leave with: a clear support brief and the terms you need to understand
allow: 20 minutes
three roles, three starting points
| route | starting point | the central question |
|---|---|---|
| venture building | a problem, early idea or ability to lead a new venture | is there a business worth creating, and what must be tested first? |
| startup support | an existing team with a product or meaningful validation | what is holding progress back, and can focused work change it? |
| series a assessment | an established business making a substantiated growth case | does the evidence justify further capital, on what terms and for which milestones? |
industry labels vary. compare the actual work, people, commitments and terms of any proposed engagement rather than relying on the name alone.
ask what each side contributes
venture building may combine customer discovery, product development, commercial planning and formation of the team. agree who will do the work and who will make the decisions. a presentation about shared ambition is not a substitute for an agreed scope.
startup support begins with a company that already exists. useful support addresses a constraint such as retention, distribution or product priorities. at lab2sky, scope and availability are explored individually; we have not announced a standard cohort, cheque or programme timetable.
venture capital concerns an investment decision and the rights and responsibilities attached to it. our investment firm and series a fund are in development. the website welcomes introductions and does not accept investment subscriptions.
settle the practical questions early
- who is accountable for delivery, and how much time can each person commit?
- what work is included, what is excluded and what counts as progress?
- what fees, equity or capital contributions are proposed?
- who owns existing and newly created intellectual property, and what happens if the engagement ends?
- which decisions need approval, and how will a disagreement be handled?
- is a future investment a separate decision? at lab2sky, it is.
choose the next conversation
if you are still testing whether there is a business, start with venture building. if your existing startup has a clear obstacle to address, explore startup support. if your growth case is supported by operating evidence, read our series a approach.
you can approach the planned investment firm independently of our venture builder. participation in building or support neither guarantees investment nor makes it the only possible next step. a corporate team bringing customer access and an owned problem can start through the partnership route.
three companies, three different jobs
worked example · illustrative
a researcher has a promising technique but no agreed customer problem: the immediate work is venture discovery. an operating startup has paying customers but slow onboarding: the immediate work is to identify and address that constraint. a third company has repeatable demand, dated operating evidence and a defined expansion plan: it may be preparing a growth-capital case.
what this changes: these fictional examples show why the same sector can need different forms of support. a company can move between needs as evidence changes; completing a programme is not an automatic ticket to investment.
put it to work
allow: 20 minutes
leave with: a clear support brief and the terms you need to understand
- describe the decision you cannot make confidently today. name the missing capability, evidence or resource.
- separate what your team will deliver from the help you want. specify a practical output and review date.
- ask a potential provider who does the work, how the engagement is funded and who owns new intellectual property.
- confirm the exit terms and whether any future investment is a separate decision. write unresolved terms down before committing.
these are lab2sky’s working questions and assessment approach. examples are illustrative unless explicitly identified otherwise. how we write our guides