Founder Institute’s Montréal branch has announced the 13 startups graduating from its first completely virtual cohort.
The full list of companies includes eWarren, Reinvent Care, Leapsaver Marketplace, Kinesix, AnviFX, Osmos, Thallo, Aidia Legal, Moduly, Sinple, KinoKlik, iCollective, and The Fashion Trade.
Over 400 people applied to the program, which was hosted virtually for the first time ever due to COVID-19.
According to Founder Institute, these businesses were thoroughly vetted by a panel of Montréal’s top startup experts and investors. Over 400 people applied to the accelerator’s latest cohort, which was hosted virtually for the first time ever due to COVID-19.
“After an intense four months of aggressive business-building sprints and constant evaluation and feedback from investors and mentors, just thirteen companies were able to make it through,” wrote the Founder Institute.
The Founder Institute’s typical four-month, part-time program aims to help pre-seed entrepreneurs launch and build companies through structured training courses, practical business-building assignments, and expert feedback from a network of business mentors.
Based in Silicon Valley, with chapters across 200 cities and 90 countries, the Founder Institute aims to empower entrepreneurs to build companies that will create one million new jobs. According to the accelerator, its program graduates have collectively raised over $950 million USD.
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This time around, the Founder Institute opted to try an eight-month model rather than its traditional four-month approach. The first four-months consisted of its typical intense weekly program, while the last four months served as an extension, allowing the Founder Institute to support founders through a flexible, monthly objective-based reporting model.
Some interesting startups that participated in the cohort include Kinesix, which was founded in 2013 as a sportswear company. The Montréal-based startup is developing an artificial intelligence-powered smart jacket that aims to help outdoor workers maximize their comfort and safety regardless of the weather.
Looking to serve the wave of new grocery brands that have emerged during the pandemic, fellow cohort member and Montréal startup Leapsaver Marketplace is trying to “reinvent the wholesale price-club” to support local, emerging food and household product producers.
Founder Institute Montréal is currently seeking applications for its next virtual cohort. Applications close July 25.
Photo by Jennifer Lim-Tamkican via Unsplash