AI Researchers

There is no better training ground for being an entrepreneur than a research lab. In the lab, you are constantly thinking about new ideas, testing them, and iterating based on feedback. All of these skills are essential for being a successful entrepreneur. In the context of a startup, the research question is, "What is the problem that the customer is trying to solve?" And from there, the process maps similarly to the steps that one might take to complete a research project.

Qualities We Seek

• Has a background in A.I. research and feels a calling/desire to commercialize their work, or the work of others in their related field.
• Is interested in the startup career path, as an alternative to BigCo or academia.
• Can have engineering expertise or not (in which case, we’ll pair them with others).
• Can have business/product expertise or not (in which case, we’ll pair them with others).

Software Engineers

Leaving a big company to join a startup often gives you the opportunity to have a much bigger impact on customers, on an industry as a whole, and on your own personal long term wealth. While it does come with increased risk, the learning and personal growth that you get is unrivaled. It's also incredibly exciting! Startups are filled with passionate people who work together to build something amazing. The feeling of being a part of something small and special is hard to beat. And the pace of a startup is much faster than that of a big company. This can be both exhilarating and challenging, but it's always interesting, and it's always more fun than your previous job.

Qualities We Seek

• Works for top tech companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, Uber, etc.
• Or, works for a deep tech startup, and is ready to be the founder themselves.
• Or, is a senior, principal, or distinguished engineer. Or more junior engineers who have been rapidly promoted in the last few years as a sign of strong technical skills.
• Can have AI expertise or not (in which case, we’ll pair them with others).
• Can have business/product expertise or not (in which case, we’ll pair them with others).

Scientists

Life, Bio, Physical, Health, Climate, Etc.

Many of our successful entrepreneurs have a background in science, engineering, or medicine. A deep understanding of a particular field—especially in the worlds of biology, healthcare, and climate—allows entrepreneurs to identify potential opportunities and develop innovative solutions. Moreover, scientists, engineers, doctors, and medical researchers are a special breed of people. They are trained to think critically and solve problems. They are passionate and mission-driven about their work, which can help people persist through difficult times. They are used to working in fast-paced, high-pressure environments where working quickly and efficiently is often crucial. And they typically have a strong network of contacts—a valuable asset—providing founders with access to potential customers, partners, and beyond.

Qualities We Seek

• Has a background in life science, medicine, physical science, or engineering and feels a calling/desire to commercialize their work, or the work of others in their related field.
• Can have software engineering expertise or not (in which case, we’ll pair them with others).
• Can have AI expertise or not (in which case, we’ll pair them with others).
• Can have business/product expertise or not (in which case, we’ll pair them with others).

Product Leaders

Business, Design, PM, TPM, Etc.

While we often focus on building companies with technical people, we certainly welcome the chance to partner with creative and problem-solving product leaders that come with a business, design, PM, TPM, or other related background. Specifically, we seek to partner with founders that have the wherewithal to go from zero to something. Typically, this means entrepreneurs that have started one or more companies and have raised at least a few million dollars in funding, or product leaders that were directly responsible for bringing one or more new products to market at a big company.

Qualities We Seek

• Has clear leadership qualities, product vision, and the magnetism to attract talent.
• Experience taking an idea and turn it into a product that people love.
• Brings a network of people that they've worked with in the past.
• Can be technical themselves or not (in which case, we’ll pair them with others).
• Can have AI expertise or not (in which case, we’ll pair them with others).

Small Existing Teams/Startups

In addition to working with individual founders, we also work with small teams that may already have an early product/prototype and even a pilot customer. As long as your team hasn’t yet raised a meaningful seed round (even if you are already incorporated), we can still be very helpful. Do you need the help of an incubator if you already have a team and some traction? In a word—yes! It is absolutely fantastic to have a bit of momentum. Makes it much more likely that you will succeed. That said, you are still in the 1st or 2nd inning of a 75-inning game. It’s still a long way until you achieve success and we can definitely help you get there faster, with less mistakes, less struggle, and more impact overall.

Qualities We Seek

• Has clear leadership qualities, product vision, and the magnetism to attract talent.
• Experience taking an idea and turning it into a product that people love.
• Brings a network of people that they've worked with in the past.
• Can be technical themselves or not (in which case, we’ll pair them with others).
• Can have AI expertise or not (in which case, we’ll pair them with others).
• Can have business/product expertise or not (in which case, we’ll pair them with others).
• Can be incorporated or not.
• Can have pilot customers or not.
• Can have raised some angel funding or not.