Founder Institute

About

Founder Institute is a global idea-to-IPO accelerator operating in 200+ cities. It is equity-based: founders join cohorts and share equity in a central fund (each company typically gives ~4–5% to FI). The program lasts 16 weeks, guiding founders to develop a minimum viable product and company structure. Founders pay tuition by giving equity (~4–6%) or a small cash fee.

What you'll get

• —$10,000+ in initial funding per founder (via collective equity pool)
• —16-week structured curriculum
• —Mentorship from global entrepreneurs and investors
• —Network of 20,000+ Founder Institute alumni

Eligibility

Idea-stage or pre-seed entrepreneurs; no requirement for a prototype or co-founder. Founder commitments include weekly meetings and an aptitude test. Operating across many cities and virtually.