Student

Introducing Leslie Founders: NYU’s New Community for Student Entrepreneurs

Posted By Ashley Garrett
on Fri, Aug 29, 2025

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NYU is home to some of the most ambitious and creative student entrepreneurs in the world. Now, there’s a new way to connect with them, learn from them, and grow alongside them: Leslie Founders.

Leslie Founders is a curated community of promising student founders who are committed to launching and scaling ventures while still at NYU. Membership provides not only a supportive network, but also exclusive perks, resources, and access that can help you take your venture to the next level.

“From my time in the trenches, I learned that founders don’t just need advice — they need a room full of peers chasing the same outcomes and a toolkit that actually moves the needle,” said Jonas Günther (Tandon '18), programs manager at the NYU Entrepreneurial Institute. “The Leslie Founders Community brings those together at NYU so we can learn faster, avoid avoidable mistakes, and overcome the tough moments as a team.”

Why Join Leslie Founders?

As a member, you’ll gain access to:

  • Tight-knit community: Join NYU’s top student entrepreneurs working across industries.
  • Priority workspace: Enjoy members-only co-working space at the Leslie eLab, with exclusive rights to reserve conference rooms.
  • Investor & founder office hours: Meet directly with NYC investors, startup lawyers, immigration specialists, accountants, and accelerator staff.
  • Events & roundtables: Attend monthly AMA-style conversations with successful founders and investors, followed by networking over food and drinks.
  • Exclusive perks & tools: Get access to $2K in Google Cloud credits, plus discounts for Mercury, Airtable, Notion, MongoDB, and more.
  • Application support: Receive coaching and guidance to strengthen your applications for top accelerators and fellowships, including Startup Sprint, Summer Launchpad, and the Female Founders Fellowship.
  • Coaching & mentorship: Priority booking with coaches and founders-in-residence at the Leslie Institute.
  • SWAG: Yes, there’s exclusive Leslie Founders merch, too.

Membership kicks off with a half-day orientation at the Leslie eLab, where founders present their ventures, receive targeted feedback, and connect with the community over workshops, food, and drinks.

Who Can Apply?

Leslie Founders is open to NYU student-led startups that:

Fall 2025 Deadlines:

  • October 3, 2025 at 6:00 PM EST
  • October 24, 2025 at 6:00 PM EST

Orientation Dates:

  • October 17, 2025 (1–6 PM)
  • November 13, 2025 (1–6 PM)

If you’re an NYU founder ready to level up your venture, apply now to join Leslie Founders and gain the network, resources, and perks you need to grow.

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