Founder Program
Testing startup business concepts before launching as a standalone enterprise
From Idea to Launch in 90 Days
Our Founder Program is a methodical approach to validating and creating a new business, while leveraging the mentorship and resources offered by LabCo and our community.
Our entrepreneurs first identify and validate new market opportunities as an Idea Team, then test the business concept in a 90-day Validation Sprint focused on solution development and beta customer acquisition. We launch successful concepts as standalone businesses that then enter an incubation phase, where LabCo helps to drive further customer acquisition and to refine product/market fit.
How the Founder Program Works
How the Founder Program Works
Each iteration of the Founder Program begins with a business concept developed by a LabCo Idea Team. Our Idea Teams combine future founders, our entrepreneurs-in-residence (EIRs), and advisors to brainstorm, perform initial market research, and develop a pitch.
We test accepted pitches by beginning a 90-day Validation Sprint with Founder Program participants. During the Validation Sprint, members of the Founder Program work in small teams to test the business concept by hitting milestones related to market research, solution design, customer acquisition, and market validation. Throughout the Validation Sprint, participants receive support from LabCo’s staff, entrepreneurs, and advisor community to maximize the chances of success.
At the end of the validation sprint, successful concepts are launched as standalone businesses that are supported by the LabCo incubation model.
Why Our Founder Program?
Founder Program participants receive unmatched learning opportunities and ample resources to enhance their chances of success. Our goal is to transition concepts from the Founder Program into standalone businesses and we’ll provide you with significant support to get there.
In the Founder Program you’ll:
- Learn everything that’s needed to launch a new business
- Gain a valuable skill set that only comes from hands-on experience
- Leverage LabCo’s infrastructure so you can focus exclusively on key objectives like designing a solution and determining product-market fit
- Receive mentoring and support from entrepreneurs and advisors who have launched and grown companies
- Expand your network to include similarly minded entrepreneurs
Apply for the Founder Program
We’re always looking for talented individuals who are interested in being a member of a founding team. Whether your background is in business, tech, sales, or something else that makes you uniquely qualified to be an entrepreneur, we encourage you to apply. If you are interested in gaining additional startup skills, please also check out our Entrepreneur Bootcamp, which provides foundational knowledge essential to launching a new business.