How it works
A venture-building process designed around evidence, not momentum.
The five stages
Each stage funds one decision.
- 01
Discovery
Clarify the customer, problem, economics, risks and build path.
DecisionIs this worth validating?
- 02
Validation
Test demand, willingness to pay, feasibility and unit economics.
DecisionGo, revise or stop?
- 03
Build
Create the production-ready product and operating foundation.
DecisionMeets acceptance criteria?
- 04
Launch
Activate distribution, onboarding, support and measurement.
DecisionReady for controlled scale?
- 05
Operate
Run the agreed backend through measurable service levels.
DecisionContinue, optimise or transition?
| Stage | What happens | Typical outputs | Exit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery | Strategy, customer, market, technology feasibility, dependencies, risks and economics. | Opportunity memo; risk map; validation plan; budget range. | Proceed, revise or stop. |
| Validation | Interviews, tests, prototypes, pricing signals, technical spike and economic model. | Evidence pack; prototype; go/no-go score; build charter. | Proceed only if gates pass. |
| Build | Product, platform, integrations, testing, security and operating readiness. | Accepted release candidate; documentation; runbooks. | Accepted or remediation. |
| Launch | Controlled release, acquisition tests, onboarding, support and dashboards. | Live product; launch report; 90-day operating plan. | Scale, optimise or pause. |
| Operate | Agreed product ops, support, growth, vendor and performance management. | Monthly operating review; KPI and risk report. | Renew, transition or wind down. |
Product validation
Tests the problem, workflow, usability and technical feasibility.
GTM validation
Tests buyer segments, positioning, willingness to pay, channels and conversion.
Define success thresholds before each experiment. Interviews and prototypes are signals, not proof of repeatable demand.
Clients with sufficient existing evidence can enter a later stage after a short readiness review. Testing runs through every stage; it is not postponed until launch. Expansion requires fresh evidence for the next segment or geography.
Commercials
Discovery Sprints start at USD 7,500, paid in advance.
Why stages matter
A stop decision can be a successful outcome. It may save far more capital than it costs. We do not force weak opportunities into development to preserve a pipeline.