The Best Co-Founder You Could Have
Platform Venture Studio (platformstud.io) is the best co-founder you could have. Created by founders for founders, our tried and true methodology turbo charges startups’ velocity to success.
Our studio team does real work, we don’t waste time, and we’ve been there. Platform’s creators, serial entrepreneur Jeremy Burton and 2020 Midas List investor Tim Connors, have 30+ years of experience developing highly successful startups.
In addition to support from our studio team and other portfolio companies, we have a guild of coaches, investors, and advisors, and ~60K+ Platform’s deep network contacts.
We don't chase fads, and we do no harm. Our mission is to build companies that change the world for the better. Each of our startups aligns with our vision and fits into at least one of our themes: the new economy, climate, social justice, and civic engagement.
About the Founder-in-Residence Role
A Founder-in-Residence (or "FIR") is an entrepreneur we partner with to build a venture-backed company that solves an Unmet Need. Typically, we begin a partnership with a FIR to develop an idea that is still in its infancyPlease review our Founder Deck here for more information: https://decksend.net/d9c55b6bc5a4d5aa. If you have already raised capital, or already found product-market fit and your unit economics work, then you are likely too late for our Founder in Residence program. We recommend reviewing this blog post prior to applying to determine if it makes sense for you to apply: https://www.platformstud.io/blog/why-you-should-not-work-with-platform
About the Misinformation / Hyper-Polarization Unmet Need (#civicengagement)
The founding fathers warned about the rise of political parties and “party over country”. And here we are. Since the fairness doctrine ended in the US, our media has divided us.
Big money funds negative TV ads and they work to get folks elected. That money is flowing at the extremes mostly. By the time voting comes, most often it is choosing the lesser of two evils as nobody likes either candidate.
States have gerrymandered so the more extreme a candidate is for their party, the better odds of winning the primary. Yet the less interesting to the general population as a candidate. The more extreme they are post-election pandering for the base, the more likely to get reelected.
Gen Z remains unengaged in the political process. This is unsurprising given that the average age in Congress is 58, and in the Senate, 63, and the way that most politicians engage does not align with how Gen Z consumes information - online, mobile first; the TikTok generation.
Traditional journalism meant a “fact-checker in the loop”. While bias in, and political-manipulation of, the media has always existed, the degree of distrust in traditional media is at dangerous levels.
Social media has almost entirely eliminated the cost of being a “publisher”, meaning that any individual can share their opinion, globally. While this has had enormous benefits, especially for people living under repressive regimes, it has also created a world wide “rumor mill” able to spread misinformation either unintentionally or deliberately.
The level of polarization in society, and the way in which social media platforms drive engagement through extreme and controversial content means that people truly live in separate “information bubbles”, not even agreeing on basic facts.
The major social media platforms are doing too little to counteract misinformation, fearing the repercussions of becoming an arbiter of truth. This is a moral abdication.
We're looking for a founder interested in designing a solution that fosters empathy, understanding, and workable solutions to counter the effects of media misinformation and hyper-polarization.
What Platform FIR’s Get
- Validated startup idea (in the form of Unmet Need and Solution) with strong chance of success
- Initial capital and access to our investor network
- Tried and true glide-path to success with specific, measurable milestones
- Talented, flexible, remote-first studio team with deep expertise in design, engineering, research, and growth to help you build, launch, and iterate efficiently
- Shared ops, HR, and G&A functions—legal, talent, finance, etc
- Access to Platform Guild, our network of trusted advisors and subject-matter experts
- Coaching all along the way
Who We’re Looking For
“Startup DNA”: You have a tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity, paired with a bias toward action and proactiveness. You are driven to succeed. You are always coming up with new ideas and thinking about ways to make things better. Bonus points if you know how to prioritize your ideas to focus on ones that will move the needle.
Understanding of founder life: You understand both the highs and the lows of the founder journey, and you have the grit and mental fortitude for it (of course, we are here to support you all along the way!). You know that the day-to-day of a founder’s life is not necessarily glamorous. You might have gotten this understanding from starting a company already, being an employee close to a founder at an early-stage startup, or experimenting with your own entrepreneurial projects and initiatives.
Learning ability and growth mindset: You possess strong self awareness, situational awareness, and the capacity for critical self-reflection. You’re not afraid to ask for help, and you’re open-minded, curious, and eager to learn from others. You are able to objectively analyze and communicate your decisions, actions, and their results; process external feedback and other perspectives; and quickly adapt with new information.
Passion for our themes: You agree with the quote: “Fall in love with the problem, not the solution” (from Uri Levine at Waze). At the end of the day, you care most about solving a real problem in spaces that matter, and making an impact for those with a deep Unmet Need within our current four themes: new economy, climate, social justice, and civic engagement.
Goodness: You have low ego and high integrity. You’re motivated by wanting to change the world for the better. You do what is right. You are collaborative and communicative. You treat your customers, your team, and your advisors with utmost thoughtfulness. You are able to inspire others to goodness.
Please get in touch and tell us more if you feel you are uniquely qualified to solve this problem as a Platform Founder in Residence.
this is a full-time position.
Founder @ GreyRock.Digital
I have been working on this problem and gaining traction on critical insights. I am approaching it from somewhat of a partisan position, but this has been important to understanding the problem and how it makes people feel. This is the #1 aspect of problems which brands, startups and tech miss: the emotions involved are the key to the solution, acquisition- all of it.
Chief Sustainability Officer @ Renaissance Park Corp
Having followed Platform for some time, and enjoyed brief discourse with founders and operatives, I'm fascinated by this particular FIR role in countering polarization, which is an entirely man-made condition (well, for-profit corporation-made, anyway). I have detailed some of my positions on this subject in context, most notably (I hope) in my non-profit work in economic development, but also in restoring the function of government to the benefit of all constituents. If it helps to review those, and others, a little 1-page site covering my work as a thought-leader, writer, and speaker is at http://Manifestao.com. I would honor any feedback and would love to speak with someone about this role.
Regards,
Scott
Founder @ GreyRock.Digital
Love everything you have written- on "restoring the function of government" what failed and needs to be restored?
CTO @ FLOW Partners, LLC
If you're not aware of the Braver Angels group (https://braverangels.org/), they have a similar mission.
Founder @ GreyRock.Digital
They seem actually nonpartisan as an org, interesting. I think their model might be addressing the people who are already not the problem.