If you can describe a product clearly, you can now build it. That wasn't true two years ago. AI changed it. You can go from an idea to a working product, used by real customers, in ten days. By yourself, no code. That's what Vibecode a Product Bootcamp is built around, and 294+ founders have already been through it. Live sessions walking you through scoping, building, refining, and launching with AI, until you've got something shipped and in users' hands. Designed for people doing this alongside a full-time job.

A year ago, building software meant learning to code or paying a developer five figures. Now you describe what you want in plain English and have a working prototype the same afternoon. That's not the only thing that flipped. Market research that needed a consultant takes minutes. The company that needed a co-founder and real capital needs one person who knows the space. A full tech stack that cost a fortune runs for a few thousand a year. No co-founder, no degree, no investor's blessing required. As @jonnystartup puts it in his Great Reinvention essay, building the product is no longer the bottleneck.

Stop spending months "thinking about" your startup idea. This free tool gets you to a validated one in a single sitting. It walks you through 7 AI prompts you can copy straight into ChatGPT or Claude. Map your strengths, find real customer pain points, generate concepts, design a validation test, and get a customer interview script. No login. Just open it and start. Try it here: ai-startup-protocol.fi.co/

A company or trend you admire + a market or problem you care about = your next startup idea We built a free AI tool that finds those combinations for you Try it: startup-idea-engine.fi.co/

You've been thinking about that idea long enough. Time to find out if it's real. The Startup Ideation Bootcamp is a 2-week program where you'll brainstorm ideas, validate them with real customers, and pitch to 30+ experienced mentors and investors. By the end, you'll know whether to go all-in or move on. That beats another year of wondering. Apply here: fndri.com/4rqF5WE

Busy and productive are not the same thing. We built a free 3-minute quiz that scores you across 6 areas and tells you exactly where you're leaking time and which AI tools will fix it. 12 questions. 4 levels: Reactive, Developing, Systematic, Elite. You get a personalized score, a category breakdown, and an AI-generated analysis of your biggest bottleneck. Find out where you stand: productivity-analyzer.fi.co

AI is not complicated. You just need to know how to set it up right. The Open Claw AI Productivity Bootcamp: → Set up a 24/7 AI assistant for research, writing, and workflows → Build a real app with no code → 5 live sessions, March 10–19 Led by @adeoressi, 10X entrepreneur & investor. Presented by @govclab. Apply → fi.co/bootcamp/vibecoding

200+ founders have already taken part in the Startup Ideation Bootcamp, and it's back for another round. In just 5 weeks, you'll create, validate, and pitch your startup idea with expert mentors, real customers, and AI tools. Great ideas aren't born. They're built. Apply now → fndri.com/4qpNBo6

The Early Bird deadline for the next Vibe Coding Startup Bootcamp is this Sunday, Feb 8th. We've been adding new perks to the next cohort based on feedback, including more AMA and mentoring sessions, partnerships with Lovable and Replit for free and discounted access, and a brand new Vibe Product Demo Day where top projects get showcased to potential collaborators and investors. Due to high demand, pricing goes up on Monday and we're capping enrollment to keep the experience personalized. If you've been thinking about it, now's the time: fndri.com/4qkRlY0

AI is completely transforming the global legal industry. Hitachi now partially or fully-automates 83% of their routine legal and compliance requests through AI, thanks to Checkbox. @CheckboxAI (FI Australia-NZ) just raised $23M to scale their "AI Legal Front Door" platform to capture, manage, and automate legal work.

You don't need to learn to code. You need to learn to build. Here are 5 tools to turn your idea into a product: Replit — Build apps in your browser using AI. No setup needed. Claude — Learn concepts, get answers, and delegate coding tasks in plain English. Supabase — Your app's database, user logins, and file storage in one place. Stripe — Accept payments, subscriptions, and invoices. n8n — Automate workflows between your apps and tools. Ready to bring your idea to life? Join our Vibe Coding Bootcamp: fndri.com/4a5cvo6

You don't need a technical team to build your first product anymore. The Vibe Coding Startup Bootcamp takes you through a structured step-by-step process to scope, build, and test a prototype of your startup idea. No coding necessary. In 2 weeks, you'll: → Set up your AI "system" of tools, integrations, and automations → Use AI and No-Code tools to launch a first product to test your business hypothesis → Start testing your product with customers to get feedback and clarity on your next iterations → Avoid the most costly and time-consuming mistakes for AI product development 6 live online sessions with hands-on AI tool demos and real-time expert guidance. Apply now: fndri.com/4qVM3mN

Applications close tomorrow. The Startup Co-Founder Bootcamp helps you find and "test-drive" your co-founder relationship. ✅ Meet potential co-founders with complementary skills and shared values ✅ Build a compatibility score to improve co-founder matching success ✅ Reduce the risk of choosing the wrong co-founder ✅ Discover your unique Entrepreneur DNA and strengths Apply now 👉 fi.co/bootcamp/cofounder

Proud to support Esusu (FI San Francisco) as it enters its next phase of growth with a $50M Series C at a $1.2B valuation. Esusu continues to lead the industry in credit building and economic mobility for millions of renters nationwide. Learn more here: cnbc.com/2025/12/11/esusu-fu…

Build a great startup idea through expert feedback and a proven process. The 5-week Startup Ideation Bootcamp helps you: ✅ Validate your idea with 30+ experienced entrepreneurs and angel investors ✅ Connect with potential co-founders, advisors, and partners ✅ Build a pitch and get feedback at a live Pitch Showcase ✅ Access AI tools, templates, and frameworks to move faster Deadline to apply: December 7th Apply now 👉 fndri.com/48AuroT

There's never been a better time to build a startup. Here are 24 AI tools that let you build, launch, and scale faster than ever before. To learn how to build your first product with AI, join the Vibe Coding Startup Bootcamp: fndri.com/47ZqdYA

Finding a co-founder shouldn't be a shot in the dark. Most founders pick partners based on gut feeling, friendship, or just availability. Then they're surprised when conflicts arise, roles overlap, or the partnership falls apart. Our research shows these 8 traits make a great co-founder: High trust. Self-reliance. Achievement. Dependability. Innovation. Emotional control. Moderate assertiveness and agreeableness. The Startup Co-founder Bootcamp shows you exactly how to find and evaluate potential co-founders with the help of our Entrepreneur DNA Assessment. Sign up here: fndri.com/47pzoBE

The old way: Spend 6 months finding a technical co-founder, 6 months building in secret, launch to crickets. The new way: Pick a startup idea, build an MVP using AI, validate with real users. These 20 ideas represent actual startups you can build today using AI. Grant writing services. Virtual assistant marketplaces. Event platforms. Subscription boxes and more. The Vibe Coding Startup Bootcamp shows you exactly how: fndri.com/4oIG83f

Reduce the risk of a bad co-founder match and find the right partner for your startup. Join the Startup Co-Founder Bootcamp, a 5-week online bootcamp built to help founders connect, collaborate, and validate real compatibility. You'll match with professionals who complement your skills and values, validate compatibility through the Entrepreneur DNA Assessment, and even run a real test project together. Apply to the Bootcamp 👉 fi.co/bootcamp/cofounder

You can build your first product with AI — no coding necessary. The Vibe Coding Startup Bootcamp helps aspiring founders use AI tools to scope, build, and test a prototype of their startup idea. Led by startup mentor and vibe-coder Mark Montalban, the bootcamp includes live online sessions with hands-on AI tool demos, real-time expert guidance, and access to a learning platform filled with tools, templates, and frameworks to help you move faster. Sign up here: fi.co/bootcamp/vibecoding

The real cause of a customer’s problem isn’t always what it seems. By digging deeper — asking why again and again — you uncover insights that lead to better solutions. At the Startup Ideation Bootcamp, you’ll learn how to validate ideas, test assumptions, and build something customers truly need. Apply now → fndri.com/4qbzPGK

Build your first product with AI. No code needed. In 4 live sessions, Vibe Coding Bootcamp helps you scope, build, and test a prototype with hands-on demos + expert guidance. Includes tools, templates, frameworks. Sign up 👉 fi.co/bootcamp/vibecoding

Great startup ideas aren’t born perfect. They are built, tested, and refined, just like Slack, Instagram, YouTube, Shopify, and Pinterest. The same process applies to your idea. With structure, feedback, and accountability, you can go from “I think” to “I know”.

Great startup ideas are built, not born. The Startup Ideation Bootcamp is back — a 5-week intensive with expert feedback, AI tools & a proven process. Take your first step into entrepreneurship 👇 fi.co/bootcamp/ideation

Scale your startup with Global Fast Track 2025 (#GFT)! Join 7 verticals: #FinTech, #AI, #GreenTech, #Blockchain, #InsurTech & more. - Pitch live & connect with 37,000+ global leaders at #HKFTWxSMUF - Matchmake with 120+ investors Apply by 21 Sep: fnvr.se/gft-startup-x

Go from idea to product in 2 weeks. The Vibe Coding Bootcamp helps you: ✅ Set up your AI system of tools, integrations, and automations ✅ Use AI and No-Code to launch your first product and test your hypothesis ✅ Avoid costly mistakes in AI product development ✅ Get real feedback from customers on your product Deadline to apply: September 14, 2025. 👉 fi.co/bootcamp/vibecoding

AI is only as good as the prompts you use. That’s why we built the Startup Prompt Library, a curated collection of ready-to-use prompts for founders. ✅ 100 prompts covering 16 core founder tasks ✅ Works seamlessly with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini ✅ Plug-and-play for your workflow Check it out: fi.co/prompts

Finding your first users doesn’t have to be guesswork. This GPT helps founders uncover both obvious and overlooked early adopters. In just a few quick questions, it highlights 5 key segments and shows why they care, where to find them, and how to reach them.

Are you a seed-stage startup looking to scale in the U.S.? Join the Penn West Accelerator — an in-person, equity-free program by Founder Institute and Penn West designed to help startups expand into the U.S. East Coast through structured mentorship, hands-on workshops, and a high-profile investor demo day in Washington, D.C. Apply now and grow faster: fi.co/bootcamp/pennwest

Shipping your first product is easier than ever before with the right AI tools. We pulled together 10 AI tools to vibe-code your first product fast: - Replit - OpenAI - n8n - Supabase - Claude - LangChain - Midjourney - Cohere - Zapier - Figma

Build your first product with AI. Join an intensive 2-week program that helps aspiring founders use AI tools to scope, build, and test a prototype of their startup idea — no coding necessary.

Turn your idea into a startup without writing a single line of code. You'll follow a structured step-by-step approach to define your MVP, build fast with AI tools, and de-risk the decision on whether or not to pursue your startup.

Our sister company, Decile Group, just announced a $14MM seed round to help launch 10,000 venture firms worldwide - led by Draper Associates, Javelin Venture Partners, and Geek Ventures (an Alum of Decile's VC Lab program!). As we systematically eliminate barriers to entry for new entrepreneurs worldwide at Founder Institute, they are doing the same for new VCs. More entrepreneurs + more people funding them = more impact 🙏 Decile has already launched over 600 new venture funds through VC Lab, and just released a new product that will exponentially grow the number of VC funds launched every year - the "Start Fund". This smashes the barriers to entry for anyone looking to launch a venture fund: 🚀 Zero upfront fund formation costs (versus $50-100K traditional formation fees) ⚡ Launch a fund in 24 hours (versus 3-6 months of legal work) 💰 Accept $10K LP minimums (versus typical $100K requirements) 📈 Close at $150K (versus $1M+ traditional thresholds) 🌐 Access to $1.75B LP commitment platform 'Start Funds' are real VC funds (not SPVs or syndicates), and will fundamentally change who can be venture capitalist. Exciting times ahead!

Great startup ideas are built, not born. The Startup Ideation Bootcamp gives you: ✅ Expert feedback to sharpen your idea ✅ Proven frameworks to brainstorm and validate ✅ AI tools and templates to accelerate progress ✅ Clarity on whether to pursue your idea Deadline to apply: July 13, 2025.

Get the worksheet here: fndri.com/45XOjm5 In case you’re confused about how to use the worksheet, here’s a super tiny tutorial.

Struggling to come up with a great startup idea? Our Idea Brainstorming Worksheet will help you generate ideas in minutes by mashing up hot startups with industries, problems, customers, and trends.

🤖 Building a startup is tough. Finding the right AI tools to build one shouldn’t be. We’ve curated 100+ AI tools and prompts to help founders move faster with: - Brainstorming - Positioning & Messaging - Market Research - Customer Development - Landing Pages - Pitch Development

Can you explain your startup in one sentence? If not, it’s time to refine your pitch. Use this simple one-sentence pitch format to test your clarity: My company [name of company], is developing [a defined offering] to help [a defined audience] [solve a problem] with [secret sauce]

Your pitch deck is a conversation starter, not a complete manual. You don’t need to explain everything. You just need to share enough to earn a second meeting. Use this simple checklist of do’s and don’ts to build a clear, compelling, and investor-ready pitch: ✅ Keep text concise ✅ Use large, easy-to-read fonts ✅ Add charts, statistics, and graphics ✅ Label each slide (problem, team, etc) ❌ Unsubstantiated growth projections ❌ Detailed hiring plans that aren’t relevant ❌ Overloading slides with bullet points ❌ Exaggerating your capabilities

Wondering if your startup idea is worth pursuing? We’ll help you find out before you waste time or money. The Startup Ideation Bootcamp is an intensive 8-week program to help you build and validate a great startup idea using expert feedback, AI tools, and a proven process. Check it out 👉 fi.co/bootcamp/ideation

Build a fundraising strategy for today’s market. Join the 8-week Startup Funding Bootcamp to refine your pitch, understand your numbers, and get feedback from real investors. Apply now 👉 fi.co/bootcamp/funding

"What I look for when I work with founders is to stress test their ideas. Founders that change the future have to do two things: their ideas have to embody thinking different, and they have to act different." - Mike Maples Jr

Bootstrapping is one of the most common ways early-stage founders get started. It means building your startup using personal savings or business revenue instead of external funding. Understanding the pros and cons can help you decide if bootstrapping aligns with your goals, resources, and risk tolerance as a founder. Here are a few things to consider: Pros - You only need to impress customers, not investors. - You can pivot easily without external pressure. - You keep full ownership and stay in control. Cons - You may need to work a day job, which can slow progress. - You miss out on investor networks and strategic support. - You personally absorb all the financial risk if it fails. Bootstrapping can be a powerful way to build, but it requires discipline, creativity, and patience. It’s not about whether it’s better or worse than raising money; it’s about whether it’s right for you.

We’re excited to announce @EveryBanking as the Preferred Back Office Partner and Global Platinum Partner of the Founder Institute! Every is an all-in-one back office platform for technology companies that simplifies entity formation, banking, bookkeeping, corporate cards, reimbursements, taxes, payroll, compliance, R&D tax credits, benefits, and much more. What this means for FI Founders: - Seamless integration of Every’s tools into the FI curriculum — right when you need them. - Rock-solid back-office foundations from day one. - Reduced barriers to building — with exclusive, direct access to formation, banking, payroll, and accounting tools throughout the FI program. - Special offers across formation, banking, payroll, accounting, taxes, and more.

Day 3 of FounderX Texas marked the main conference day, bringing together industry leaders, investors, and founders at The University of Texas at Austin for an action-packed schedule of discussions, panels, and showcases. The day featured a series of high-impact discussions, including a Deeptech Panel & Showcase featuring James A. Phelan, Mike Sherbakov, Oksana Malysheva, Harvin Moore, and Esosa Ighodaro. Jason Calacanis joined Adeo Ressi for a fireside chat on angel investing and startup growth, followed by talks from George Ploss and Gabe Dominocielo. Allison Ellsworth later joined Jonathan Greechan for a discussion on brand-building in consumer goods. The event continued with a Healthtech Panel & Showcase featuring Dr. Hanan El Basha, DBA, Lee Shapiro, Cheryl Sew Hoy, Cara McCarty Abbott, and Kamal Hassan who explored innovations in the health sector. Linda Avey engaged in a fireside chat on the intersection of health and venture funding, while an Investor Panel & Showcase featured Martin Tobias, Ihar Mahaniok, Mercedes Bankston, Sunil Sharma, and Ferdinand Mühlhäuser discussing investment trends across industries. The final keynote speakers included Julia Cheek and Alli Webb, who shared their entrepreneurial journeys and lessons in scaling successful businesses. With that, we closed out an incredible three days of bringing founders, investors, and innovators together. We want to thank all the outstanding speakers, participants, and partners that helped make FounderX Texas possible.

Day 2 of FounderX Texas was all about building meaningful connections and learning from industry experts in an engaging, informal setting. The day began at Oracle Headquarters in Austin, where attendees gathered for a full schedule of co-working, private meetings, and facilitated office hours. Kicking things off, Andrew Tauhert delivered a welcoming address, setting the stage for a day of insight and collaboration. Throughout the day, founders participated in hands-on workshops tackling key startup challenges. Pat LaPointe shared strategies for building high-value boards without losing control, while Kamal Hassan provided fundraising heuristics from his experience as a VC and entrepreneur. Robert Kaminski guided founders on refining their B2B positioning strategies, and Paul Kwiatkowski explored the psychology of fundraising, offering tactical approaches to investor engagement. In the afternoon, Lyn Graft emphasized the power of storytelling in driving sales, investment, and media attention, while Rajeev Behera closed out the sessions with lessons from raising over $120 million from Silicon Valley’s top VCs. With one day left, the momentum remains strong!

We kicked off Day 1 of FounderX Texas with a welcoming reception in true Austin fashion—live music, a taco bar, and great company! We’re joined by 200+ participants from the FI and Decile Group Alumni, Mentors, Local Leaders, and Partners in one of the world’s fastest-growing technology and startup hubs: Austin, Texas. Over the next three days, attendees will dive into networking events, interactive workshops, and engaging talks from top keynote speakers like @Jason, @lindaavey, Julia Cheek, Allison Ellsworth, and many more.

The Veteran Fund & the Founder Institute are excited to host our annual $100,000 Veteran Pitch Competition, featuring special guest @Jason! Join hundreds of angel investors, venture capitalists, and entrepreneurs to watch the next generation of military-connected entrepreneurs pitch their startups. Sign up to attend: fi.co/startupwebinar/17997

Here are 5 key components that make up powerful startup messaging ⬇️

While you can include many elements in your pitch deck, success comes from selecting the right mix of essential components. Here are 10 elements to include in your pitch deck 👇 Did we miss anything?

Ready to unleash your startup's potential? Pitch Mayhem isn't just a competition—it's your gateway to investor visibility, expert feedback, and game-changing connections. Join ambitious founders competing to take their startups to the next level. Applications now open: pitchmayhem.com/

Ajinomatrix (FI Berlin) is leading the charge in making food healthy and sustainable by blending AI with culinary science. Co-founded by François Wayenberg and Joel Bellenson, Ajinomatrix goes beyond simple taste enhancement. Whether transforming traditional recipes into healthier versions or perfecting the art of vegan croissants, they're on a mission to redefine how we experience food. Learn more about their work 👇

As we celebrate our 15 year anniversary, we want to give a big shoutout to Founder Institute Local Leaders across the globe for all the work they do. 💚 While their primary role is running Founder Institute chapters across the world, local leaders wear many hats, acting as mentors, connectors, and educators. For leaders like Guc Ozenci (FI Washington DC), Richard Cristina (FI London) and Dominique Kim (FI San Francisco - Health Tech) and many more their goal is to give back to the community by sharing their wealth of knowledge and experience. We spoke to them and alumni founders Daan Weddepohl (FI Amsterdam) and Gregor Herdmann (FI Berlin) for a deep dive into the local leader role and how they help founders go from idea to launch and beyond.

The Rise & Scale: Bermuda Business Accelerator Pitch Forum will stream live globally from the HSBC Bank Bermuda Harbourview Centre on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at 7 PM (Bermuda Time). Nearly 20 dynamic entrepreneurs, who have completed a five-week intensive accelerator program, will showcase their innovative businesses, addressing challenges faced by underrepresented groups, including women, youth, and individuals with disabilities. 👉 You can sign up to watch live here: fi.co/startupwebinar/18212 This pitch forum is part of the Building Back Equal initiative, supported by The Government of Bermuda, Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors, Bermuda Economic Development Corporation (BEDC), UNDP Multi Country Office in Jamaica, UN Women, and the Founder Institute, aiming to drive gender equality and women’s empowerment in Bermuda. The forum will also feature a panel discussion with business leaders Lara Acosta, Regina Gwynn, and Esosa Ighodaro, who will share insights on entrepreneurship and equity in the business world. Don’t miss out on an evening filled with innovation and inspiration!

The Rule of One: A Focused Approach to Building Your Startup 👇

Six incredible Founder Institute alumni are taking the next step in their startup journey by securing spots in the @Techstars accelerator! - Revella Health (FI Toronto) joins Techstars Physical Health - Dodda.ai (FI Seattle) enters Techstars EnergyTech Alabama - Autoket (FI Southern California) accelerates with Techstars LA - 40hammocks (FI Silicon Valley) checks into Techstars Atlanta - Autoparti (FI Mexico City) also revs up with Techstars Atlanta - Swyft AI (FI Chicago) powers up with Techstars Chicago

Congratulations to TransTRACK (FI South East Asia) for raising $12M in Series A funding! The round was co-led by Eurazeo and Cocoon Capital. This investment will fuel TransTRACK's expansion across Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia. The fresh capital will enable the company to enhance its cutting-edge fleet optimization solutions, which already help businesses reduce fuel and labor costs, minimize downtime, and boost fleet utilization by up to 40%.

Ready to rub shoulders with industry leaders from Ant Group, DST Global, Tencent,Bullish, and more? Join #HKFTW24 (Oct 28-Nov 1)! Network with 35,000+ attendees, learn from 800+ #FinTech leaders & explore the future of finance! Get your discounted pass: fnvr.se/hkftw-x-1 (Code: HKFTW24FOUNDERINST) #FintechHK #HK #HKFTW

8 key questions to ask in your user research: 1. What are you struggling with? 2. What's not happening that you want to happen? 3. Why are you doing this now? 4. What do you love the most about the current product? 5. What don't you like about your current product? 6. What are you willing to give up in order to get something better? 7. What will be different once you have something new in your life? 8. What are you not willing to give up?

Ever wondered what makes angel investors tick? While ROI is crucial, many angels are driven by a desire to stay connected to innovation and make an impact on the world. But what exactly catches their eye in a startup? Here are the 6 key areas angel investors focus on 👇

🚀 Local Leaders at the Founder Institute have helped thousands of founders build some of the world's fastest-growing startups. If you're passionate about helping founders build and launch their businesses and fostering entrepreneurship within your city, then you should consider becoming an FI Local Leader! As the next Leading Institute training and onboarding program gets ready to start, join Janet Todorova, Simona Irmova, and Ryan Micheletti from the FI team to learn all the finer details of running an FI program in your city. Sign up 👇