Saved By The Bell! The Founder Institute Comes To Awesome DC


by Elias Shams
I have been following the initiatives by an interesting organization called The Founder Institute since their program was first announced in March of last year.  They recently opened an office in DC and have executed the perfect program for entrepreneurs or those of you thinking of becoming one, but no idea where to start. I wish they were around in late 90’s when I had just launched my first internet company, Telezoo and in desperate need for guidance and contacts.

The West Coast based Founder Institute was founded by Adeo Ressi, the Founding Member of TheFunded.com, an online community of 12,000 CEOs to research, rate, and review funding sources worldwide. They have expanded to many more regions including our awesome Washington, DC. This spring, their mentorship program will be expanding to Singapore, Paris, Los Angeles, and Denver. They offer entrepreneurs, the students who have basic ideas for potential startups but have not yet founded a company, and very early stage startups an environment designed to help foster their growth and education. This is exactly what I needed back in 1999. The program is a semester-based startup camp. 198 founders applied to the program. 79 were accepted, and 66 graduated. 31 companies have been incorporated by these founders so far, and a handful have actually launched (including Skimble and Molo Rewards ).
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Poor Economy + Shortage Of Entrepreneurs + Young = Jack POT (Perfect Opportunity & Timing)


by Elias Shams
Here is another awesome initiative in DC that is right up my alley. If you are an entrepreneur or student living in the DC area, you may want to put this in your calendar – Ashoka’s Youth Venture and Young Impact, in partnership with a consortium of sponsors, announce the StartUp Scramble DC University Challenge taking place January 29-31st, 2010!

If you are not an entrepreneur, I strongly urge you to consider becoming one fast – particularly if you are a student and just about to graduate. Here is Why:

a) I don’t need to remind you that the current economy and job market is pretty bleak and will probably stay this way throughout 2010. I don’t mean to be pessimistic, in fact I am a very optimistic dude. But this is real. There is no job waiting for you once you graduate. Hope it gets better in 2011.

b) There has been a major shortage of entrepreneurs in our nation’s capital and in other parts of the country these past few years.

c) You are single, with little responsibility or financial burden, so you can afford to forgo a big paycheck for a little while.
Read more…

Poor Economy + Shortage Of Entrepreneurs + Young = Jack POT (Perfect Opportunity & Timing)


Here is another awesome DC initiative that is right up my alley. If you are an entrepreneur or student living in the DC area, you may want to put this in your calendar – Ashoka’s Youth Venture and Young Impact, in partnership with a consortium of sponsors, announce the StartUp Scramble DC University Challenge taking place January 29-31st, 2010!

If you are not an entrepreneur, I strongly urge you to consider becoming one fast – particularly if you are a student and just about to graduate. Here is Why:

a) I don’t need to remind you that the current economy and job market is pretty bleak and will probably stay this way throughout 2010. I don’t mean to be pessimistic, in fact I am a very optimistic dude. But this is real. There is no job waiting for you once you graduate. Hope it gets better in 2011.

b) There has been a major shortage of entrepreneurs in our nation’s capital and in other parts of the country these past few years.

c) You are single, with little responsibility or financial burden, so you can afford to forgo a big paycheck for a little while.

Historically, when times are bad for the economy, it can be a great time to start a business. In fact, 16 of the 30 companies that make up the Dow industrial average were started during a recession or depression. These include Microsoft, Disney, McDonald’s, General Electric and Johnson & Johnson. In fact, from what I remember, Although, Google started during the glory days of late 90’s, but it really started kicking ass during the 2001 recession.

Still curious what makes it possible for new companies to thrive when times are so bad? or why should you launch your own company?
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