Founders Program.
Our Founders Program is designed to empower solo founders and propel startups from the ideation stage, through MVP to high-growth ventures. We work with pre-seed to series A, helping them discover, validate, and bring to life meaningful venture concepts with expert guidance and support. We offer hands-on guidance to navigate the complexities of growth, product-market fit, and fundraising. Our approach is structured around three key phases: Discovery, Venture Validation, and Co-Creation, each tailored to guide you from ideation to realization.
The Venture Studio is ideal for founders and teams poised to scale their ventures, providing fully flexible, strategic support to accelerate their journey. Join us to transform your startup into a scalable, market-ready enterprise.
Discovery
Venture Validation
Co-Creation
During Discovery, we dive deep into the ideation process. Our aim is to help you uncover various venture concepts that address significant problems faced by well-defined customer segments in a large market where you have a competitive edge. We focus on sparking innovative ideas that lay the groundwork for a successful venture.
Product
Ideation
In the ideation phase, we'll brainstorm and explore innovative product concepts that align with your vision and market needs. Our collaborative sessions will focus on generating creative solutions and identifying opportunities for differentiation in the market.
Research
Design
We'll create a research program that includes both primary and secondary research, tailored to your unique challenges. Our proven processes are customized to gather insights from target users, the market, subject matter experts, and your competitors to achieve product-market fit.
User
Personas
During our product hypothesis workshops, we'll define your target personas and begin outlining the customer journey. Our Founders Program is structured to validate and eventually refine these personas and their journey.
User
Surveys
A crucial component of our research program is conducting user surveys. These surveys are aimed at current customers if your product is already in the market, or at targeted user groups. We use these surveys to confirm that our approach is on the right track before proceeding to in-depth one-on-one interviews.
Discovery
Venture Validation
Co-Creation
Once a concept is discovered, we move to scrutinize it within the studio. We provide insights into potential solutions, product roadmap, and an MVP. Our goal is to craft a solid business case and offer guidance on how to propel your venture concept forward, ensuring it has a strong foundation for success.
Market & Competition
Analysis
Our market & competition analysis begins with a comprehensive overview of the market size, trends, growth forecasts and key competitors for each potential market segment. As we focus on the target market, our analysis becomes more detailed, examining opportunities, threats, weaknesses, and the investment landscape to provide a well-rounded understanding of the market dynamics, and helping strategically position your product for success.
Prototype
Design
With research validating our target users and their needs, we'll engage in collaborative product brainstorming and develop a few low-fidelity prototypes. This stage brings the product vision closer to reality as we start visualizing potential solutions.
Ethnographic
User Research
In-depth user research form the backbone of our primary research. We rely on these detailed conversations to ensure that the product we design meets a genuine, human need. Depending on the complexity and uncertainty of your project, we may conduct one or more rounds of user research.
Subject Matter
Expert Interviews
A crucial part of our research process is consulting with subject matter experts who offer unique insights into areas of opportunity and potential challenges ahead. These expert perspectives are invaluable as we transition into the design phase of our work.
AI Governance
& Privacy
We provide strategic guidance on navigating privacy, and AI governance issues, which not only fortifies your venture against potential legal challenges but also enhances its credibility and attractiveness to investors. Part of this strategy is our expert advise on privacy by design and responsible AI governance, forming the foundation for sustainable success.
User
Testing
Armed with our low-fidelity prototypes, we'll conduct a second round of user interviews to gather feedback on our designs and iterate as necessary. This round of interviews also provides deeper insights that will inform our go-to-market strategy.
MVP
Design
After incorporating feedback from the market and users, we'll refine our prototypes and proceed to develop high-fidelity screens that are ready for development, moving us closer to a market-ready MVP.
Market
Testing
We'll launch your MVP and initiate targeted marketing tests to rapidly gain insights and attract early customers. Depending on your industry, strategies may range from A/B testing pricing models to engaging in sales calls with potential enterprise-level clients.
Discovery
Venture Validation
Co-Creation
In the final phase, we focus on supporting your venture's growth and scaling your operations. We'll help you expand your professional network and secure strategic partnerships through growth networking. Our team will assist you in designing your business for scalability and efficiency. We'll also work with you to refine your fundraising strategy and develop a compelling pitch deck to attract investors and secure the necessary funding to fuel your growth. Our focus is on aligning the right people, technology, and strategy to turn your vision into reality, positioning your startup for long-term success in the market.
Business Model Design
We'll work with you to develop a robust business model that supports your product's success and long-term sustainability. Our approach will involve analyzing revenue streams, cost structures, and value propositions to create a model that maximizes profitability and market impact.
Go To Market Strategy
For early success, it's crucial to not only develop the right product and pinpoint the right target market but also to enter that market with effective tactics. The sales and marketing strategy we co-create will aim to gain early traction with your customer base, supported by our research and initial marketing experiments.
Technical Partner Selection
If you haven't chosen a development partner yet, we'll work closely with you to evaluate vendors and establish a partnership that fulfills your requirements without exceeding your budget.
Revenue Modeling
We'll collaborate to develop a revenue model grounded in thorough research. Our primary research will inform pricing that aligns with the value delivered to users, while our secondary research will ensure the creation of a business that is attractive to investors.
Vendor Procurement
We'll assist you in meticulously selecting vendors that align with your project's objectives and constraints, ensuring a seamless integration of services without compromising on quality or cost-effectiveness.
Fundraising Strategy
Throughout our collaboration, we keep your fundraising goals at the forefront. As we conclude our work, we'll delve deeper by identifying aligned investors, making final adjustments to your product and business model, and assisting you in crafting a compelling pitch to ensure you're prepared to raise funds.
Our Approach
At MindPort, we are committed to supporting passionate entrepreneurs who are dedicated to solving meaningful problems. Our structured approach is designed to help you crystallize your vision and establish a solid foundation for your venture, guiding you every step of the way from concept to creation.
FAQs
Do you invest?
While MindPort is not currently seeking investment opportunities, we are always eager to explore how we can assist startups in accelerating their growth. Our focus is on providing strategic guidance and operational support to help you reach your goals.
What are the benefits of joining?
Our Founders Program is fully flexible. Program members benefit from bespoke advisory services including product, strategy, ops, legal and financial support. Additional benefits include access to an extensive network of talent, resources, and funders; collaborative opportunities with other founders; enhanced credibility for your venture, and; discounts & credits from vendors.
How much does the program cost?
There is no cost to join our Founders Program. We provide bespoke, on-demand advisory services and charge a per-engagement basis. We don't require any upfront commitments or retainers.
How long is the program?
We operate on a founder-first basis. Our program doesn't have a fixed duration. Instead, we provide bespoke, on-demand services when our founders need them, without any long-term commitments or retainers.
Do you take equity?
We work with founders to connect them with the right investors. We stay off your cap table until you're ready to bring us on as advisors, or we participate in a syndicate deal or SPV.
What's your model?
We offer on-demand services for our founders. We provide a range of options depending on venture stage and founder needs. We offer individual consults, project-based work, and ongoing engagements. Founders typically invest between 3-6 months with us, resulting in a product, brand, go-to-market strategy, hiring plan, and revenue model that are ready for development and funding.
When should I partner with you?
MindPort partners with founders and teams from the ideation stage all the way through to Series A. Whether you're just starting out with a fresh idea or looking to scale your startup, we're here to provide the expertise and support you need at every step of your journey.
How can I ask more questions?
We're happy to answer any questions you have. Feel free to contact us to get a call scheduled.