The Founder Institute is the world’s premier idea-stage accelerator and startup launch program. If you are up to the challenge, our comprehensive step-by-step program will give you the structure, mentor support, and global network you need to start an enduring company. In addition, the Founder Institute is the only program of its kind that accepts solo-founders and founders with day jobs, and that shares equity with all participants. Leaders of the world’s fastest-growing companies have used our program to transition from employee to entrepreneur, test their startup ideas, build a team, get their first customers, raise funding, and more. The Founder Institute was started in 2009 by serial entrepreneur Adeo Ressi (CEO) & Jonathan Greechan (CMO). At the small headquarters office in Silicon Valley, the Founder Institute is a team of 22 employees who support chapters across 100+ cities and 50+ countries. Founder Institute helped launch over 2,000 companies. These companies have created over 15,000+ new jobs and $20B in shareholder value. The company's mission is to “Globalize Silicon Valley” and build sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.