Join Us

STARTUP LAB

By
forerunners

Sep 8th - Oct 10th

2025

www.forerunners.org
Startup Lab by Forerunners

From Dreamer to doer

Launch your startup in 5 weeks with integrity and purpose, guided by mentors and peers.

Muhammad Yunes

President of Bangladesh and Founder of Social Entrepreneurship

Startup Lab by Forerunners redefines entrepreneurship—teaching leaders to build impactful ventures that drive social change while leaning into our collective values.

Transforming the people that will transform the world.

Transforming the people that will transform the world.

Muhammad Yunes

President of Bangladesh and Founder of Social Entrepreneurship

Startup Lab by Forerunners redefines entrepreneurship—teaching leaders to build impactful ventures that drive social change while leaning into our collective values.

Startup Lab by Forerunners

The world is changing fast - be part of the change

of U.S. adults

Say they would
prefer to be their
own boss

of employees

Want their
workplace to align
with their values*

of wealth transfer

Is leading to the largest
generational shift in
consumer behavior

A launchpad for founders who make the rules, not follow them

The world isn’t waiting—and traditional careers are moving at a glacial pace. Generational wealth is shifting, values are changing, and the next wave of founders isn’t aiming to join the future—they’re here to build it themselves.

Startup lab isn’t just an accelerator, it’s a movement. This is where purpose meets hustle. Early-stage founders get the tools, guidance, and grit to launch ventures that actually matter. Forget just “learning to launch”—this is about rewriting the rules, building with impact, and making your values the backbone of your business from day one.

Startup Lab by Forerunners

Startup Lab Team

Ahmad Ashkar
Ahmad Ashkar is the Founder of the Hult Prize Foundation, the world’s largest platform for launching early-stage impact startups. Each year, he inspires tens of thousands of purpose-driven entrepreneurs to think big and build ventures that transform communities.

Named Esquire Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2016, Ahmad has launched and advised ventures in over 100 countries, including Falafel Inc. and The Red Bird. He brings deep expertise in entrepreneurship, innovation, and venture philanthropy to mentor and guide emerging founders.
Muna AbuSulayman
Muna AbuSulayman is one of the Arab world’s most recognized media personalities and humanitarians, consistently named among the 500 Most Influential Muslims. She is a social impact investor focused on AI for education, media awareness, and effective philanthropy.

As the former Secretary-General of the Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation, she championed poverty reduction, women’s empowerment, and Islam-West dialogue. A Yale World Fellow and the first Saudi UNDP Goodwill Ambassador, she continues to drive change through Directions Consulting and Saudi Sustainable Solutions.
Omar Altalib
After serving as Director of Growth, Partnerships, and Strategy at Amazon Web Services, Omar Altalib shifted his focus to helping people and organizations discover their unique strengths and purpose. With over 25 years of leadership experience, he has built and led high-performing teams and organizations generating billions in revenue through value-based methodologies and culture.

Omar is passionate about creating environments where founders and teams can lead with purpose, develop their strengths, and build ventures that contribute meaningfully to society.
Awais Sheikh

Awais Sheikh has led strategic planning and execution for Amazon Web Services’ largest Public Sector sales organization, advising executives on multi-billion-dollar revenue goals. He also spearheaded Capability Development at MITRE, driving innovative solutions through design thinking and lean startup methodologies.

Passionate about empowering founders, Awais volunteers his management and leadership expertise to local Muslim organizations. He now mentors and inspires emerging entrepreneurs, equipping them with the skills and mindset needed to build ventures with meaningful, lasting impact.

Kathleen Rodgers
Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day Network, has spent over 20 years as an environmental attorney and advocate, shaping international and domestic environmental policy and law. She has held senior positions with the National Audubon Society, the Environmental Law Institute, and multiple U.S. Olympic Organizing Committees, bringing expertise in legal strategy, policy, and leadership.

Kathleen has led programs on biodiversity, international trade, and migratory species, and represented the U.S. in global environmental initiatives. She is a recognized, award-winning leader, inspiring founders to integrate purpose, impact, and sustainability into their ventures.
Dr. Omar Fisher

Dr. Omar began his career in management consulting with A.D. Little, Inc., leading organizational transformations and development projects across 26 countries. In the 1990s, he co-founded several Islamic finance startups in the U.S. and Gulf region, including Takaful and Unicorn Investment Bank, and served on multiple Shariah advisory boards.

An internationally recognized speaker and author, Dr. Omar has published books and articles on Islamic finance, financial intelligence, and conscious leadership. He also develops gamified learning tools and apps, mentoring FinTech and social impact startups to build innovative, purpose-driven ventures.

Startup Lab by Forerunners

5-week program overview

Each week students will learn the latest theory, attend world-class workshops, enjoy fireside chats with entrepreneurs leading with values, and pitch before experts every Friday.

Week 1

Sep 8-12

Setting Direction

Lay the foundation by aligning your team and validating your idea against real market needs. Using Business Opportunity Mapping, you’ll identify where your product fits and secure your first validated sale.

Week 2

Sep 15-19

Discovery

Clarify your internal and external resources to craft an intentional growth strategy. Through Customer Portraits, you’ll build your sales list (CRM) and develop targeted collateral to connect with the right audience.

Week 3

Sep 22-26

Alignment

Learn the art of persuasive and principled sales. With a focus on Value Proposition, you’ll refine your message and produce clear, compelling pitch decks for different audiences.

Week 4

Sep 29-Oct 3

Planning

Build the operational backbone for scaling. Develop a roadmap and pilot strategy, then use Partnership Mapping to fill capability gaps. You’ll leave with legal docs and partner agreements in place.

Week 5

Oct 6-10

Launch

Launch with purpose and plan to grow. Explore scaling tools and finalize contracts as you project your startup’s trajectory with a 1/3/5-year pro-forma financial model.

Startup Lab by Forerunners

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What stage in the startup process would your ideal candidate be at?
We’re all about turning early-stage ideas into legit companies. If you’ve got a product and are ready to start making sales, you’re in the sweet spot. If you’re still doodling on napkins… maybe finish that first.
  • Is there a prize for the top pitch?
Yep. Out of the six startup squads in the program, the one that slays the pitch takes home $25,000 USD. No pressure.
  • Is the program available to nonprofits?
Absolutely. We’re chasing impact, not profit margins. If your nonprofit idea is transformative and hits one of our focus areas, we want you.
  • What industries are you focused on?
Tech, Food/Beverage, Real Estate, Apparel, Construction… basically, if it’s solving problems and moving fast, we’re interested.
  • What is the time commitment required?
Expect to block evenings Monday–Thursday (5–8pm) and a half-day on Friday (10–2pm). Show up ready to grind—this is where ideas get real.
  • How much does the Startup Lab cost?
$0 to attend. Yep, free. 8% equity will be taken and held by our non profit to fuel the cause.
Startup Lab by Forerunners
Harmonizing Faith and Innovation: A New Era in Entrepreneurship

Startup Lab by Forerunners blends timeless ethical principles—like excellence, trust, and purpose—with modern business strategies to turn startup ideas into values-driven companies that shape the future with integrity and impact.

By combining insights from ethical traditions with global innovation, we equip founders to lead with purpose. Participants learn how entrepreneurship can create real-world impact, champion sustainability and equity, and drive meaningful, measurable change in society.

100,000

Graduates

Our team has built educational programs that have graduated over 100k entrepreneurs focused on impact.

0.4%

Of top Muslim earners globally

US Muslims have an outsized ability to impact outcomes around the world.
Why Us?

We’re founders, executives, and educators who’ve helped grow billion-dollar ventures and navigate complex industries. Along the way, we’ve seen just how much mindful, values-driven entrepreneurship is needed.

At Forerunners, we take a values-driven approach to startup acceleration. We guide founders to build thriving, impactful businesses that are grounded in ethics, sustainability, and purpose—because success feels a lot better when it means something.

Startup Lab by Forerunners
Idea to Impact Starts Now

Enrollment is now open for our first cohort, launching in September 2025. This is your opportunity to join a groundbreaking program that blends hands-on experience, world-class learning, and real-world impact.

Spaces are limited for this life-changing program designed to equip you with the tools, insights, and connections to turn your startup idea into an impactful company grounded in values. Don’t wait to take the next step in your entrepreneurship journey. Apply today and secure your place in the Startup Lab by Forerunners 2025 cohort!

Register Now
tHANK YOU!

Register here for Startup Lab by
Forerunners.
If you have questions, read the FAQs.
If you still have questions, contact us.

Phone :
703-819-1723
Website :

https://forerunners.org/startuplab

Address :

1595 Spring Hill Rd Suite 104
Vienna, VA, 22182

Email address :

startuplab@forerunners.org