Run your startup with Claude Code. 3 live sessions from Nov 30. ENROLL NOW

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9,000+ companies launched

200+ chapter cities

awaiting new founder...

Start your dream company with AI

Go from idea to business faster than ever before with Founder Institute - the world's largest AI-native company builder.
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+

Your 'Someday' Starts Now

The playing field has leveled. If you are ready to work and have the right set of AI tools - there has never been a better time to launch a startup.

The Platform

Become an AI-Native Founder

Founder Institute gives anyone with an idea the AI tools, agents, and feedback to launch a fundable business.

  • Market research

  • Customer outreach

  • 24/7 startup advisor

  • Fundraising

Founder working with AI tools
Busy work completed Customers ready for discovery Pitch deck drafted

Trusted by world-class organizations

From idea to funded, in their words

Graduates from 100+ countries, and founders in the 2026 agentic cohorts, on what the program changed.

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
Without Founder Institute, Udemy may have never raised any money.
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.
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
Without Founder Institute, Udemy may have never raised any money.
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.

There’s no better time than the present.

Apply to the Tucson 2019 program today.

Four AI tools on every deliverable

Your program, run by agents

Every Sprint comes with the tools to finish it. Watch one week in the life of a founder on the platform.

  • Playbook: Personalizes your Sprints to your stage, industry and goals.

  • Pitch Gym: A live AI investor that interrupts, pushes back and scores you.

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

  • Frank: Answers any startup question, at any hour, with your context.

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.

Justin Williams

CEO, Next Foundation

Taylor Davidson

President, Neil Benton Arts and Entertainment

Tony Ford

COO, Amniocor

Fred Peterson

Managing Shareholder at Mesch Clark Rothschild, Mesch Clark Rothschild

Isaac Rothschild

Shareholder, Business Reorganization, Mesch Clark Rothschild

Alex Rodriguez

Vice President, Government & External Relations, Vector Launch Inc.

Courtney Williams

Co-Founder, Emagine Solutions Technology

Daniel Landau

Patent Attorney, Hayes Soloway, P.C.

Aaron Gopp

Cofounder & CEO, Patter

Daniel Dempsey

CEO, CoManage

Aaron Hutchinson

Co-Founder, CropTrak

Nate Lipton

Owner, GrowersHouse.com, GrowersNetwork.org

Yi Chang Chiu

CEO and Founder, Metropia

Manny Teran

Founder & CEO, I2M Ventures

Stephen Fleming

Founder, Boostphase

Julie Bonner

Marketing Director, FreeFall Aerospace

John Jacobs

President - Manager - Investor, Magnitude Management - Banyan Ventures

Tj Johnson

CEO, HTG Molecular

Theresa Delaney

CEO, Creative Tribe

Ryan George

CEO, Simpleview

Cindy Jordan

CEO, Pyx Health

Charlie Horn

Founder, ScriptSave

Dennis Kenman

Co-Founder & COO, Tucson Embedded Systems

Peter Mantas

CEO | Mentor | Tech Evangelist | Electrical Engineer | Ecosystem Leader, University of Arizona

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 Tucson cohort is $899 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

Turn your idea into the next unicorn

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

200+ cities and 95 countries

Join the world's largest agentic company builder

A global network of founders, mentors, and investors building enduring companies, with free AI agents to help you do the work.

Apply Now