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Terms with no fine print

We work for equity, not a development fee. Below: what each side gets, how screening runs and what goes in writing.

What the founder gets

Full cycle to first users

Not "we will build your spec" — joint work on getting the product actual users.

Validation before code

An honest answer on demand — before the money and months are spent.

An MVP in 4–8 weeks

Not a Figma prototype: a product real people use.

Product framing

One-pager, hypothesis map, success criteria and metrics.

Acquisition playbooks

Ways of getting first users, reused from other projects.

A partner, not a vendor

We stay in the company after launch and want it to grow.

What the lab gets

Equity instead of an invoice

We carry the same risk you do: no traction, no earnings.

Equity in the company

A few percent to reach an MVP. The range depends on how much you carry yourself.

Vesting on equal terms

Our stake vests too: 4 years, 1-year cliff. Earned by work, not by signature.

Rights to our methods

General playbooks stay our expertise. Your data, content and business logic stay yours.

What the size of the stake depends on

We do not quote one number for everyone: it has to reflect who carries what. The more you take on, the less the lab takes.

Idea and industry only
What you doYou bring the problem and market knowledge, answer questions, but barely take part in the work
The lab’s stakeTop of the range
Industry and time
What you do5–8 hours a week: customer conversations, product calls, access to your own network
The lab’s stakeMiddle of the range — the typical case
Industry, time and demand
What you doAll of the above plus proven demand: pre-orders, a waiting list or first paying customers
The lab’s stakeBottom of the range

The exact number comes after the trial run, once both sides can see the real scope — not on the first call from a description of the idea.

Why the stake vests instead of being granted upfront

Equity without vesting is a landmine: someone who stopped working keeps owning the business and diluting everyone else. That is dead equity, and it scares investors off at the first round — a detailed write-up in the knowledge base (in Russian).

Screening

How screening works

Six steps from application to kickoff. At every one either side can stop, no strings.

  1. 0110 minutes

    Application

    A short form. Be specific: who the user is and what hurts.

  2. 02within 3 days

    Reply

    We answer either way. If it is a no, we say why in a line.

  3. 0330–40 minutes

    Call

    We pull the hypothesis apart and see if we think alike.

  4. 041–2 weeks

    Trial run

    A small piece of work together. No equity commitment yet.

  5. 05~1 week

    Agreement

    Scope, equity, vesting, rights and the exit scenario in writing.

  6. 064–8 weeks

    Build

    We build the MVP. Weekly status: shipped, learned, changed.

Agreement

What goes in writing

A contract is not distrust — it records what you agreed while everyone was in a good mood.

  1. 1MVP scopeWhat is in v1 and, more importantly, what is not.
  2. 2Definition of doneA concrete finish line, not "when it all feels good".
  3. 3Your time on the projectHow many hours a week, and what happens if you drop out for a while.
  4. 4Equity and vestingHow much, on what terms, what happens on an early exit.
  5. 5Rights to code and dataWhat belongs to the company, what stays lab methodology.
  6. 6Equity in future roundsDiluted alongside everyone else.
  7. 7Exit scenarioWho takes what if three months in it is clearly not working.
  8. 8Who decides in a deadlockParalysis is worse than an imperfect call.

Exact wording, company form and tax consequences depend on your situation — discuss them with a lawyer. We do not replace legal counsel.

Terms work for you?

Next step is a short application. It commits you to nothing and takes ten minutes.

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