For domain experts who want to build something of their own.
You bring deep domain expertise or a fresh perspective nobody else sees — we provide deep research to find promising ideas, battle-tested guidance to validate them, and the infrastructure to actually build, launch and grow your digital product.
①
Start here
Find an idea
"I want to start a business, but need help with what & how"
②
Validate the idea
"I might have a good idea — can I actually earn money with it?"
③
Launch business
"It seems I can earn money with it, I now need a website + mobile app"
Going live →
④
Operate & Grow
"I have several paying clients — I want to grow this now"
INTAKE
What's your starting point?
Higher chance of validation
A.I'd like to start a business based on my domain expertise
B.I have a unique insight that isn't tied to my current expertise
Q1 — DOMAIN EXPERTISE
Q2 — LIVED FRICTION
Q3 — NETWORK PROXIMITY
Q4 — TIME & MONEY RUNWAY
Q5 — ANYTHING ELSE
Q1 — THE INSIGHT
Q2 — ORIGIN
Q3 — WHO IT'S FOR
Q4 — YOUR EDGE
Q5 — TIME & MONEY RUNWAY
OUTCOME
Fill in the questions on the left, then click Generate ideas to see candidate directions here.
3 directions ranked by fit.Set 1 of 3
FT
Want to think this through with your Founder Team?
Ask about any direction, or get help choosing.
→
Tool to speed up bank client onboarding
FORMid-size German banks
RegTech advisory for fintech founders
FOREarly-stage fintech startups in DACH
Onboarding-time consulting for B2B sales teams
FOREnterprise sales leaders losing deals to slow setup
3 directions ranked by fit.Set 1 of 3
FT
Want to think this through with your Founder Team?
Ask about any direction, or get help choosing.
→
App to help families coordinate care for elderly parents
FORAdult children, 40–55, with parents who need help
Eldercare help in your family's language
FORMigrant families in Germany caring across cultures
Caregiving support as an employee benefit
FORCompanies whose people are quietly burning out from family care
—
For —
2/10
people contacted · M1
THE PROBLEM
—
VALUE PROPOSITION
—
TARGET CLIENT
—
WHY THIS FITS YOU
—
Your hypothesesv1 · edit as your thinking sharpens
PROBLEM HYPOTHESISv1
CLIENT HYPOTHESISv1
MILESTONE 1 · YOUR ONLY JOB THIS WEEK
Talk to 10 people in your warm network
Lukas M.
Compliance Lead · 4 days ago
● Done
"Honestly, our last onboarding took 7 months. We blame the client, but it's our process. I'd pay real money to fix it."
Would pay · YES
Anika S.
Head of Onboarding · 6 days ago
● Done
"Yes, this is real, but I'm not sure my CFO would prioritize it this year."
Would pay · MAYBE
Tobias R.
RegTech founder · sent 2 days ago
● Awaiting reply
Maria D.
VP Operations · not contacted yet
○ Not yet
FT
Founder Team
Available
Up next, after M1: M2 verbatim signals → M3 3 confirm pay → M4naked prototype ↓ → M5 first payment
⚠ Watch for: telling people about your idea before really listening to their problem · feeling demoralized after many "No, thanks" or "maybe later" · skipping the price question in conversations. If in doubt, talk to your digital Founder Team via chat above ↑
VALIDATED HYPOTHESES — WHAT THE PROTOTYPE IS BUILT FROM
VALIDATED PROBLEM
—
VALIDATED CLIENT
—
YOUR LANDING PAGE — DRAFT v1
your-startup.com
COMPANION MOBILE APP — DRAFT v1
FROM PROTOTYPE TO PUBLISHED
Take it live
Items split by who owns them. Some only you can do — bank account, legal, Apple ID. Others your Founding Designer handles. Talk to her if you get stuck.
▢ Publish your website
5 of 10
PHASE 1 · BUILD
● DoneFinalize headline, subhead, and CTA copyDesigner
● DonePolish visual design, typography, mobile responsivenessDesigner
● DoneSet up analytics + a contact form that emails youDesigner
PHASE 2 · PREPARE
● DonePurchase a domain (Cloudflare, Namecheap, etc.)You
● DoneBuild production binary, code-sign with your developer certificateDesigner
◌ In progressComplete App Store Connect listing — pricing, age rating, content rights, export complianceYou + Designer
PHASE 2 · PREPARE
◌ In progressEnroll in Apple Developer Program (€99/year — only you, with your Apple ID)You
○ Not yetWrite App Privacy Details — what data is collected, why, how it's tied to userYou
○ Not yetSubmit binary for review (Apple's review: 24–72 h, often rejects on first pass)Designer
PHASE 3 · SHIP
○ Not yetPost-approval go-live readiness — pricing, support email, ready for first usersFounder Team
FD
Founding Designer
Available
7 of 17 items complete. Finish the remaining items to publish.
MILESTONE 1 KIT
Guiding Principle
Listen and surface real problems by asking about past behaviour, not opinions about your idea.
1 · OUTREACH DRAFT
Hi [Name]! Hope all is well?
I'm researching whether mid-size German banks lose corporate deals because compliance documentation back-and-forth takes too long — and whether there's an opening to fix it.
I'd really value 20 minutes with you because:
• you've worked in or close to compliance/onboarding at a bank
• you've seen how this friction plays out in real deals
Not a pitch — I'm just trying to test a hypothesis with people who actually live the situation.
If it's not a priority right now, no problem at all — a short reply either way is more than enough.
Best regards,
[Your name]
2 · CONVERSATION STRUCTURE
30–60 minutes. Listen 80%, talk 20%. Take notes verbatim — exact words matter more than your interpretation.
Open · 2 min
Thank them. Set the frame: "I'm trying to understand a real problem before building anything."
Make it easy to say "no, this doesn't apply to me" — that's useful data too.
Their world · 8 min · listen mostly
"Walk me through the last time you dealt with [the situation]. What actually happened?"
"What's the hardest part of [the situation] for you and your team?"
"What have you tried, or considered trying, to solve it?"
"What does it cost you when this goes wrong — time, money, missed opportunities?"
Past behaviour, not opinions · 5 min
"Have you spent money trying to solve this before? On what?"
"Who else feels this — names, roles? Could you introduce me?"
Avoid "would you use…" or "do you think this is a good idea?" — opinions are unreliable.
Price signal · 3 min · don't skip
"If someone solved this for you reliably, what would that be worth to you per month?"
If they hesitate or deflect: that itself is a signal worth recording.
Close · 2 min
"Can I come back to you in 2–3 weeks to share what I'm learning?" — earns the next conversation.
Always ask for one introduction.
3 · WHAT TO RECORD DURING AND AFTER
Verbatim quotes — exact words, especially about pain, cost, and what they tried.
Would-pay signal — yes / maybe / no / not asked.
Your interpretation — separate field from the quotes. Don't conflate the two.