The Founder Associate Program places a small group of exceptional people at the heart of early-stage ventures and the investors who back them. A launchpad for your founding journey or VC career - with a rare, unfiltered view of how companies and funds are actually built.
Apply until March 22nd.
WHO IS THIS FOR?
The Founder Associate Program is for generalists with massive curiosity, people who want broad, hands-on exposure to what it actually takes to build a company.
You'll move between early stage founding teams and our VC core team - from zero-to-one building to seed-stage dealmaking. This is not a founder school. You'll be inside actual ventures, with real pressure, limited runway, and founders who need you to show up and contribute from day one.
This program is for people who are resourceful and self-directed. Who thrive in ambiguity, are open to travel and relocate for the right opportunity; and get energy from seeing how wildly different challenges across different companies and business models can be. If you need things handed to you, this isn't the right fit.
THE FACTS
Nine months. Full immersion. No shortcuts.
2–3 stations at early-stage ventures and the Atlantic & FoodLabs core team
1:1 mentorship from our investment team and the founders they back
A dedicated station at one of our VC funds
Access to an exclusive community and curated learning events
A cohort kick-off in Berlin with your fellow associates
ABOUT YOUR STATIONS
Over 9 months, you'll rotate between founding teams and our VC core - from zero-to-one building to seed-stage dealmaking.
We design your journey together with you, matching each station to your background, your interests, and where we think you'll grow the most.
WHY WE DO THIS
We launched this program in 2021 with a simple conviction: the best way to become a founder, or a strong investor, is to be in the trenches of an early-stage startup.
We've refined the program every year since. Today, our community has grown to 58 Founder Associates across 11 cohorts. We're proud of where they've gone: 40% have joined portfolio companies, 15% have moved into VC, and 10% have gone on to found their own companies.
"My personal highlight as a Founder Associate was the opportunity to work across different topics and types of startups. I was able to understand the challenges founders face better and how to solve them. This “hands-on experience” gave me a broader understanding of startup growth, making it an ideal stepping stone into venture capital - very valuable when assessing potential investments and supporting portfolio founders."
Anne-SophieVC Investor
"Having Alex as an FA on the team was a total game-changer. He brought a level of ownership that filled a critical gap in our early-stage ops - setting up core processes, launching stores, jumping in on projects with no clear owner. Always there, often co-leading, without needing a roadmap or much handholding."
RalphFounder LAP coffee
"We woke up at 4AM to fly to Amsterdam to secure the next funding round. By the afternoon we had landed a crucial lab partnership and brought two new investors on board - all while keeping the company running. That day captured what the FA program is all about: living like a founder from day one."
LouisFounder Associate Alumni
HOW IT WORKS
Our Process
- Application - Submit your application form, a short video, and a motivation statement.
- First call - An intro conversation to get to know each other.
- Case study - A take-home challenge to show us how you think, not just what you know.
- Final conversations - Interviews with the founders you'll support.
Locations
Portfolio stations take place at each company's offices. Your VC station is in Berlin.
Kick-off
The cohort begins with a joint kick-off in Berlin in June 2026.
APPLICATION TIMELINE
Applications open
March 9, 2026
Applications close
March 22, 2026
Program begins
June 2026
Any open questions?
Check out our FAQ for quick answers. If you still need help, feel free to reach out to us at franziska@foodlabs.de.
THE FUNDS BEHIND THE PROGRAM
Atlantic is the first believer in founders, science, and bold ideas. We lead pre-seed rounds across Europe with speed and conviction, backing ambitious founders from day one and supporting them hands-on, especially with fundraising and hiring. As a thesis-driven fund, we have built deep expertise in four technology areas: AI & Compute, Energy & Climate, Industrial & Robotics, and Space & Security. Since 2016, we have partnered with over 150 European founders in their earliest days, including those behind category-defining companies such as Choco, GetYourGuide, Wandelbots, Softr, Harmattan, Again, Synthflow, and Mirelo. For us, there is no 'too bold' or 'too early'. Just founders venturing into the unknown.
FoodLabs is a globally active Early Stage VC investor and venture studio, assisting the bold in building iconic companies committed to planetary and human health. Founded in 2016 by Christophe F. Maire, FoodLabs has built and invested in more than 80 early-stage companies, including the most seminal, fastest-growing European startups such as InPlanet, Holy Energy and Klim. In the FoodLabs Studio, the team identifies new opportunities to tackle the biggest challenges of our time, along with the most daring entrepreneurs and scientists who have what it takes to empower the transformation. Based in Berlin and supporting entrepreneurs globally, FoodLabs is focusing on solutions across consumer, food supply chains and infrastructure, health, agriculture, livestock farming, climate, and synthetic biology.
