Introducing the RDV Student Founder Starter Kit

Partnerships and resources for RDV portfolio founders

Rough Draft Ventures is supporting and connecting the largest network of student entrepreneurs that will drive the next phase of technology and software innovation. It has never been easier to develop new technologies with little upfront capital. Services such as SquareSpace make it easy to launch a website, GitHub will let you explore and share your code, and lawyers are willing to help a new founder get on her feet. With incubators, funding sources, and a suite of packages geared towards new companies and first time entrepreneurs, the time it takes to launch an initial prototype has decreased drastically.

At RDV, we support our founders through access to greater resources beyond initial capital. In an effort to reduce costs associated with launching a startup, we’ve partnered with over 30 companies to provide HR and legal support, discounted office space, and cloud-computing services. By helping our founders reduce time spent determining the right products and service providers, our founders can better focus on their core business.

A few examples of our partnerships include:

• Amazon Web Services, offers a suite of cloud-computing services that make up an on-demand computing platform . RDV founders receive $15,000 in AWS credits for their new company.
• Stripe has given a $5,000 credit to all RDV founders for online payment processing. With its suite of APIs, Stripe’s frictionless, customized payment flow is a valuable asset for founders working across all devices and platforms.
• Gusto (previously ZenPayroll) has made payroll easy, automated and even delightful for RDV founders, especially by offering the first 3 months for free!
• HubSpot, the inbound marketing and sales platform has offered RDV founders 90% off their services in order to help companies attract visitors, convert leads, and close customers.
• WeWork, provider of shared workspace, community, and services for entrepreneurs provides RDV founders with 10% off Hot Desks, Dedicated Desks, and Private Offices at all WeWork locations.

We’re always looking to establish new relationships to support our network of student entrepreneurs that will drive the next phase of technology and software innovation. If you’re interested in working with us, drop us a line!