You Don't Need Another Investor. You Need a Co-Founder Who's Built This Before.

It depends on our level of involvement, capital deployed, and expected lift. We evaluate case-by-case, but typically between 8-15% for our 18-24 month co-founding engagement. If we're leading your seed round and working 3-4 days per week, expect the higher end. If we're participating with lighter involvement, expect the lower end. We're transparent about terms before you apply—no surprises.

Accelerators give you 3 months and take ~7% equity for structured programming with a cohort of 10-50 companies. We give you 18-24 months of hands-on operational co-founding specifically in your sector, working with only 4-6 companies per year. We're not running a batch program with weekly workshops—we're building your company with you, 3-4 days per week, until you close Series A.

We have a 90-day checkpoint conversation where we assess progress, fit, and value delivery on both sides. If we're not the right fit or delivering the operational support we promised, we'll have an honest discussion about the path forward. Options include adjusting our involvement level, transitioning to advisory-only, or mutually agreeing to part ways. You stay in control of your company throughout—we're partners, not owners.

No. You stay in control. No approval requirements for your hiring, spending, or strategic decisions. We're your operational partner and advisor, not your boss. This is your company. We'll give you direct feedback and strong opinions, but you make the final call—always.

We'll respectfully pass. Our value comes from deep sector expertise—15+ years navigating these specific markets, buyer procurement cycles, regulatory landscapes, and investor networks. Outside these four areas, we can't provide the same level of operational support, warm customer intros, and network access that makes this partnership worth 8-15% of your company.

We look for founders with early proof of concept—paying customers, demand signals, letters of intent, or deep sector expertise that de-risks execution. You should be raising (or planning to raise) $500K-$2M seed in our focus sectors, and committed to building something sustainable: profit + impact, not just growth at all costs. We prioritize founders who want hands-on partnership over passive capital. If you're unsure whether you're a fit, apply anyway—we'll have a 30-minute conversation and give you a fast, respectful answer within 5 business days.

It means we're embedded in your business like a co-founder, not an advisor who shows up for monthly calls. Expect daily Slack communication, 2-3 working sessions per week (strategy, hiring reviews, investor prep, customer calls), and real-time support when you're making critical decisions. In Phase 1 (months 0-6), we're heavily involved in fundraising and team building. In Phase 2 (months 6-18), we shift to go-to-market execution and operational scaling. In Phase 3 (months 18-24), we transition to advisory as you prepare for Series A.

Both, depending on fit and our available capital. We can lead your seed round if the terms, sector, and founder alignment are strong. More often, we participate alongside aligned lead investors who bring complementary networks. Either way, we're syndicating with other investors—we don't take the entire round. Our value is operational co-founding, not just capital deployment.

We transition from operational co-founder to strategic advisor. You'll have built the team, systems, and playbook to scale without us in the day-to-day. We stay available for strategic decisions—hiring executives, navigating Series B prep, major pivots—but you're running the company. We typically remain shareholders and board observers (not directors) through exit, aligned with your long-term success.

Yes. During our 30-minute conversation, if we're both interested in moving forward, we'll connect you with 2-3 founders we've partnered with in similar sectors or stages. They'll give you the unfiltered truth about what it's like to work with us—the good, the hard, and whether we delivered what we promised.

Perfect. We're not replacing your technical co-founder—we're complementing them. Most founding teams have strong product/engineering talent but lack operational experience in go-to-market, fundraising, hiring, and scaling. That's where we come in. We work alongside your existing team, not instead of them.

Yes, if you have strong proof of demand—letters of intent, pilot commitments, or deep sector expertise that de-risks execution. We're less interested in "idea stage" and more interested in "execution stage with early validation." If you've talked to 50+ potential customers and have clear evidence they'll pay for your solution, that's enough. If you're still figuring out the problem, it's too early.