Silicon Valley-based Founder Institute, billed as one of the largest pre-seed accelerators across the globe, is inviting tech start-ups to apply for its South African programme, set to kick-off on 8 March.
The institute is looking for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs who are building innovative solutions for a sustainable future.
The accelerator programme helps early-stage entrepreneurs and teams build their business alongside a critical support network of start-up experts that share equity in their success.
Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200 cities and 90 countries, the Founder Institute’s mission is to globalise Silicon Valley, and empower talented and motivated entrepreneurs to build companies that will create one million new jobs.
According to Founder Institute, founders of the world’s fastest-growing start-ups have used the accelerator to raise funding, get into seed accelerators, generate traction, recruit a team, build a product and transition from employee to entrepreneur.
Through the structured and challenging business-building process, the accelerator says it has helped over 5 000 alumni raise over $1 billion collectively, supporting them to build innovative products.
“Having committed to supporting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goalsthrough this programme, the Founder Institute is looking for founders and/or teams in their early stages of business (pre-seed), leveraging tech, with potential to scale globally,” says the institute.
“The programme focuses on founders versus ideas in the admissions process and identifies founders of the highest potential through a collection of aptitude and personality tests that have been in development with leading social scientists since 2008. To date, over 35 000 people have applied to the programme.”
The Founder Institute was founded in 2009 by entrepreneurs Adeo Ressi and Jonathan Greechan.
All business applicants from across sectors are filtered and selected at the institute’s headquarters in Silicon Valley.
Selected start-up founders will have the opportunity to:
- Get constant feedback and hours of mentorship with South African and international mentors, investors, alumni and entrepreneurs.
- Make progress on their business using a proven, structured process to gain traction towards getting funding.
- Get fast-tracked to asuite of post-programmes, including Funding Lab, and receive expert support for years to come.
- Expand their support network to include start-up founders, CEOs and investors from the Founder Institute’sglobal network of 5 000+ alumniand 20 000+ mentors across over 92 countries and in 200+ cities.
Entrepreneurs who have an idea to validate, or are already in business and looking to take the next step, can applyhere. The deadline for applications is 28 February.
For more information, prospective applicants can attend a free online information event, or check out theFAQs online.
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