Last verified
Founders Network vs Foundwell Founder Circles
Founders Network is a hybrid community platform with peer-led. Foundwell Founder Circles is a hybrid facilitated forum with peer-led. This page compares cost, requirements, format, and stage fit using verified public data. Founders Network: Full-time tech startup founders who want a vetted peer community and stage-tiered mentoring without giving equity. Foundwell Founder Circles: Seed to Series B startup CEOs who want a small, confidential founder circle focused on honest peer support.
Side-by-side
| Field | Founders Network | Foundwell Founder Circles |
|---|---|---|
| Format | hybrid | hybrid |
| Structure | community platform | facilitated forum |
| Facilitation | peer-led | peer-led |
| Group size | Peer Advisory Roundtables: 10 to 12; community 600+ | 6 to 10 |
| Stage fit | Pre-seed and seed, Series A | Pre-seed and seed, Series A |
| Revenue / capital floor | No single floor; tiers by experience — Launch (pre-revenue–$10K / self-funded–$100K raised); Scale ($10K–$1M / $100K–$3M raised); Lead ($1M+ / $3M+ raised). | Not published; Circles for startup CEOs who have raised some capital (Seed to Series B); also earlier-stage cohorts without raise |
| Annual cost | Launch $75/mo; Scale $134/mo; Lead $249/mo (annual commitments). Lifetime plan amount Not published. | Not published |
| Application model | invite-only | application |
| Venture-specific | Yes | Yes |
| Other requirements | Full-time tech startup founder (no service firms); invite-only with membership committee approval; no selling/pitching. | Vetted for fit; startup CEOs; confidential (no recordings/summaries) |
| Time commitment | Flexible; 100+ events/year available; Lead includes monthly peer roundtables | Typically every other week for 75 minutes |
| Geography | Global chapters including SF, Silicon Valley, LA, Seattle, Vancouver, NYC, London | In-person New York City and Miami; virtual Circles elsewhere |
| Best for | Full-time tech startup founders who want a vetted peer community and stage-tiered mentoring without giving equity. | Seed to Series B startup CEOs who want a small, confidential founder circle focused on honest peer support. |
| Not for | Service-firm operators, non-founders, or people looking to sell inside the network. | Non-founder executives or lifestyle business owners seeking a classic SMB CEO board with published pricing. |
| Last verified | 2026-09-15 | 2026-09-15 |
Verdict by stage
Pre-seed and seed
At Pre-seed and seed, both Founders Network and Foundwell Founder Circles list this stage. Compare revenue floor (No single floor; tiers by experience — Launch (pre-revenue–$10K / self-funded–$100K raised); Scale ($10K–$1M / $100K–$3M raised); Lead ($1M+ / $3M+ raised). vs Not published; Circles for startup CEOs who have raised some capital (Seed to Series B); also earlier-stage cohorts without raise) and format (hybrid vs hybrid) to decide.
Series A
At Series A, both Founders Network and Foundwell Founder Circles list this stage. Compare revenue floor (No single floor; tiers by experience — Launch (pre-revenue–$10K / self-funded–$100K raised); Scale ($10K–$1M / $100K–$3M raised); Lead ($1M+ / $3M+ raised). vs Not published; Circles for startup CEOs who have raised some capital (Seed to Series B); also earlier-stage cohorts without raise) and format (hybrid vs hybrid) to decide.
Growth
At Growth, neither group lists this stage as a primary fit. Founders Network targets Pre-seed and seed, Series A. Foundwell Founder Circles targets Pre-seed and seed, Series A.
Late stage
At Late stage, neither group lists this stage as a primary fit. Founders Network targets Pre-seed and seed, Series A. Foundwell Founder Circles targets Pre-seed and seed, Series A.
FAQ
- How much do Founders Network and Foundwell Founder Circles cost?
- Founders Network: Launch $75/mo; Scale $134/mo; Lead $249/mo (annual commitments). Lifetime plan amount Not published. (verified 2026-09-15). Foundwell Founder Circles: Not published (verified 2026-09-15). Prices are shown verbatim from public sources; nothing is estimated.
- What are the requirements for Founders Network vs Foundwell Founder Circles?
- Founders Network: No single floor; tiers by experience — Launch (pre-revenue–$10K / self-funded–$100K raised); Scale ($10K–$1M / $100K–$3M raised); Lead ($1M+ / $3M+ raised). Full-time tech startup founder (no service firms); invite-only with membership committee approval; no selling/pitching. Foundwell Founder Circles: Not published; Circles for startup CEOs who have raised some capital (Seed to Series B); also earlier-stage cohorts without raise Vetted for fit; startup CEOs; confidential (no recordings/summaries)
- Which is better for venture-backed founders?
- Both Founders Network and Foundwell Founder Circles are venture-specific. Compare stage fit (Pre-seed and seed, Series A vs Pre-seed and seed, Series A) and format.
Sources
Primary public pages used for the fields above.
- foundersnetwork.comRetrieved 2026-09-15 · Founders Network
- foundersnetwork.com/benefitsRetrieved 2026-09-15 · Founders Network
- foundersnetwork.com/media-kitRetrieved 2026-09-15 · Founders Network
- wearefoundwell.com/founder-circlesRetrieved 2026-09-15 · Foundwell Founder Circles
- wearefoundwell.comRetrieved 2026-09-15 · Foundwell Founder Circles