bring an opportunity
you see what could change
tell us about the problem, the people affected and what you have learned. an early hypothesis is enough to begin. you do not need existing revenue or a polished deck.
introduce your opportunityventure building
build a business around
a difference worth making
you may have an early idea, a customer problem you know deeply or the ability to lead a new venture. start with what could improve and who would value it.
lead a venture with us
you want to help create it
show us what you have built or led, which customers you understand and what you could take responsibility for. you do not need a company of your own.
introduce yourselfroles and opportunities are explored individually.
already have a startup? explore acceleration ↗
what we look for
the foundations
come before the forecast
a meaningful problem
a specific customer and a change worth creating. explain who benefits and what gets better.
a route to customers
a practical channel to test, with evidence or a plan to establish access before committing to a studio build.
continuing value
a credible path to contracted, subscription or recurring usage revenue. at the idea stage, this can be a hypothesis to test.
international potential
a customer need that could extend beyond south africa and a reason the business could compete in another market.
people who take ownership
demonstrated contribution, curiosity and willingness to test assumptions. we look at the work, not presentation polish or prestige.
a fit with our contribution
a south african venture in our shared areas, where the capabilities we can contribute match the next milestone.
our venture builder and investment firm share the same seven areas of interest. the stage changes the evidence we need and the contribution the business requires.
explore our shared areas ↗how we work
make the next step worth taking
begin with the customer and the riskiest assumption. define a useful test and use the result to decide what deserves further commitment.
the next work may involve product development, a pilot, a distribution relationship or assembling a founding team. responsibilities, ownership, fees, equity and any capital contribution are agreed for the venture before work begins.
you do not need an established network to introduce an idea. establishing customer access is part of the work.
our approach ↗before we begin
a few practical questions
what should i bring to the first conversation?
a specific customer problem, the change you want to create and what you have learned so far. an early hypothesis is enough. use our readiness worksheet to identify the first test; a deck is optional.
what might lab2sky contribute?
customer discovery, product and technology work, commercial thinking or help shaping the founding team, where those capabilities match the venture. the actual contribution and responsible people are agreed before work begins.
how are commercial terms agreed?
scope, responsibilities, ownership, fees, equity and any capital contribution are discussed for the venture. an introduction creates no obligation or promise of funding.
what happens next
a small first step
- introduce — share the essentials and an optional pitch deck if you have a company. short, specific answers are enough.
- explore the fit — a person considers the purpose, stage and evidence, then identifies what else is needed.
- agree the next step — where there is potential to work together, discuss a conversation, assessment or defined milestone.
an introduction commits neither side to a partnership or investment.
how we review opportunities ↗