Female Founder School
in Partnership with Microsoft for Startups
Application Closed
This Program is FREE of Charge
Sound Like You?
I have a burning desire to start a company, but I’m not sure where to start.
I’ve thought alot about being a founder, but would like to try it on for size before quitting my day job.
I’m passionate about learning new business and technical skills and building new networks.
I’d love the opportunity to learn from industry experts.
I’ve been interested in entrepreneurship, but I’m not sure where I fit in.
Join Us for Our 12-Week Program
Microsoft for Startups has partnered with Female Founder School to create a dedicated online course, specifically designed for women who are interested in becoming a founder.
By the end of the program you’ll have all the business and technical skills you’ll need to start your own company, a network of like-minded women who are just starting out that you can lean on for support and a clear plan of actionable next steps.
Applications close September 16th
Successful applicants will go through interviews with FFS and Microsoft to ensure this program is right for you.
Applicants will be accepted on rolling basis.
LIVE INSTRUCTION
COMMUNITY
MENTORSHIP
SKILL-BUILDING
EXPERTISE
INSPIRATION
Program Details
Free 12-week program starting September 29th, finishing up December 17th
Program will take participants through all the startup basics - business, technical and people skills – everything you need to learn to get going, test your ideas and build a prototype. These mandatory live workshops will be every Tuesday 4-6pm PST, 7-9pm EST from September 29th to December 15th.
Mix of self-directed learning, online workshops, and 1 on 1 coaching
Access to mentors from the startup community, experienced founders and Microsoft experts
Part of a peer group of 24 other women to help you build your network
Culminates in an end of program pitch to show everything you’ve learnt over the 12 weeks in front of mentors and Microsoft execs
Post program, you’ll also get 12 months access to FounderPass to help keep you on track & a dedicated Microsoft mentor who will be on hand to answer questions and keep you motivated
Who Should Apply?
For anyone who identifies as female
You’re highly motivated and have the “startup bug”
You’ll have a degree from a university or 3-5 years of relevant real-life experience that has helped you to hone your problem-solving skillset.
You do not need to have a startup idea, but you must have an interest in being an entrepreneur
You’ll most likely work at a startup or large organization (could be private or public sector) driving strategic work
How to Apply
Fill out the application – it should take you around 10-15 mins
Successful applicants will need to go through interviews with FFS and Microsoft to ensure this program is right for you
Applicants will be accepted on rolling basis, if accepted you will have 48 hours to reserve your spot
FAQ’s
What am I signing up for in terms of personal commitment?
We expect you to attend all mandatory sessions which include founder basics, peer group and one on one coaching sessions. Other sessions will be at the participant’s discretion, but we expect you to attend as much as you can to get the most out of the program. You can expect to commit 5-10 hours a week.
I’ve started a company already, can I still apply?
If your company is still in the early stages (pre product-market fit, doesn’t have revenue yet, and has not raised funding) we absolutely welcome you to apply.
What happens if I can’t complete the work one week?
No stress if you can complete the workload one week, but we do expect you to catch up the following week so you can get the most benefit from the 12 weeks.
What happens if I need to drop out of the program?
We totally understand that life events happen, so we encourage you to let us know if you need to take some time out. We’ll work with you to look at all options to catch you back up as soon as you can If the worst happens and you really can’t complete the program, there will be no charge back to the participant, however we stress that this will be a last resort situation. We expect you to do everything reasonably possible to complete the course.
I’m a man, can I still apply?
No, this program is specifically for people who identify as women only at this time
What is Female Founder School?
Female Founder School is an online education platform based in San Francisco. To date, we have helped 700+ women around the world learn the basics of how to get started in startup-land. We’re an all female-led team, they have tons of experience in the startup education space and care deeply about wanting to increase the number of women starting companies.
Why is this program just for Women?
Only 14% of technology businesses are founded by women. That number has not meaningfully increased in the last 5 years, though female founded companies are more profitable and add more value to local economies. Both Microsoft for Startups and FFS want to see that number significantly increase – that’s why we’ve partnered together to build this program to encourage more women to start companies.
