The Founder Institute is an American business incubator, entrepreneur training and startup launch program that was founded in Palo Alto, California in 2009.

[3] It offers a 14-weeks part-time program for new and early-stage entrepreneurs that helps them develop their business ideas and form a company.

It was created with his friend and business partner Jonathan Greechan as a response to the 2008 market crash and the attendant failures of numerous startups.

From the outset, its primary goal was to provide a safe place for companies to materialize and entrepreneurs to hone their skills.

[6] Ressi also wanted to "globalize Silicon Valley" and make entrepreneurial training available to people around the world.

"[11] Adeo Ressi started the Female Founder Fellowship program to help address the dearth of women in the tech industry.

[17] By January 2025, The Founder Institute has programs in over 200 cities[1] in over 100 countries worldwide[3] and had been responsible for the creation of over 7,500 companies.

It is a 14-weeks program that recruits and accepts new and early-stage entrepreneurs who may still be full-time employed, and who don't necessarily yet have a fully formed idea or company.

[21] Networking is another major component of the program, allowing entrepreneurs to communicate (often for the first time) with like-minded individuals in their region.

[22] Founders join an "equity collective" upon their entry to the program that rewards graduates, mentors, and local directors for the successes of their peers.

[9] All of this information is then reportedly cross-referenced with data from Institute graduates, and is used to compile a database that seeks to pinpoint the ideal score for a successful entrepreneur.

[25] Mentors guide entrepreneurs through the program with training and feedback, and participate in the “shared equity pool”.

As of 2014, The Founder Institute has produced around 1,300 companies and graduates throughout its existence,[18] including Udemy, Kindara, and Zirtual.