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 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

Target Location

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