The Austin business community is about to get a major boost as leading organizations join forces to support economic growth in the city. The Founder Institute Austin, Opportunity Austin, and the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce are partnering to host the first fully in-person cohort of the Founder Institute program since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This marks a significant milestone for the program and the Founder Institute, which is based in Silicon Valley but has chapters in over 200 cities and 100 nations.

Held at the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce offices in downtown Austin, the program will provide a dynamic and inspiring location for the cohort to learn, grow, and connect. The in-person, three-month program will support 30 founders and be led by experienced FI Directors in Austin, Tiana Laurence, Shane Brechmann, and Paul O'Brien. The curriculum will cover topics such as product development, fundraising, and business scaling, providing participants with a comprehensive understanding of the startup process and the tools they need to launch and grow successful companies.

"This partnership is an amazing opportunity to support our region’s economic vitality,” said Roland Peña, Senior Vice President for Global Technology and Innovation for the Austin Chamber and Opportunity Austin. “The Founder Institute's expertise in startup training and the Chamber's resources and network of successful entrepreneurs will provide a unique and valuable learning experience for participants. We're excited to see the impact this program will have on the local economy."

“When we opened the first Texas chapter of the Founder Institute here in 2017, we immediately saw people from around the state—and the nation—travel to Austin and launch their businesses with the support of our expansive entrepreneurial network,” said Executive Director of the Founder Institute Texas chapters, Martín Martinez. “After 3 years on a strictly virtual-first format, we feel an in-person return will re-energize our local community of graduates, mentors, and investors. In partnering with Austin’s leading organizations for economic growth in the region, we’re aiming to set a new standard in how the Founder Institute can support entrepreneurs globally,” he continued.

The Founder Institute Austin’s Spring 2023 Cohort will commence its in-person programming at the Austin Chamber of Commerce starting on February 8th, concluding with a Graduation Demo Day on Wednesday May 17th, 2023.

Applications are currently open for the Fall 2023 In-person Cohort. Don't miss this opportunity to take your startup to the next level with the support of the Founder Institute and the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce.

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About the Founder Institute:

The Founder Institute is an American business incubator, entrepreneur training and startup launch program that was founded in Palo Alto, California in 2009. Although based in Silicon Valley, The Founder Institute maintains chapters in over 200 cities and more than 100 nations, providing entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship, and network they need to launch and scale successful companies. Learn more about the Founder Institute here.

About Opportunity Austin

Opportunity Austin is the economic development initiative aimed at fostering job-creating investment in the five-county Central Texas region. Top priorities include boosting economic diversification to proactively strengthen the economy, deepening the talent pool through development and attraction, and keeping the Greater Austin region attractive to entrepreneurs, business leaders and site selectors through advocacy on issues such as comprehensive regional transportation system and regional collaboration. Since 2004, Opportunity Austin has helped bring more than 400,000 total jobs to the Austin region. Learn more about Opportunity Austin here.

About the Austin Chamber:

The Austin Chamber is a nonprofit membership organization that focuses on creating jobs and promoting prosperity in the region. Their mission is to provide leadership that promotes a prosperous economy and advocates for their members. Their vision is for Austin to have the most prosperous business community in the country. The Chamber's core purpose is to take on big challenges so that its members can focus on growing their businesses. They invest in a wide range of programs that support and diversify the regional economy.