FC Founder Cohort Apply
Summer 2026 cohort · June 15 – July 24

Go from idea to traction in six weeks.

Founder Cohort is a small-group coaching program for early-stage founders. Weekly live sessions, hands-on operator feedback, and a tight peer group that pushes you to ship what matters.

Duration
6 weeks
Format
Live, remote
Cohort size
12 founders

Who this is for

Three kinds of founders consistently get the most out of Founder Cohort. If you see yourself below, you're in the right place.

1

The first-time founder

You have a real idea (or a v1 prototype) and a few users, but no playbook. You want structure, accountability, and a coach who has shipped before.

2

The technical solo builder

You can ship product fast but feel stuck on distribution, sales, and storytelling. You want to stop shipping into a void.

3

The career-shifter

You're leaving a senior role to start something. You have savings, networks, and conviction — and you want to compress the learning curve.

6-week curriculum

One theme per week. Each week includes a 90-minute live session, a reading pack, a hands-on assignment, and 1:1 office hours.

  1. Week 1
    Problem

    Sharpening the problem you're solving

    Customer discovery interviews, pain mapping, and the difference between a real problem and a curiosity. Output: a one-page problem brief.

  2. Week 2
    Wedge

    Picking the smallest valuable wedge

    Why your v1 should embarrass you. Scoping a wedge that ships in weeks, not months, and that earns you the right to expand.

  3. Week 3
    Build

    Shipping a v1 that earns feedback

    Scope, sequence, and instrument the smallest thing you can put in front of real users. Tracking the right early signals from day one.

  4. Week 4
    Distribution

    First 100 users (without burning out)

    Hand-rolled outbound, founder-led content, and the two or three channels you should commit to. Designing repeatable acquisition.

  5. Week 5
    Story

    Pitch, narrative, and fundraising

    The story arc investors actually buy. Crafting a 10-slide deck and a 60-second verbal pitch. Live pitch review with the cohort.

  6. Week 6
    Operating

    Founder operating system

    Weekly rituals, metrics that matter, hiring your first two people, and avoiding the founder traps that quietly stall companies in year two.

Your instructor

[Instructor name]

[Title · Previously founded X, scaled to Y]

[Two-sentence bio describing what the instructor has built — for example, founded a SaaS company, exited to a public acquirer, then spent the next several years coaching early-stage founders through their first product and first raise.]

[One sentence about teaching philosophy — e.g. "I'm an operator first. Everything we cover in the cohort is something I had to figure out the hard way, and I'd rather you didn't."]

  • 10+ yrs
    building & coaching
  • 200+
    founders coached
  • $80M+
    raised by alumni

What past founders say

A few words from founders who've been through earlier cohorts.

"[Short, specific testimonial — e.g. 'In six weeks I went from a half-formed idea to ten paying customers. The weekly accountability was unlike anything I'd tried before.']"
[Founder name]
Founder, [Company]
"[Testimonial about a specific transformation — the pitch, the product direction, the confidence to talk to investors. Keep it concrete.]"
[Founder name]
Co-founder, [Company]
"[Testimonial focused on the peer cohort — the relationships built, the tactical feedback, what stuck after the program ended.]"
[Founder name]
CEO, [Company]

Frequently asked questions

How much time should I expect to commit each week? +

Plan for around 5–7 hours: a 90-minute live session, an assignment, and optional 1:1 office hours. Founders who put in more get more out of it.

Do I need to be working on the idea full-time? +

No. Many founders are still part-time on their idea when they join. We just ask that you can ship the weekly assignments and show up live.

Is this remote or in person? +

Fully remote. Live sessions are scheduled to work across North America and Europe; recordings are available for anyone who can't attend live.

How much does it cost? +

Tuition is shared once your application is reviewed. We offer a limited number of partial scholarships for underrepresented founders — mention this in your application if it applies.

What happens after the 6 weeks? +

You join the alumni community: ongoing monthly calls, an active Slack, and warm intros to investors and operators when you're ready.

Apply for the cohort

Applications take about 10 minutes. We read every one and respond within a week.

Submitting opens your email client. Prefer a different way? Email apply@foundercohort.example.