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The History of Founderz: the evolution of an online AI Business School

Our story is closely connected to the acceleration of digital transformation that began with the onset of the pandemic in 2020. In that context, Anna Cejudo and Pau Garcia-Milà came up with the idea for Founderz in response to a growing need: professionals around the world wanted to understand how to apply artificial intelligence within their organizations, but most of the educational options available at the time were designed exclusively for technical profiles.

Our story

Key Milestones in Founderz History

Over the years, we have evolved alongside the technology, while always staying true to our purpose of making AI and innovation more accessible to professionals and companies.

  1. 2020

    The idea

    The idea was born in Barcelona in 2020, when Anna Cejudo and Pau Garcia-Milà saw an opportunity, amid the rapid growth of online education driven by the pandemic, to empower a new generation of professionals with a strong connection to technology and innovation.

  2. 2021

    Founderz is founded

    Founderz was officially established and closed an initial funding round of more than one million euros to support the development of our technology platform and international expansion. During our first months, we launched the first online training programs we had designed, focused primarily on innovation and digital entrepreneurship.

  3. 2022

    Expanding our AI-focused educational offering

    As we saw global interest in artificial intelligence continue to grow, we began designing training programs to meet this demand across different professional fields.

  4. 2023

    Our collaboration with Microsoft begins

    We began working with Microsoft after joining its startup program. We later became a Microsoft Global Training Partner.

    Through this collaboration, we developed educational programs focused on artificial intelligence and business innovation, integrating tools and technologies from the Microsoft ecosystem into our learning content. Among the programs we launched were the Master’s in AI and Innovation and the Productivity with Copilot course.

  5. 2024

    Our AI education offering grows and we create the ERIA Chair

    We continued creating new specialized programs to promote greater understanding and adoption of AI across different professional sectors, including the the Online Master’s in AI for Finance and the Online AI in Healthcare Program, as well as programs designed to improve productivity and employability. In addition, we created the ERIA Chair together with the Autonomous University of Madrid and Microsoft, the first initiative focused on employability and responsibility in artificial intelligence.

  6. 2025

    We are named Microsoft’s Best Training Partner

    At the Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards 2025, we received this recognition for our commitment to innovation, digital skills development and the adoption of AI in professional and educational environments.

  7. 2026

    We surpass 700,000 students

    The global Founderz community continues to grow, surpassing 700,000 students who have learned how to use AI professionally with us.

    Fitch Learning and HearstLab become our main investors

    HearstLab takes a strategic stake in Founderz to launch a global alliance with Fitch Learning. With this investment from HearstLab, we plan to expand together and help define the future of learning about AI and learning with AI. Through this agreement with Fitch Learning, we will help professionals and companies learn faster and prepare for the future of work and an economy increasingly shaped by AI.