Founder Dojo Imo Cohort 2

About

A zero-fee, one-year founder-development programme based in Owerri that combines in-person intensives with Silicon Valley remote mentoring and is open to founders and aspiring founders across Nigeria.

Benefits

• 🆓Zero programme fee
  Successful applicants will not pay any programme fees; the initiative is fully sponsored by the Imo State Government.
• 🧭One-year founder-development programme
  A structured one-year programme designed to develop founders’ mindset, skills and discipline through applied learning rather than lectures.
• 🏙️ In-person intensives in Owerri
  In-person intensives at Imo Digital City in Owerri, including a 5-day residential in the Opportunity Dojo phase and an in-person intensive in Owerri in the Solution Dojo phase.
• 🌍Silicon Valley mentoring
  Remote mentoring and coaching from Silicon Valley founders, including mentors such as Chris Burry, Ken Singer, David Law and Steve Adelman.
• 🎓UC Berkeley-developed method
  The method was built with UC Berkeley’s Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology and has been used with 5,000+ founders across 82 countries.
• 🚀Conditional international exposure
  Top performers earn Silicon Valley immersion opportunities; this is conditional and not guaranteed to every participant.

Eligibility Criteria

• Mandatory: founders and aspiring founders anywhere in Nigeria, with or without an existing startup; willingness to commit to a full year of structured founder development; complete the application, including a video in the applicant’s own voice—AI-generated answers are skipped. Preferred: apply by the first deadline (19 October 2026) for full consideration; apply early because only 100 places are available and selection is competitive.

Participation Commitments

• One-year commitment
• Participants commit to a one-year founder-development programme.
• In-person participation
• The programme includes in-person intensives in Owerri; a 5-day residential is specified for the Opportunity Dojo phase and an in-person intensive in Owerri for the Solution Dojo phase.
• Remote participation
• Participants take part in remote coaching and mentoring from Silicon Valley founders.
• Fees
• No programme fee is charged to successful applicants, with the initiative fully sponsored by the Imo State Government.

Target Region

Open to founders and aspiring founders anywhere in Nigeria, with or without an existing startup.

Target Sector

Agriculture & Food, Defense & Security, Education, Energy & Utilities, Financial Services, Government & Public Sector, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Media & Entertainment, Real Estate & Construction, Retail & Consumer, Semiconductors & Electronics, Sports & Fitness, Telecommunications, Transportation & Logistics, Travel & Hospitality, Other