EWOR Names San Francisco Leadership Team Amidst US Application Surge
EWOR, the exclusive founder fellowship with a stringent 0.1% acceptance rate, has announced the appointment of a San Francisco-based leadership team, following a remarkable 237% increase in US applications within a year.
Left to right: Katie Madding, Gigi Brett, and Charles Ferguson.
Credit: Kiran Ridley for EWOR
A Unique Approach to Founder Support
EWOR offers an innovative approach by providing funding and mentorship to founders worldwide, regardless of their location. Fellows receive up to $600K in capital and benefit from weekly one-on-one guidance from established unicorn builders (such as Adjust, ProGlove, and SumUp).
Impressive Results for EWOR Fellows
The program has proven successful, with recent US applicants raising an average of $10M on their funding rounds. Notably, 25% of recent joiners have achieved nine-figure valuations within six months of joining EWOR.
Why US Founders Are Flocking to EWOR
The increasing number of US founders applying for EWOR indicates that the program offers unique advantages not readily available in their domestic markets. This includes access to substantial funding rounds and a dedicated team of experienced unicorn founders who provide guidance at every stage of a startup's journey.
Daniel Dippold, EWOR’s founder, and CEO, stated, "Talent is spread evenly across the world, but opportunity is not." He added, "Our mission is to bridge this gap for top founders worldwide, and increasingly, that means San Francisco."
Charles Ferguson Joins as a Key Mentor
Charles Ferguson, an Oscar-winning filmmaker and successful investor, joins EWOR with an impressive background. He sold FrontPage to Microsoft in 1996 and holds a PhD in political science from MIT. Ferguson is renowned for his early investments in AI startups like Etched, Perplexity, CopilotKit, and Paradigm.
Ferguson shared his enthusiasm: "Great founders need consistent support from top-tier mentors, exposure to the vibrant San Francisco startup ecosystem, and a robust global network. EWOR already stands as the world's most exclusive founder fellowship, and with US applications soaring by 237% this year, I'm thrilled to contribute to its expansion."
A Diverse Team of Experienced Founders
The new leadership team includes:
- Katie Madding, former Adjust CPO and Emhance CEO, known for her work in game playtesting.
- Gigi Brett, a three-time founder with successful ventures in Batelle, PreSeed Fertility, and Upstream.
This diverse group brings a wealth of experience from both the startup world and established companies, ensuring EWOR continues to foster innovation and support founders globally.