, DishServe & PickMe

Nio Liyanage

General Partner, 1MX AI, Co-founder, Launchr

Chamara Peiris

Founder/CEO, Leeg & Head of Ecosystems, Launchpad

Kamran Khan

Program Manager, NIC Islamabad

Mafaz Ishaq

CEO, Innovation Quotient

Keshni Morar

Managing Director, FI South Africa + Investable

Hiraash Thawfeek

CTO, Multiplier

Dr. Talha Rehman

CEO, BeMe

Usman Arshad Khan

Marketing & Growth Advisor | TEDx Speaker, Creator of The STORY Method

Semal Luthra

Co-Founder & CEO, HomeTree Coworking

Jatin Kataria

Managing Director, InMeSta Ecosystem + WeShapeUp Venture Studio

Frequently Asked Questions

Which program should I apply to?

If you have an idea and want to build a company, apply to the FI Agentic Program: 10 sessions plus Funding Day, a Playbook generated for your startup, Pitch Gym and weekly feedback from mentors. It runs in 200+ cities; apply to the chapter nearest you or to an online cohort.

See the program or see the bootcamps.

How much does it cost?

The entrance fee for the South Asia cohort is $349 USD. It is fully refundable before Kickoff and 75 percent refundable before Session 3. Payment plans are available through Partial.ly (5 percent service fee). Teams of 2 to 3 founders pay 1.5 times the fee and teams of 4 to 5 pay 2 times; the 2.5 percent Equity Collective pledge is per company, not per founder.

Is there an equity component?

Yes. About two-thirds of the way through the program, founders pledge 2.5 percent of future equity to the Equity Collective. It activates only at a qualified financing, carries no board seat or voting rights, and dissolves if the company fails. How the Equity Collective works.

Where can I see the agreements?

All program agreements are public at fi.co/agreements, including the Entrance Agreement, the only document you sign to enroll, and the Warrant you sign later in the program.

Can I talk to someone about the program?

Yes. Come to a free event in your city or online at fi.co/events, where local leaders and mentors take questions, or write to us at fi.co/support.

Applications are now open

Build your startup with AI agents doing the work

Join the FI Agentic Program: an AI-powered curriculum, world-class mentors, and free AI agents to turn your idea into a fundable company.

9,000+ companies launched since 2009

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Our programs helped launch Udemy, Esusu, and thousands more, with a portfolio worth an estimated $20B. Yours could be next.

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