The Founder Institute is the world’s premier pre-seed startup accelerator, with chapters across 180+ cities and Graduates that have built companies exceeding $20B in estimated value. We provide high-potential entrepreneurs and teams with the critical support network and structured process needed to build an enduring company. Since 2009, we have helped over 3,300 Graduates raise over $700M funding, get into seed-accelerators, generate traction, recruit a team, build a product, transition from employee to entrepreneur, and more. For more information, see https://fi.co/overview

1. The World’s Premier Pre-Seed
Startup Accelerator
FI.co | #FIWorldwide

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Who are we?
THE
FOUNDER
INSTITUTE
helps
entrepreneurs
build
an
enduring
company
with
a
support
network
invested
in
their
success,
and
through
a
structured
business-­‐
building
process.
THE
PROBLEM
Too
many
aspiring
entrepreneurs
never
start,
and
too
many
early
businesses
fail,
because
they
lack
feedback
and
focus
in
the
earliest
stages.
See
our
story:
FI.co/about

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Who do we help?
Idea-Stage Prototype-Stage Early-Company
You
just
have
an
idea,
and
may
sAll
be
FT-­‐employed:
✓ Validate
and
improve
your
ideas,
strategy,
and
pitch
✓ Find
Co-­‐Founders,
early-­‐team
members,
and
advisors
✓ Launch
your
company
using
a
proven
step-­‐by-­‐step
process
You
have
an
MVP
or
prototype
in
tesAng:
✓ Get
expert
feedback
to
make
smarter
product
decisions
✓ Secure
advisors,
partners,
and
key
hires
✓ Nail
your
go-­‐to-­‐market
and
begin
fundraising
(if
needed)
You
have
a
company
and
revenue,
but
are
pre-­‐funding:
✓ Get
expert
insights
on
your
data
to
increase
tracJon
✓ Secure
advisors,
partners,
key
hires,
and
investors
✓ Launch
an
enduring
business
with
a
global
network
Founders
and
Teams
that
are
Pre-­‐Funding

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How do we compare?
Inspiration/
Education
Pre-Seed
Accelerator
Seed-
Accelerator
Angel/VC
Aspiring
Founders
learn
the
basics
through
online
courses,
events,
and
bootcamps.
Founders
or
Teams
validate
and
launch
a
business
with
mentor
support
and
a
structured
process.
Teams
with
a
product
and
some
tracJon
acquire
operaJng
capital
to
prepare
for
angel
or
seed
funding.
Fast-­‐growth
startups
raise
money
from
angels
or
micro-­‐VCs.

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What are the results?
60+
Countries
175+
Cities
20B+
Graduate
Portfolio
Value
20K+
Jobs
Created
See
our
global
network:
FI.co/global

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Graduate Results
30+
Graduate Companies
Acquired
$700M+
Raised from
Investors
Investors included:Recently-Funded Grads:
See
more
Graduates:
FI.co/graduates

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Why is the program
so effective?
5 Guiding Principles

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Guiding Principle #1
the Founder Institute can
provide you the structure,
mentorship, and network
to make years of progress
in just 3.5 months
Great Companies Start
with Great People
(not “great ideas”)

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1. We Find Great People
Learn
more:
FI.co/DNA
You
don’t
need
to
submit
an
idea
to
apply
One-­‐hour
long
online
psychographic
&
apJtude
test
85%
accuracy
in
predicJng
early
entrepreneur
success
Each
cohort
is
a
cluster
of
high-­‐potenJal
early-­‐stage
entrepreneurs

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Guiding Principle #2
Great Companies
are not Built Alone
(feedback is invaluable)

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2. We Establish a Critical Support Network
Learn
more
at
FI.co/liquidity
75%
Distributed
to
each
cohort
25%
Founder
InsJtute
Mentors
25%
Directors
Graduates
25%
Graduates
contribute
4%
in
‘warrants’
to
a
15-­‐year
pool
Returns
are
shared
with
all
members
of
each
cohort
(including
Graduates)
Build
your
business
with
local
startup
experts
that
are
invested
in
your
success
25%
The
Equity
CollecJve

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Support Network of Top Mentors
2:1
Avg
Mentor:
Founder
raJo
in
each
program
Mentors
provide
training,
feedback,
and
raJngs/
evaluaJon
every
week
20-­‐40
Local
CEOs,
Founders
and
experts
invested
in
your
success
See Local Mentors: FI.co/mentors

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Guiding Principle #3
Entrepreneurship
Cannot be Taught
(it can only be learned
by doing)

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3. We Create a Structure for Doing
1. Idea 2. Business 3. Launch
1. OrientaJon
2. Vision
&
ValidaJon
3. Cust
Development
4. Revenue
5. Branding
&
Design
6. Mentor
Idea
Review
7. Legal
8. Go-­‐to-­‐Market
9. Product
Development
10. Mentor
Progress
Review
11. Hiring
&
Onboarding
12. Growth
13. Equity
&
Funding
14. Leadership
&
GraduaJon
See
full
process:
FI.co/program

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Make Real Progress Every Week
Challenging,
pracJcal
company-­‐building
assignments
(not
“homework”)
“The
Founder
Ins;tute
is
the
most
raw,
‘street’
program
out
there
for
startups”
-­‐
Jason
Calacanis
(This
Week
in
Startups,
Author
of
“Angel”,
ini;al
investor
in
Uber)
See Sample Session: FI.co/sessions
Constant
raJng
and
evaluaJon
of
your
pitch,
progress,
and
strategy
Weekly
night-­‐Jme
sessions
with
startup
mentors

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Guiding Principle #4
Startups are
Hard
(much harder than
commonly portrayed)

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4. The Founder Institute is Hard
<
35%
(only
the
best)
Make
it
to
GraduaJon
Total
commitment
is
20-­‐30
hours/week
Founders
need
to
meet
min
raJng
thresholds
from
Mentors
to
stay
in
program
Drop
outs
can
enroll
in
next
semester
for
free
HONEST
feedback
during
every
step
of
the
process
(“No
Threes
Allowed”)
...because
building
an
enduring
company
is
much,
much
harder.

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Guiding Principle #5
Entrepreneurship
is a Journey
(success is measured in years, not
months)

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5. We Support our Graduates
Beta Angel Seed
✓ Dedicated
support
contact
in
Silicon
Valley
✓ Private
Grad
mailing
lists
✓ Access
to
7500+
mentors
✓ $2M+
in
partner
discounts
✓ Invites
to
FI
sessions
&
network
events
(FounderX)
✓ Dedicated
fundraising
coach
in
Silicon
Valley
✓ Access
to
shared
database
of
investors
&
advisors
✓ Pitch
deck
ediJng/
feedback
✓ Virtual
training
sessions
✓ Pipeline
&
negoJaJon
help
✓ Deal
syndicaJon
across
our
network
✓ Facilitated
introducJons
to
investors
&
advisors
✓ Virtual
Demo
Days
✓ Elite
partner
deals
✓ Biz
Dev
&
PR
assistance
See
our
Grad
Support
:
FI.co/scale

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Low Costs
$50
USD*
ApplicaJon
Fee
*
free
for
event
aKendees
at
FI.co/join/bootcamp
$LOW**
Course
Fee
*
full
refund
offered
before
3rd
session
**
covers
‘break-­‐even’
administra;on
of
semester
(venue,
food,
FI
HQ
staff,
tech,
etc)
Learn
more:
FI.co/overview

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In Summary
the Founder Institute can
provide you the structure,
mentorship, and network
to make years of progress
in just 3.5 months
The
Founder
InsJtute
can
provide
you
with
the
support
network
and
structured
process
needed
to
launch
an
enduring
company.

22. THANK YOU!!!
Learn More:
FI.co
Apply Free:
FI.co/join/bootcamp
Free Resources:
FI.co/go