Mastering the scaffold: a perspective on venture building

In the infancy of a business venture, support is paramount. Scaffolding ensures stability, offering a secure platform for workers to build upon, much like the early support a startup requires to establish its presence in the market. It provides access to different levels, aiding in reaching new heights safely — akin to the guidance and resources crucial for a fledgling business to grow steadily and scale effectively. Like the interlocking parts of a scaffold, early-stage support networks, mentorship, funding, and strategic planning intertwine to create a sturdy foundation upon which the startup can construct its future success.

We call ourselves builders at StartupGym, scaffolders at heart. Our job involves setting up temporary platforms, ladders, and support structures to provide safe access and a stable working environment at elevated heights.

We aim to help Founders build their ventures more efficiently, avoiding the risk of turning their progress into a house of cards once the scaffold is removed. That’s a fine line.

Professional scaffolders prevent building collapses after scaffold removal by adhering to strict protocols:

1) Installation Excellence: They construct robust scaffolding that adheres to precise engineering standards, ensuring adequate support during construction.

For us this translates into paying utmost attention to act as shadows of the founder, but never replacing them. We do not take decision on their behalf. We make sure our word is heard, but if decided otherwise by the founding team, disagree&commit.

2) Regular Inspections: Routine checks verify the structure’s integrity, ensuring it complies with safety standards.

Our approach operates on milestones, ensuring each stage is solid before progressing further. For instance, we don’t advance single founders beyond the ideation phase; instead, we mandate a founder team of at least two before proceeding. This strategy ensures a strong foundation before building upon it.

3) Gradual Dismantling: Scaffolding is dismantled in stages to avoid sudden stress on the building.

We belief the single most difficult to find ressource for a founder team is technical team mates. So we accept the fact that to really support our Founder’s efficiency, us as StartupGym should step in. We have a fixed team of developers that take over the development of the MVP. In oder to avoid any dependy however our model foresees we hire an Engineer in Residence that we will skill up on your MVP and that will transition to your venture as you collect funding.

4) Reinforcement, if Necessary: Additional support might be added within the building’s structure to compensate for the removal of external scaffolding.

Nobody’s perfect! But finding out what exactly is not perfect in your founder profile takes time and skills. That’s why we have expert HR skills at StartupGym that pays close attention to help you find a complementary Founder and assists you in setting up a meaningful hiring plan. One which makes sure the team stands up tall once StartupGym is phased out.

5) Expert Consultation: Collaboration with engineers or architects ensures the building can stand without external support.

Every venture has unique needs, necessitating tailored expert support. Leveraging our ecosystem, we connect you with suitable advisors aligned with your venture. Moreover, should you require highly sophisticated design, integral to your Unique Selling Proposition (USP), we collaborate with external agencies specializing in such services. This ensures your specific requirements receive specialized attention and expertise. Beyond StartupGym.

6) Final Assurance: A comprehensive inspection precedes scaffold removal to guarantee the structure’s stability.

We are never the first investors in the ventures once they come out of StartupGym. Whilst we leverage our network to offer promising introductions to potential investors, it’s ultimately up to you to secure the deal. Their investment stands as the final, comprehensive quality assessment of the venture. That third party investment shows us we jointly did a good job on your venture.

We strive for excellence across the six criteria of autonomy, leveraging them as our guiding pillars to empower startups in their journey, much like a meticulously constructed scaffold ensuring steady and independent growth.

If you have any thoughts on the topic or are a Founder ready to go with us, let me know: oliver@startupgym.it.