Founder-in-Residence (Co-Founder / CEO / CTO)

Build your own company but don't start from scratch. Starting a company is hard. Finding the right problem to solve, validating demand, assembling a team, raising capital, and building a product can take years. Most startups never get past those initial hurdles. Platform offers a different path. We identify promising market opportunities, validate customer needs, and assemble the resources needed to turn them into successful businesses. Then we partner with exceptional entrepreneurs to build and lead those companies. As a Founder-in-Residence, you'll join Platform to help build a new business, typically becoming its CEO or CTO as it develops into an independent company. You'll have the opportunity to build something of your own, with the support of an experienced venture studio behind you. What you'll do: - Build and lead a company. Take ownership of an emerging business opportunity and help shape its strategy, product, team, and execution. - Get close to customers. Challenge assumptions, understand customer needs, and turn insights into products people genuinely want. - Move quickly. Work with our studio team to launch products, acquire customers, test hypotheses, and iterate based on real-world feedback. - Own the outcomes. Set ambitious but achievable goals, track measurable progress, and take responsibility for delivering results. - Build a great team. Recruit, inspire, and lead the people needed to grow the business. - Adapt and evolve. Navigate uncertainty, learn from setbacks, and make difficult decisions when the evidence demands it. What Platform brings to the table We believe exceptional founders should spend their time building great businesses, not reinventing the wheel. As a Platform Founder-in-Residence, you'll benefit from: - A head start. A carefully researched business opportunity, with initial customer discovery and validation already underway. - Capital and connections. Initial funding and access to our network of investors and strategic partners. - A proven playbook. A structured approach to company building, with clear milestones, measurable goals, and a focus on rapid learning. - An experienced building team. Access to Platform's product, engineering, AI, and growth capabilities to help you move from idea to market faster. - The Platform Guild. A network of trusted entrepreneurs, operators, advisors, and subject-matter experts who can help you navigate challenges. - Shared infrastructure. Support with legal, finance, recruiting, HR, and other operational functions, so you can focus on building the business. - Experienced partners. Hands-on guidance, candid feedback, and coaching throughout the journey. Our goal is simple: give exceptional founders an unfair advantage. Who we're looking for There is no single formula for a great founder. We're interested in people from different backgrounds, with different experiences and complementary strengths. But the best founders tend to share certain qualities: - Builders, not just thinkers. You have a bias toward action and a track record of making things happen, whether that's launching products, creating businesses, or leading ambitious projects. - Intellectually curious and analytical. You ask good questions, challenge assumptions, and make decisions based on evidence rather than ego. - Resilient and adaptable. You're comfortable with uncertainty, resourceful when things go wrong, and willing to change course when necessary. - Self-aware and coachable. You know your strengths and weaknesses, welcome candid feedback, and are always looking to improve. - Empathetic leaders. You understand people, communicate clearly, build trust, and bring out the best in those around you. - High-integrity individuals. You have a strong moral compass, take responsibility for your decisions, and do the right thing even when it's difficult. And a sense of humor helps. Building a startup should be challenging, but it should also be fun. Is this right for you? You might be an experienced founder looking for your next company, an ambitious operator ready to become a CEO, or a technical leader who wants to build something of their own. What matters most isn't your job title or résumé: it's your ability to turn an opportunity into a successful business. If you've always wanted to build a company but would rather do it with exceptional partners than go it alone, we'd like to meet you.