FDN STANDARDS
How founders enter the network.
FDN is a curated discovery network. It is not an open directory where anyone can create a public founder profile.
Founders become eligible when FDN can verify meaningful external validation.
Who is eligible?
A founder may qualify through:
- Participation in a recognized selective accelerator or comparable program
- Institutional early-stage funding
- Competitive innovation funding such as SBIR or STTR
- Other external validation that FDN determines is comparable
Past accelerator participation can qualify. A founder does not need to have raised institutional funding to be eligible.
What does eligibility mean?
Eligibility means the founder or company has met FDN's threshold for inclusion in the network.
It does not determine company quality, founder quality, investment attractiveness, search ranking, or likelihood of success.
How does FDN verify eligibility?
Where practical, FDN uses reliable sources such as accelerator directories, accelerator announcements, company websites, venture fund portfolio pages, funding announcements, government award databases, university records, and other credible public sources.
Can founders create their own profiles?
Not directly.
If a qualifying founder does not have a profile, they can request one. FDN reviews eligibility and creates the network record. The founder can then claim the profile and verify their identity before receiving Founder access.
Can founders provide information?
Yes.
Founders can provide information and materials through FDN's onboarding and Workspace tools. FDN may also use verified information from other sources.
Founder participation does not replace FDN's editorial review.
Does an FDN profile mean FDN endorses the company?
No.
Inclusion means the founder or company has met a credible external validation threshold.
It is not an endorsement, investment recommendation, or prediction of future success.
Can information change?
Yes.
Companies change. FDN is designed to reflect meaningful developments over time.
Founders can provide updated information and submit new developments for review.
FDN maintains editorial control over what appears publicly.