The Founder Institute offers a program in Japan designed to help entrepreneurs turn ideas into fundable startups and scale them into global businesses. As a well-established network, it provides a structured pathway for building a company, supported by a global community of mentors and founders.
Program Application and Dates
• Program Dates: May 12, 2026 - Aug 05, 2026
• Early Application Deadline: Apr 19, 2026
• Final Application Deadline: May 03, 2026
• Entrance Fee: $1099
The Core Program Experience
• Structured Sprints: The flagship 'FI Core' program combines structured sprints with constant feedback to help founders reach milestones needed for investment and growth.
• Critical Support Network: Participants join an Equity Collective of startup mentors and founders. The program provides access to a lifetime of support programs and partners.
• Structured Methodology: The program utilizes proven business-building sprints and a structured process to guide founders on what to work on and when.
• Challenging Process: With a completion rate of less than 40%, the program is designed to be rigorous. Graduates are fast-tracked to the Funding Lab program and Virtual Demo Days to enhance their funding opportunities.
Program Session Calendar
• Onboarding: May 05, 2026, 06:00pm JST
• Accelerator Kickoff: May 12, 2026, 06:00pm JST (Meet the Cohort)
• Vision & Mission: May 13, 2026, 06:00pm JST (Define a strong business vision)
• Customer Development: May 20, 2026, 11:00 am - 01:00pm CEST (Analyze your customer feedback)
• Revenue & Business Models: May 27, 2026, 11:00 am - 01:00pm CEST (Validate a scalable revenue model)
• Pitch Mastery: Jun 03, 2026, 11:00 am - 01:00pm CEST (Learn how to build a great pitch)
• Mentor Idea Review: Jun 10, 2026, 11:00 am - 01:00pm CEST (Test the core business on a mentor panel)
• Legal & Equity: Jun 17, 2026, 11:00 am - 01:00pm CEST (Review your legal infrastructure)
• Go-To-Market & Scale: Jun 24, 2026, 11:00 am - 01:00pm CEST (Improve your strategy to launch or scale)
• Product Development: Jul 01, 2026, 11:00 am - 01:00pm CEST (Get feedback on your product roadmap)
• Investor Progress Review: Jul 08, 2026, 11:00 am - 01:00pm CEST (Test your progress on a mentor panel)
• Co-Founders & Team: Jul 15, 2026, 11:00 am - 01:00pm CEST (Improve your team and hiring)
• Growth: Jul 22, 2026, 11:00 am - 01:00pm CEST (Establish a scalable engine for growth)
• Funding: Jul 29, 2026, 11:00 am - 01:00pm CEST (Fix any impediments to fundraising)
• Graduation: Aug 05, 2026, 11:00 am - 01:00pm CEST (Celebrate & onboard to post-programs)
Alumni Support and Post-Programs
• Continued Support: Alumni receive ongoing support from a dedicated team in Silicon Valley, access to a global network of over 40,000 mentors and investors, private mailing lists, and potential investor introductions.
• Partner Discounts: Graduates gain access to over $3 million in partner deals and support from top organizations.
• Structured Post-Programs: A series of virtual advisory programs, including Funding Lab and The FI Venture Network, are available exclusively for alumni to work with the Silicon Valley HQ team to reach their next milestones.
Japan Leadership and Mentors
• Leadership: The program is led by Erdinc Ekinci (Co-founder, CEO @ Co-capital) and YuLi Shein (Co-founder, COO @ Openfor.co, inc).
• Mentors: Participants receive guidance through video conferences, office hours, and material reviews from a roster of mentors including Erdinç Ekinci, Kei Shimada, Tyson Batino, Jay Onda, Dr. Joe Hüg, and Yoichi Morimoto.
Ecosystem and Partners
• Network Benefits: The program is powered by a large international network of collaborative startup supporters, offering recognition and exposure through thousands of events and content within a proactive community.
• Partners: The network includes Co-Capital.co, Openfor.co, Loyal VC, Founder Capital, Business In Japan (BIJ), CIC Tokyo, D4V (Design for Ventures), EO Media, Female Founder Initiative, Innovation Dojo Japan, Interesting Engineering, Professional University of Information and Management for Innovation, Qualcomm, Scaling Japan Podcast, Shibuya Starup Support, So & Sato Law Offices, Stripe, UB Ventures, UTokyo IPC, and Venture Cafe Tokyo.
Online Information Sessions and Events
• Turn Your Expertise Into an Audience on LinkedIn: Apr 28, 2026, 01:00am JST
• How to Overcome the Fear of Starting Your Own Company: Apr 29, 2026, 01:00am JST
• How to Get Your First 10 Customers Without a Marketing Team or Budget: May 05, 2026, 01:30am JST
• Founder Institute Online Information Session: Various Dates, Various Times
The FI Core Program serves as the initial phase of a long-term journey. Graduates become part of an extensive alumni network, gaining access to advanced accelerator programs and continuous support from the Silicon Valley team to foster business growth for years to come. Interested individuals can learn more by attending one of the several online information sessions held weekly across most time zones.