FOR RESEARCHERS AND MINUS-ONE FOUNDERS IN DEEPTECH

From the lab to a company, one decision at a time.

Detailed, sourced playbooks for every stage, from the lab bench to an exit, with India, US and UK specifics.

Explore the mapBrowse all 410 playbooks

Every stage of the company

Pick where you are. Each stage opens its playbooks, grouped by area.View the stages as a map
1 · MINUS-ONEStill in the labIs there a company here, and who owns the invention? 40 playbooks · 1 written 2 · PRE-SEEDForming the companyCo-founders, equity, the entity, an MVP and first money. 102 playbooks · 1 written 3 · SEEDBuilding product and teamFirst hires, ESOPs, R&D, finding product-market fit. 98 playbooks · coming 4 · SERIES AProving it can growRevenue, metrics, the A round and a real board. 64 playbooks · coming 5 · GROWTHScaling the companyLeadership, regulation, new markets, staying well. 74 playbooks · coming 6 · EXITExits and endingsPivots, shutdowns, acquisitions, IPOs and after. 32 playbooks · coming

The map

How the 23 areas connect, from the lab to an exit. Filled circles have written playbooks.
1 MINUS-ONE2 PRE-SEED3 SEED4 SERIES A5 GROWTH6 EXIT Founder readinessLab to company: IPCo-foundersLegal structureEquity and ESOPsHiringCulture and leadershipIdea to MVPProduct and R&DProduct-market fitGo-to-marketCustomers and pricingNon-dilutive capitalPre-seed and seedSeries A and laterFinance and metricsRegulatoryScalingInternationalBoard and governanceFounder wellbeingCrisis and pivotsExits and after
Has written playbooks Planned Circle size = number of playbooks Open the full map

The library

410 playbooks in 23 areas, by stage · 2 written so farBrowse all playbooks

1 · Minus-oneStill in the lab · 1 of 40 written

1 Founder readiness and the minus-one stage0 / 202 Lab to company: IP, tech transfer and spinouts1 / 20

2 · Pre-seedForming the company · 1 of 102 written

3 Co-founders and the founding team1 / 184 Legal and corporate structure0 / 208 Idea to MVP: discovery and validation0 / 2013 Non-dilutive capital0 / 1914 Pre-seed and seed fundraising0 / 25

3 · SeedBuilding product and team · 0 of 98 written

5 Equity, ESOPs and compensation0 / 206 Hiring and team building0 / 209 Product and R&D execution0 / 2010 Product-market fit0 / 1611 Go-to-market, sales and marketing0 / 22

4 · Series AProving it can grow · 0 of 64 written

12 Customers, pricing and revenue0 / 1615 Series A and later rounds0 / 1816 Finance, operations and metrics0 / 1820 Board and governance0 / 12

5 · GrowthScaling the company · 0 of 74 written

7 Culture, org design and leadership0 / 1817 Regulatory, compliance and government0 / 1618 Scaling the company0 / 1819 International expansion0 / 1221 Founder wellbeing0 / 10

6 · ExitExits and endings · 0 of 32 written

22 Crisis, pivots and shutdowns0 / 1423 Exits and after0 / 18