BUILD YOUR STARTUP.
KNOWING WHAT TO DO
& WHAT NOT TO DO.
Startup Ignition Bootcamp is a 3-day founder intensive plus 3 months of mentorship that helps entrepreneurs pressure-test their ideas, validate customer demand, sharpen their business model, and leave with a clear path forward.
I think this is a good idea.
I need funding.
My customer is everyone.
I am not sure what to test.
I do not know what to do next.
Stop building your startup on assumptions.
Founders waste months building products, designing brands, pitching investors, and chasing growth — before they know if the customer pain is real enough to support a company.
Bootcamp exists to stop that. In 3 days, we help you slow down where it matters, test the assumptions that could kill the company, and build a smarter path forward before you spend years learning the hard way.
3 days. Everything you need.
One clear path forward.
3-Day Intensive
3 full days of intense 9-5 in-person learning. No fluff. You work on your business using frameworks built from real exits and real failures.
Validation Work
Learn how to test your riskiest assumptions in the real world. Talk to customers. Gather evidence. Learn how to scientifically arrive at a winning business model.
3 Months Mentorship
Ongoing guidance, tools, and community as you refine your model and decide what's next. You're not on your own after the 3 cohort days.
Clearer Next Move
Build, pivot, grow or stop — with evidence, not guesswork. You'll know where you're going and how to get there.
Built by founders.
Battle-tested by thousands.
This curriculum was not designed in a classroom. It was built over decades of starting companies, investing in startups, mentoring founders, and learning — sometimes painfully — what actually separates the companies that make it from the ones that don't.
John Richards
Co-Founder, Startup Ignition
Took a company public on the NASDAQ. One of the West's most prolific angel investors with 200+ investments including Omniture, Fusion-io, Ancestry, Skullcandy, and Lyft. Led BYU's entrepreneurship program for 12 years. Headed Google Fiber's Utah launch. Decades of seeing what works — and what kills companies early.
LinkedIn
Tyler Richards
Co-Founder, Startup Ignition
Three-time founder. Built and exited DevMountain, one of the country's first coding bootcamps. General Partner at Startup Ignition Ventures. Named to Utah's 40 Under 40. Brings modern founder execution, deep ecosystem building, and the perspective of someone who has been through the entire journey — from first idea to exit.
LinkedInCentered on Lean Startup principles.
Built for every stage.
Whether you're testing your first idea or rethinking a business that's already in motion, the curriculum meets you where you are — and pushes you toward what's actually true.
Lean Startup Methodology
Customer development, hypothesis testing, and iterative validation. The operating system for building companies that don't waste time or money on guesses.
Idea Validation & Product-Market Fit
Rigorously test whether the opportunity is real — whether it's your first product, a new market, or a pivot on something that isn't working.
Business Model Design
Build or rebuild how the company creates, delivers, and captures value. Nine-block canvas, assumption ranking, 100+ customer interviews, fast pivots.
MVP & Rapid Testing
Build lean prototypes to confirm demand — for a first product, a new feature, or an expansion into a new segment.
Founder Vision & Planning
5-year goals across company growth, personal net worth, and life balance — with 6-month milestones to keep you honest at any stage.
Team, Finance & Scale
Hiring, fundraising, governance, and operations — from nailing the model to building the company to scaling it.
Built from a decade of working
with real founders.
Startup Ignition started with Bootcamp in 2015 and has grown into a founder ecosystem that includes education, tools, mentorship, community, and venture capital. More than 1,000 ventures have gone through Startup Ignition programs.
Grow your startup like these founders
Richie Stapler
This is by far the best startup training I have ever had. There is an incredible amount of information offered through this course that I do not believe is available anywhere else.
Founder, Pura
Miguel Ramos
I was able to invalidate my idea — saving me a ton of time and money. I learned that entrepreneurship can be taught and that there are tried and true processes that increase your likelihood of success.
Founder & CEO
Dan Fairbanks
Learning the do's and don'ts of a startup will save you time, money, and heartache. It is well worth the cost. John Richards has incredible experience with startups and teaching the lean startup method. He also is an incredible mentor.
Founder & CEO
Phillip Chipping
The 'AskJohn' bot is my personal favorite, because it's like having John on personal retainer. I tell all my entrepreneur friends about Startup Ignition Bootcamp.
Evan Teshima
SI's mentoring was pivotal in helping us think through our business model which eventually led us to finding product market fit. Their advice and mentorship come from working with hundreds of startups in real world situations.
Co-Founder, foreUP
Erin Wagner
I recommend Startup Ignition Bootcamp to EVERYONE I meet. Every project I've done since 2015 has been with other alumni. Basically all of my income from the past 10 years has come from the relationships with other Startup Ignition Bootcamp alumni.
Kay Walten
I've learned so much and continue to grow thanks to Startup Ignition Bootcamp. Despite having built and exited several companies, seeing what they did, listening to their questions.
John Houghton
Startup Ignition Bootcamp has absolutely changed me as an entrepreneur and also our company as a whole.
David Spencer
Before coming to Startup Ignition Bootcamp I'd worked in two private equity shops, founded multiple businesses, participated in a 3-month startup accelerator, and completed a year of my MBA. The delivery of the content created a functioning body of knowledge with the connective tissue of context.
Keenan Price
It absolutely changed my life. When I first took Startup Ignition Bootcamp I was pursuing a business I had been working on for about 4 years. Within a couple hours I was able to realize it wasn't the right path.
Founder & CEO
Allison Roberts
Startup Ignition Bootcamp completely changed the course of my business.
Kenny Eliason
I was doing small businesses for the better part of a decade when I first met John. He changed everything for me.
Founder, Quilia
Judith Baker
Startup Ignition Bootcamp was amazing. I loved it!
Phil Kirkeiner
I have taken Startup Ignition Bootcamp twice now — once when I founded the business, and again once I had more traction. You will not regret the enormously SMALL investment in this course that will literally save you thousands of hours and millions of dollars.
Founder, Baton
Jeremy Rios
Incredible crash course into entrepreneurship. Startup Ignition Bootcamp teaches you the right way to start a business and how to avoid so many common pitfalls. John Richards takes care of his students and has helped me out numerous times post-graduation.
Jacob Zundel
A great part of Startup Ignition Bootcamp is to be surrounded by phenomenal entrepreneurs who know what they're doing and have the proper mentorship to help you be successful.
Robby Myers
Startup Ignition Bootcamp saved me from investing $30,000 of my own money into an idea that wasn't ready. You learn how to evaluate an idea, validate it with your potential customers, and then move quickly. Taking this course is a MUST.
Maleah Bliss
They have an entire AI suite of tools that do a whole bunch of the hard / busy work. It's worth the cost just to have access to the tools! Startup Ignition Bootcamp was incredible.
Bootcamp is the starting point.
The ecosystem helps you keep going.
Startup Ignition Bootcamp is powerful on its own, but it also connects founders into the broader Startup Ignition ecosystem: ToolSuite, mentorship, community, resources, and, for the right companies, potential exposure to Startup Ignition Ventures.
Bootcamp
Learn the methodology and pressure-test the company.
ToolSuite
Use AI-powered tools and startup frameworks to keep refining and validating.
Mentorship + Community
Stay connected with founders, mentors, and Startup Ignition resources.
Ventures
For companies with real traction and discipline, SIV may become part of the path.
OUR SUPPORTERS
Frequently asked questions
How much does Bootcamp cost?
Tuition is $1,999. This includes the 3-day intensive, 3 months of mentorship, access to Startup Ignition ToolSuite, and the alumni community.
Is Bootcamp only for tech startups?
No. Bootcamp is especially valuable for scalable ventures, but the principles apply to founders testing serious business opportunities of all kinds.
Do I need to have a company already?
No. You can come with an idea, early product, or existing business that needs clearer validation.
Do I need a team?
No. Solo founders can attend, but teams can also benefit from going through the process together.
What happens after the 3 days?
You continue with 3 months of mentorship, support, tools, and community resources to keep validating and refining.
Will Startup Ignition Ventures invest in my company?
Not automatically. Bootcamp is not a funding guarantee. But it can help founders develop the kind of validation, discipline, and clarity investors want to see.
How intense is it?
Very. It is built for founders who are ready to work, listen, test, and make decisions. This is not passive content consumption.
Where does Bootcamp take place?
Bootcamp runs in-person across Utah — in Lehi, Provo, Salt Lake City, and Orem. Check the upcoming cohorts for the next location and dates.
I already have revenue. Is this too basic for me?
No. Many alumni come in with existing businesses. The curriculum is built to meet you at your stage — whether you're validating a new idea, rethinking your model, or preparing to raise capital.
What do I get access to after Bootcamp?
Alumni get ongoing access to Startup Ignition ToolSuite (AI tools, content library, community), mentorship, events, and the full alumni network of 1,000+ founders.
Can I bring my co-founder?
Yes, and we encourage it. Going through the process together aligns your team on the business model, assumptions, and next steps.
Is there a refund policy?
Yes. If you attend the full first day and feel it's not the right fit, we'll work with you. Reach out to our team for details.
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Join 1,000+ founders who've learned to validate, launch, and grow — the right way.
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