Ready to build your startup for real? Start fresh and apply what you've learned!
The Slingshot
-
📍 -
🔥 EXTREME
🎓 GuidedQ1/4
Quarter
Q1
Ch.1
Game progresses in quarters. Make decisions, spend AP, burn cash. Complete 3 milestones to win!
Cash 💵
£0k
Money in the bank (not income). Decreases by burn rate each quarter. Zero = game over! 💀
Runway
0q
Quarters until cash runs out (Cash ÷ Burn). Keep above 2! Raise funding or cut costs to extend.
Valuation
£0k
Your company's worth. Higher = better funding terms & exit options. Grows with milestones & metrics.
Milestones
0/3
Complete 3 milestones to win! Each has requirements & a deadline. Miss a deadline = game over! 🎯
UK tech sector shows steady growth • AI adoption continues • London retains European hub status •
🎯
Current Milestone
None set
Learn about pivot types, when to consider one, and the costs involved.
0%
-
💡 Focus on:
Attention Points
💡 Unused AP banks (max 2)
0
Spent
5
Left
0
Banked
Base: 6 APEst: £0kTotal: 5 AP
⚠ Over budget! Remove some choices.
💡Hint text here
🎯Focus status
Team Capacity
+0 AP
0
Staff
+0
AP Bonus
£0k
Burn/Q
Lean team2 more → +1 AP
⏳ Team disruption this quarter(−1 AP). Normal capacity next Q.
👥 Additional Team Members
⚠ Your investors disagree on this one. Pick the approach you believe in — investors understand you can't please everyone when advice conflicts.
Cash 💵
£420k
💰
Ready to Raise?
Investors are interested in your progress. Learn about angels vs VCs vs grants, when to raise, and key terms.
Runway:
6 QTR
The Slingshot
An AI Startup Simulation
Can you build the next AI unicorn?
It's 2026. AI may be the defining technology of our era.
Economists call it a potential general purpose technology—like steam, electricity, or computing—capable of transforming every sector. But GPTs don't apply themselves. The value lies in identifying and exploiting opportunities: discovering solutions that weren't possible before, disrupting established industries, creating entirely new markets.
Across the UK, a new generation of startups is racing to capture this value. Some spin out from world-leading AI labs, pushing the frontier of what's possible. Others bring deep domain expertise—in healthcare, finance, logistics, creative industries—and see exactly where AI could be transformative. All face the same challenge: turning potential into profit before the window closes.
Now it's your turn. Choose your venture, assemble your team, and chase the ultimate prize: a billion-dollar unicorn.
The potential is enormous. So are the risks. That's what makes it interesting—and that's how you'll learn.
• Hidden stat effects & impact tags
• Silent advisors - no recommendations
• 20% less starting cash
New to the game? The tutorial takes about 5 minutes.
Average game: 25-40 minutes
🇬🇧 UK AI Sector at a Glance (DCMS 2024, Tech Nation 2025)
~6,000
AI companies
↑ 58% from 2023
£23.9bn
AI-related revenue
↑ 68% from 2023
86,000+
AI jobs
↑ 33% from 2023
23
AI unicorns
avg 4.8 yrs to $1bn
The average UK AI unicorn reaches billion-dollar status in just 4.8 years (about 19 quarters)—faster than ever before.
🔬 Research & Major Players
The UK is the third largest AI market globally, after the US and China. World-class AI research spans universities across the country—from Edinburgh to Manchester, Warwick, Bristol, and Cardiff—supported by the Alan Turing Institute as the national centre for AI and data science.
Google DeepMind, founded in London in 2010, remains a global AI leader. Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, OpenAI, and Anthropic all have significant and growing UK AI operations.
Many UK AI startups are university spinouts—like PolyAI from Cambridge—while others bring deep domain expertise from healthcare, finance, or logistics to identify where AI can be transformative.
This is free educational software with no ads and no commercial interest. We do not intentionally collect directly identifying personal information (such as names or email addresses). We use privacy-focused analytics that don't use cookies, don't track you across sites, and are designed to avoid identifying individual users. You can use this simulation anonymously.
Who we are
This simulation is developed by researchers at Warwick Business School (University of Warwick) and Politecnico di Milano as part of the ESRC-funded research project "Profiting from Science: the development and valuation of Artificial Intelligence new ventures and engagement with the science base" (Grant Reference: ES/X003949/1).
🎓 Free Educational Software
The Slingshot is free, open-source educational software with no commercial interest. Our purpose is to educate, inform, and stimulate learning about AI entrepreneurship and innovation management. This simulation is designed to be freely shared, adapted, and developed by educators worldwide.
✓ No advertising — we will never show ads or sell your attention
✓ No monetisation — we do not profit from your data in any way
✓ Open source — the code is freely available for inspection and reuse
✓ Education-first — our only goal is improving learning outcomes
What data we collect
We use Umami, a privacy-focused analytics tool, to collect anonymous, aggregate statistics about how the simulation is used. This includes:
Page views (which screens are visited)
Button clicks (which features are used)
General geographic region (country level only)
Device type (desktop/mobile) and browser
What we do NOT collect
❌ No cookies — nothing is stored on your device
❌ No IP addresses stored — your IP is anonymized and never retained
❌ No personal information — no names, emails, or identifiers
❌ No cross-site tracking — we don't follow you elsewhere
❌ No user profiles — our analytics are designed to avoid identifying individuals
❌ No fingerprinting — we don't use device characteristics to track you
❌ No advertising data — we don't collect data for ads (there are no ads)
📝 About the "Founder Name" feature
The simulation asks you to enter a name for your startup founder. This name is never transmitted, stored, or collected by us. It exists only in your browser for the duration of your session and is used purely to personalise your gameplay experience. You can enter any name you like — real, fictional, or completely made up. Once you close or refresh the page, it's gone. We have no way to contact you, identify you, or link this name to any individual.
🛡️ Privacy by design
We deliberately designed this simulation to be anonymous. There is no registration, no login, no account creation, and no requirement to provide any personal information. This was an intentional choice — we wanted to create an educational tool that anyone can use instantly, without barriers, and without the invasive data capture that has become common elsewhere. Your privacy is not an afterthought; it is built into the foundation of how this simulation works.
Why we collect this data
We use anonymous analytics solely to improve this educational resource. As publicly-funded researchers, we want to ensure this simulation effectively serves students, educators, and lifelong learners. Understanding which features work well (and which don't) helps us create better learning experiences. We have no interest in your identity — only in making this tool more useful for education.
Legal basis
We believe our privacy-focused analytics comply with UK and EU data protection requirements. Our analytics provider (Umami) acts as a data processor on our behalf, is configured to use EU data storage, and does not use visitor data for any other purpose.
UK: Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR)
We believe our analytics qualify for the "statistical purposes" exception under PECR, as amended by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. This exception permits analytics without consent when:
The sole purpose is collecting aggregate statistics about service usage to make improvements
The data cannot identify individuals
Users are given clear information and a simple way to opt out
What ICO explicitly permits (no consent required)
The following table shows ICO guidance on what the statistical purposes exception allows, and how our analytics align:
ICO permits
What we collect
✓
Total visits page-by-page (traffic analysis, user journeys)
Page views, URLs visited
✓
User interactions with pages (scroll depth, section hits)
Custom events (button clicks, feature usage)
✓
How users access your service (device types, browser, OS)
Browser, OS, device type, screen size
✓
How users reached your service (referrer URLs)
Referrer domain/path
✓
Coarse geolocation (city/region, non-identifying)
Country, city (derived from anonymized IP)
✓
Exit pages (to detect browsing issues)
Exit pages tracked
✓
What ICO says requires consent (we don't do these)
Requires consent
Our practice
✗
Tracking ad views/clicks for performance measurement
No advertising whatsoever
✗
Connecting visitor ID to activity for ad partners
No ad partners, no data sharing
✗
Tracking/profiling individuals based on IP or pages visited
Our approach aligns with GDPR principles — we do not process personal data, use cookies, or track individuals across websites. Where any processing occurs, it is limited to anonymous, aggregate statistics that fall outside the scope of "personal data" under GDPR Article 4. Per Recital 26, "the principles of data protection should therefore not apply to anonymous information."
Note: This represents our good-faith interpretation of applicable law. We are not lawyers and this is not legal advice.
📧 Contact
If you have any questions about this privacy policy or our data practices, please contact:
Professor Ammon Salter
Warwick Business School, University of Warwick [email protected]
🚫 Opt out
If you prefer not to be included in our anonymous statistics, you can enable "Do Not Track" in your browser settings. Umami automatically respects this preference and will not collect any data from your visits.
Data location: We have configured Umami Cloud to use EU data storage settings.
Note:Umami's Privacy Policy describes their relationship with us as a customer (e.g. our account details). The analytics data collected about visitors to this simulation is anonymous and contains no personal information.
Last updated: January 2026
ℹ️ About This Simulation
Why we built The Slingshot
🎯 Purpose
The Slingshot is an educational simulation designed to teach students and professionals about the dynamics of building an AI startup. Through experiential learning, players explore the strategic decisions, trade-offs, and uncertainties that founders face—from choosing a venture type and funding model, to building teams, achieving milestones, and competing with rivals.
The simulation builds directly on our research into the UK AI startup ecosystem. The events and decisions in the game are designed to surface the real choices AI startups make about developing research capabilities and working with the science base—reflecting how startups engage with universities, leverage academic knowledge, and balance scientific exploration with commercial pressures.
🔬 The Research Project
This simulation was developed as part of the ESRC-funded research project:
"Profiting from Science: The Development and Valuation of Artificial Intelligence New Ventures and Engagement with the Science Base"
Grant Reference: ES/X003949/1
The project examines how AI startups in the UK develop, create value, and engage with academic research. By studying real AI ventures—their origins, strategies, team compositions, and funding trajectories—we aim to understand what drives success and failure in this rapidly evolving sector.
The simulation also reflects our team's extensive work on research grants and innovation funding, including research on programmes like Innovate UK. The grant funding mechanics in the game draw on real patterns in how startups pursue and benefit from public R&D support.
👥 The Development Team
AS
Ammon Salter
Principal Investigator & Lead Author
Warwick Business School, University of Warwick
Professor of Technology and Innovation Management with research interests in innovation, university-industry collaboration, and entrepreneurship. Led the conceptual design and development of the simulation. Member of the Innovation and Research Caucus.
SB
Stefano Baruffaldi
Co-Investigator
Politecnico di Milano
Associate Professor specialising in the economics of science and technology, with expertise in AI startups, academic entrepreneurship, and the commercialisation of research.
FB
Federico Bignone
Lead Researcher
Warwick Business School, University of Warwick
Research Fellow focused on corporate science and innovation, studying how firms engage with research, build scientific capabilities, and translate knowledge into commercial value.
🤖 Built With AI Assistance
In keeping with the theme of AI innovation, this simulation was developed with AI assistance. The entire game is contained in a single HTML file, created through iterative collaboration with large language models:
Claude (Anthropic)GPT-5 (OpenAI)Gemini (Google)
✨ Free & Open
🎮 Play Online Now
A ready-to-play version is hosted on GitHub — no download required
We don't collect, store, or track your personal information
🔧
Fully Adaptable
Modify and build upon for your own educational needs
👩🏫 For Teachers & Educators
✓No setup required — runs in any browser, no software installation or accounts needed
✓Works offline — download and use without internet access
✓Flexible timing — suitable for 1-hour workshops or multi-week modules
✓Discussion-ready — generates rich decision scenarios for classroom debate
✓Research-grounded — content based on real AI startup patterns, not speculation
✓Fully customisable — modify the HTML to suit your curriculum needs
🎓 For Students & Learners
✓Learn by doing — experience startup decisions rather than just reading about them
✓Safe to fail — experiment with risky strategies without real consequences
✓Immediate feedback — see how decisions affect valuation, runway, and team dynamics
✓Replay and compare — try different strategies and compare outcomes
✓Realistic complexity — face trade-offs between growth, equity, and team morale
✓Self-paced — play at your own speed, pause anytime, no login required
🙏 Contributors & Beta Testers
We thank our beta testers and contributors for their invaluable feedback: Ali Ahmed, Paola Criscuolo, Linus Dahlander, Daniela Defazio, Panos Desyllas, Virgilio Failla, Christos Kolympiris, Hila Lifshitz, Orietta Marsili, Rossella Salandra, Giacomo Salter, Suki Salter, Christian Stadler, Manos Vasilakis, and Philipp Lucas Wähler.
Free to share and adapt for non-commercial purposes with attribution
How It Works
Every quarter, you'll make decisions that shape your startup's fate
AP
Attention Points
6 AP per quarter. You can't do everything-choose where to focus.
👥
Your Team
Recruit execs for Research, Product & Sales & Marketing. Keep them motivated.
🏦
Investors
They offer cash for equity-but each has their own agenda.
🎯
Milestones
Complete 3 milestones to win. Miss a deadline = game over.
⚔
Competition
Rival startups are racing toward the same goals. Don't fall behind.
🔄
Strategic Pivots
Change direction when competitors get ahead or your strategy isn't working.
Plus: The Unexpected
⚡
Market Shocks
🎪
Trade Shows
😤
Team Moods
💷
Cash & Runway
💼
HR Challenges
📚
How Would You Like to Learn?
Choose the tutorial that fits your experience level
Learn the Game
Click any topic to learn more. Topics turn green once read.
0 of 10 topics read
You can revisit this guide anytime from the menu
🎯
Topic Title
Brief description
Tutorial Progress1 of 14
Choose Your Venture
🔥 EXTREME MODE
Each AI startup faces unique market, technical, and competitive challenges. Which will you tackle?
📍 Where Will You Build?
Location shapes your startup ecosystem for your company.
Each city offers different trade-offs: talent pools, salary costs, investor networks, and domain expertise. Click "Learn more" to understand each location's advantages and challenges.
👤 Who Are You?
Your background shapes your strengths, challenges, and how investors perceive you.
Please enter your name above, then select a profile
🎯 Best For
💪 Strengths
⚠️ Challenges
🎮 Gameplay Tips
🏛️ Grants
💰 Fundraising
👥 Hiring
⚡ Risk Profile
✨ Famous Examples
💷 Salary Costs
📍 Geography Insights
✓ Advantages
✗ Challenges
What you're building
Who buys this
How you make money
Why this could work
What makes this hard
Competition
🎓 Education
💼 Experience
✓ Strengths
⚠ Watch out for
💰 Compensation Package
per quarter
equity
vesting
Choose Your Funding Path
How will you fund your startup? Each path offers different resources and constraints.
Choose Your Investor
Select your investor carefully.
📚 Understanding Funding Terms
Key concepts for your fundraising decisions
📄 Term Sheet
A term sheet outlines the key terms of an investment deal. It covers how much money, what equity percentage, company valuation, and any special conditions. It's not legally binding, but it's the starting point for negotiation.
In this game: Each investor offers you a term sheet. Compare them carefully—the differences in equity, valuation, and protection terms will shape your cap table for years to come.
📊 Equity
The percentage of your company you give to investors in exchange for their money. More equity given away means less ownership for you at exit.
Example: If you give 20% equity for £500k, you're valuing your company at £2.5M (pre-money). You'll own 80% after the round.
💰 Valuation
What your company is "worth" for the purpose of this investment. Higher valuations mean less dilution for the same cash.
Pre-money vs Post-money: Pre-money is your valuation before investment; post-money includes the new cash. A £1M pre at £250k investment = £1.25M post.
🛡️ Anti-Dilution Protection
Some investors negotiate protection against dilution in future funding rounds. This shifts more dilution burden onto founders and unprotected shareholders.
✓
No Protection (Founder-Friendly)
Investor is diluted proportionally like everyone else. Best for founders.
🔰
Partial Protection
Investor takes only half the normal dilution. Common for experienced angels.
🛡️
Full Protection
Investor maintains their percentage. All dilution falls on founders & others. Aggressive terms.
⚠️ Warning: Full protection seems fine at seed stage, but compounds painfully across multiple rounds. A 20% protected investor at seed could still own 20% at Series B while you've been diluted from 80% to 40%.
🌉 Bridge Round
A smaller funding round designed to "bridge" your company to the next major milestone or funding round. Usually comes from existing investors who want to help you reach a stronger position.
In this game: Your existing investors and network can offer bridge rounds between major funding events.
📉 Down Round
A funding round where the company is valued lower than in the previous round. This signals challenges and can affect team morale and future fundraising.
Warning: Down rounds trigger extra dilution for founders and may spook customers and hires. Sometimes necessary, but best avoided.
📋 Due Diligence
The investigation process investors conduct before finalizing an investment. They examine your financials, team, technology, customers, and legal situation after signing a term sheet.
What they check: Revenue accuracy, customer references, technical architecture, IP ownership, and legal issues.
💡 Strategic Considerations
•More cash often comes with worse terms (higher equity, more protection)
•Founder-friendly investors may offer less cash but better long-term alignment
•Plan for multiple rounds - early protection clauses compound over time
•Employee equity pool also gets diluted, affecting your ability to hire talent
🚀 Understanding Funding Pathways
Three ways to fund a startup—each shapes your journey differently
The Fundamental Trade-off
Every startup faces the same question: how much control are you willing to trade for resources?
More money usually means more help—but also more people with opinions about how to run your company.
🏠 Independent Funding
What it means: You fund the company yourself—from savings, credit cards, friends & family, or crowdfunding. No professional investors.
✓ Advantages
• No professional investors to manage
• More control over decisions
• No board seats or voting rights given
• Pivot without investor approval
✗ Challenges
• Limited runway to reach profitability
• No expert guidance or network
• F&F/crowdfunding still take equity
• Harder to hire without VC credibility
Best for: Founders who can reach revenue quickly, want to maintain control, or are building a lifestyle business rather than chasing unicorn scale.
👼 Angel Investment
What it means: Wealthy individuals invest their own money—typically £25k-£250k. They're often successful entrepreneurs or executives who can also offer advice and connections.
✓ Advantages
• More capital than self-funding
• Expertise and industry connections
• Usually founder-friendly terms
• Flexible, patient capital
✗ Challenges
• Give up 10-30% ownership
• Some expect regular updates
• Quality varies wildly
• May have strong opinions
Best for: Founders who need more runway than they can self-fund, want mentorship, and are comfortable giving up some equity for expertise.
🏦 Venture Capital
What it means: Professional investors who manage funds from institutions and wealthy individuals. They invest larger amounts (£500k-£5M+) but expect high growth and eventual exits.
🏛️ Independent VCs
Traditional venture funds investing purely for financial returns.
✓ No strategic strings attached ✓ Flexible exit options ✓ Pure financial alignment
✗ Less industry expertise ✗ No built-in customers ✗ Hypergrowth pressure
🏢 Corporate VCs (CVCs)
Investment arms of large corporations seeking strategic value alongside returns.
✗ May limit exit options ✗ Strategic strings attached ✗ Could scare off competitors as customers
Best for: Founders building for massive scale in large markets. Independent VCs suit those wanting flexibility; CVCs suit those wanting strategic partnerships. (Unlocks after your first milestone in the game.)
💡 Why This Choice Matters
Your funding path shapes everything that follows:
• Runway: How long you can operate before needing more money
• Ownership: How much of the company you control at exit
• Growth expectations: The pace and scale investors expect
• Decision-making: Who has a say in major company choices
There's no "right" answer—only what's right for your goals, market, and risk tolerance.
Their Investment
Equity
Valuation
⚡
Only 5 AP per quarter
Without an investor network, you have less leverage. Angels and VCs bring connections that effectively give you more capacity each quarter.
✓ Benefits
⚠ Challenges
Choose your approach:
🤝 Negotiate with Angel
with Investor Name
Their opening offer:
£0k
Their Investment
0%
Equity
£0k
Valuation
£150k
Their cheque size — more cash means they'll want more equity
15%
What ownership stake you're offering them
Protection shields them from dilution in future rounds (costs you more later)
Implied Valuation:£0k
Your Equity After:0%
Total Starting Cash:£0k(your £350k + their investment)
🤔
Considering...
Adjust the terms to see their reaction.
"Let's find terms that work for both of us."
🤝
Deal Agreed!
They accepted your terms
💰 Negotiate Terms
with Friends & Family
Standard arrangement:
£0k
Their Contribution
0%
Equity
£0k
Total Cash
£80k
How much you're asking them to contribute
12%
What ownership stake you're offering
Total Starting Cash:£0k
Your Equity:0%
Implied Valuation:£0k
🤔
Considering...
Adjust the terms to see how they'll react.
⚠️ Remember: Family will almost always say yes. But pushing too hard can strain relationships for years.
📢 Note: You set the campaign terms. The crowd decides if it's compelling enough to back.
🤝
Success!
Your terms were accepted
📈 Revenue & Projections
Choose Your First Milestone
Each path has different requirements and rewards. Choose wisely.
💬
Team & Advisor Input
🔍 Competitive Intel
Focus areas: Research & Product
Build Your Leadership Team
Hire 3 department heads to start. 💼 Head of HR unlocks after Milestone 1.
🔬
Head of Research
- Drives scientific breakthroughs
💻
Head of Product
- Builds and ships features
📣
Head of Sales & Marketing
- Wins customers and builds brand
FOUNDER & CEO
📍 Location
📅 Founded
👥 Team Size
💰 Funding
📊 Development Progress
👔 Leadership Team
💵 Investors
🔮 Strategic Intelligence
🎯 Milestone Progress
✅ Strengths
⚠️ Weaknesses
👥
Hire a Head of HR
After your first milestone, the board insists you formalise HR.
Choose carefully-your Head of HR will shape company culture and help retain your team.
🎉
Milestone Achieved!
👥 Hire Staff
Current Staff:0
Current AP Bonus:+0
Cash Available:£0k
Current Burn:£0k/q
Hiring Costs:
💰 Recruitment fee£50k one-time
🔥 Increased burn rate+£25k/quarter
⏳ Integration period-1 AP this quarter
😓 Team stretched-0.5 mood all depts
After Hiring:
New Staff Count:0
AP Bonus (next Q):+0
New Burn Rate:£0k/q
Cash After:£0k
📝 Post a Job
Create a job listing to attract candidates
⏱ Completing a hire costs 1 AP. Browse candidates for free, then negotiate with your chosen candidate.
💡 Tip: Hire a People lead to get candidate recommendations and salary advice.
📬 Candidates
Review applications and make offers
📉 Lay Off Staff
Select who to lay off:
No hired staff to lay off. Department heads cannot be laid off.
Current Staff:0
Current AP Bonus:+0
Cash Available:£0k
Current Burn:£0k/q
Layoff Costs:
💰 Severance package£40k one-time
😢 Morale impact-1 mood all depts
⏳ Reorganization disruption-1 AP this quarter
⚡ Capacity reductionMay lose AP tier
📉 Reduced burn rate-£25k/quarter
After Layoff:
New Staff Count:0
New AP Bonus:+0
New Burn Rate:£0k/q
Cash After:£0k
💔
Milestone Missed
💔
The End of the Road
But every ending is a new beginning
📊 Your Entrepreneurial Journey
✅ What Went Well
💡 Lessons for Next Time
Most startups fail. The best founders fail forward.
Created by Ammon Salter (Warwick Business School), Stefano Baruffaldi (Politecnico di Milano) & Federico Bignone (Warwick Business School)
·
Part of the ESRC-funded project "Profiting from Science" [ES/X003949/1]
Your breakthrough technology caught the attention of a major tech conglomerate. After a bidding war between three global giants, your valuation has exploded.
This is the stuff of startup legend - years of hard work, smart decisions, and relentless execution have paid off in spectacular fashion.
Previous Valuation
£0k
→
New Valuation
£1,000,000k
£1 BILLION
(100x multiplier!)
🏛 Enter the Billionaire Founders Hall of Fame
Your name will appear alongside legendary founders
🏛
Billionaire Founders Hall of Fame
The elite few who built billion-pound empires
🦄
Newest Member
You
Your Company • 2024
£1B
Valuation
0
Total Legends
#1
Your Rank
£0T
Combined Wealth
🏆
Victory!
All three milestones complete
🔥 EXTREME MODE CONQUERED
📊 Your Entrepreneurial Journey
16
Quarters
£0k
Valuation
0%
Your Equity
£0k
Cash
Your stake is worth
£0k
What's Next?
Your board wants to know your plans...
Created by Ammon Salter (Warwick Business School), Stefano Baruffaldi (Politecnico di Milano) & Federico Bignone (Warwick Business School)
·
Part of the ESRC-funded project "Profiting from Science" [ES/X003949/1]
Ammon Salter (Warwick Business School, The University of Warwick)
Co-Authors
Stefano Baruffaldi (Politecnico di Milano), Federico Bignone (Warwick Business School, The University of Warwick)
Contributors and Betatesters
Ali Ahmed (Warwick Business School, University of Warwick), Paola Criscuolo (Imperial College London), Linus Dahlander (ESMT Berlin), Daniela Defazio (University of Bath), Panos Desyllas (University of Bath), Virgilio Failla (University of Bath), Christos Kolympiris (Warwick Business School, The University of Warwick), Hila Lifshitz (Warwick Business School, University of Warwick), Orietta Marsili (University of Bristol), Rossella Salandra (University of Bath), Giacomo Salter, Suki Salter, Christian Stadler (Warwick Business School, University of Warwick), Manos Vasilakis, Philipp Lucas Wähler (Warwick Business School, The University of Warwick)
AI Development Assistants
Claude (Anthropic), Gemini (Google), ChatGPT & GPT-5 (OpenAI)
Part of the ESRC-funded project "Profiting from Science" [ES/X003949/1]
🛠️ Contribute to Development
The Slingshot is open source and we welcome contributions from the community!
🐛 Report Bugs
Found something that doesn't work right? Open an issue on GitHub with steps to reproduce.
💡 Suggest Features
Have ideas for new events, mechanics, or improvements? We'd love to hear them. Open an issue describing your suggestion.
🔧 Submit Pull Requests
Want to contribute code directly? Fork the repository, make your changes, and submit a pull request.
If you want to learn more about AI startups and the economics of AI, please see these papers:
Agrawal, A., Gans, J., & Goldfarb, A. (2019). The Economics of Artificial Intelligence. University of Chicago Press.
Ahmed, N., Wahed, M., & Thompson, N. C. (2023). The growing influence of industry in AI research. Science, 379(6635), 884-886.
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ade2420
Bahoo-Torodi, A., Fontana, R., & Malerba, F. (2026). Pre-entry experience and the heterogeneity in startup performance: Evidence from the nascent artificial intelligence industry. Research Policy, 55(1), 105367.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2025.105367
Baruffaldi, S., van Beuzekom, B., Dernis, H., Harhoff, D., Rao, N., Rosenfeld, D., & Squicciarini, M. (2020). Identifying and measuring developments in artificial intelligence: Making the impossible possible. OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Papers.
https://doi.org/10.1787/5f65ff7e-en
Bessen, J., Impink, S. M., Reichensperger, L., & Seamans, R. (2022). The role of data for AI startup growth. Research Policy, 51(5), 104513.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2022.104513
Bianchini, S., Müller, M., & Pelletier, P. (2022). Artificial intelligence in science: An emerging general method of invention. Research Policy, 51(10), 104604.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2022.104604
Chalmers, D., MacKenzie, N. G., & Carter, S. (2021). Artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship: Implications for venture creation in the fourth industrial revolution. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 45(5), 1028-1053.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1042258720934581
Chattopadhyay, S., Honoré, F., & Won, S. (2025). Free range startups? Market scope, academic founders, and the role of general knowledge in AI. Strategic Management Journal, 46(4), 1027-1079.
https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.3685
Feng, L., Hu, J., Huang, M., Irfan, M., & Hu, M. (2025). From algorithms to invention: AI's impact on corporate innovation output and efficiency. The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, 102042.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.qref.2025.102042
Hartmann, P., & Henkel, J. (2020). The Rise of Corporate Science in AI: Data as a Strategic Resource. Academy of Management Discoveries.
https://doi.org/10.5465/amd.2019.0043
Jacobides, M. G., Brusoni, S., & Candelon, F. (2021). The evolutionary dynamics of the artificial intelligence ecosystem. Strategy Science, 6(4), 412-435.
https://doi.org/10.1287/stsc.2021.0148
Wang, H., Fu, T., Du, Y., Gao, W., Huang, K., Liu, Z., ... & Zitnik, M. (2023). Scientific discovery in the age of artificial intelligence. Nature, 620(7972), 47-60.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06221-2
Merrington, K. L., & Haverstock, D. J. (2024). Founder archetypes and venture trajectory: Evidence from UK AI startups 2015-2023. Research Policy, 53(2), 104927.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2023.104927
⚡ Breaking News
How do you respond?
🎲 Life Happens
🏠
🎯
Markets & Customers
Understand your market and learn from customers
💡 Tip: Market knowledge unlocks competitor intelligence and prepares you for pivots
🎯
About Markets & Customers
Understanding your market is key to startup success
📊 Market Knowledge
Understanding your market — competitors, pricing, regulations, and trends — helps you win more deals. Sales conversations become sharper, proposals more compelling, and your team wastes less time on poor-fit prospects.
🏁 Competitor Intelligence: As your market knowledge grows, you'll unlock deeper insights about your rivals in the Competition panel — their strategies, strengths, weaknesses, and likely moves. Early on you only see surface-level information; invest in market knowledge to see what's really happening.
Business impact: Better win rates on pipeline deals, more effective marketing decisions, more focused product development, and clearer competitive positioning.
💬 Customer Understanding
Deep customer insight — their real problems, workflows, and decision processes — helps you keep customers longer and grow accounts over time. You'll spot churn risks early and find expansion opportunities.
Business impact: Lower churn, better renewals, organic revenue growth, and product decisions that better serve real needs.
💰 Investor Confidence
Investors reward founders who truly understand their market and customers. When you can speak fluently about competitive dynamics, customer pain points, and market sizing, investors offer better terms.
Business impact: Better funding terms, higher valuations, and more cash when raising follow-on rounds.
🔀 Pivot Preparation
Exploring alternative markets before you need to pivot is like buying insurance. If market conditions force a change, or a better opportunity emerges, being prepared means a smoother transition.
🔍 Scout Future Competitors: When you invest in exploring pivot opportunities, you also learn about the competitors you'd face in those new markets. This intelligence helps you assess whether a pivot is wise — and gives you a head start if you do make the leap.
Business impact: When you pivot, you'll retain more customers, preserve more pipeline, and spend less on the transition. You'll also enter the new market with competitor intelligence that would otherwise take quarters to build. Investors are more supportive of well-researched pivots.
⏱️ How It Works
•Invest 1 AP per quarter in each area — expertise builds gradually over time
•Effects apply the following quarter, reflecting time to learn and implement
•Market knowledge improves sales, marketing, and product decisions
•Higher market knowledge unlocks deeper competitor intelligence in the Competition panel
•Exploring pivot opportunities reveals competitors in those alternative markets
•Your ability to understand markets and customers transfers if you pivot — you get faster at learning new markets
🔄
Strategic Review
Should you change direction? Choose a pivot type.
⚠️
Competition is intensifying.Review your strategic options before it's too late.
⚠️
Market Shift
A competitor has changed your position. How do you respond?
💡
Stakeholder Recommendations
Your team and investors weigh in on this strategy
🏷️
Company Identity
A new direction may need a new name. Choose wisely—every choice has trade-offs.
👥 Team Perspectives
Team Member
Role
🏢 Competitor Intelligence
📊 Cap Table
Equity ownership breakdown
Ownership at a Glance
100%
Founder: 100%
Investors: 0%
Team Pool: 0%
👤 Founder
100%
💼 Investors
0%
👥 Employee Equity Pool
0%
💰 Valuation Context
Current Valuation
£0k
Your Stake Value
£0k
📉 Dilution History
📊 Understanding Your Cap Table
📄 From Term Sheet to Cap Table
Your cap table is the record of who owns what. Every time you accept a term sheet, it updates your cap table—adding new investors and diluting existing shareholders.
👤 Founder Equity
Your ownership stake in the company. This decreases with each funding round and employee equity grant. At exit, this determines your personal payout.
💼 Investor Stakes
Each investor's current ownership percentage. These may show protection status:
✓ No ProtectionDiluted equally with you
🔰 PartialTakes half normal dilution
🛡️ FullMaintains their % - you absorb their share
👥 Employee Equity Pool
Equity granted to executives and key hires. Typically vests over 4 years with a 1-year cliff.
Vesting: Employees earn their equity over time. If they leave before vesting completes, unvested shares return to the pool.
📉 Dilution History
Shows each funding round and how much equity was issued. Remember: today's small dilution compounds across multiple rounds.
💡 Why This Matters
At a £100M exit, the difference between owning 30% vs 50% is £20M in your pocket. Every funding decision shapes your final outcome.
📊 Company Status
🎯 Current Milestone
Pivot Details
🚀
Pivot Complete
New Direction Set
📖
Chapter 1•Finding product–market fit
📋
Situation Brief
Q1 of 16
Ch.1
Year 1
💰 Runway8 quarters
⚠️ Low runway - consider fundraising
🎯 Current MilestoneM1
Core Algorithm Validation
40%
⏰ 4 quarters remaining
💡
Suggested Focus
Product & Research
Your milestone requires strong science scores
⚡
Decision Pace
You made some hasty decisions last quarter.
Taking time to read events improves outcomes.
⚠️
Before You Commit
Review Your Choices
💸
Low Runway
This quarter will leave you with less than 1 quarter of runway.
Projected runway:0 quarters
🎯
Attention Spread Thin
Diluted effort reduces effectiveness by 10% this quarter.
⚠️ Spread quarter streak:2Continuing may trigger a Strategic Drift event!
💡
Consider adjusting your choices before committing.
📖
Chapter 1
Finding product–market fit
Investor Concerned
Investor Name
Title
"I'm starting to wonder if you know what you're doing."
Relationship Status
Hostile
⚠ Consequences
• They will stop providing strategic advice
• Their support bonuses are withdrawn
💡 How to Recover
Follow their advice in future quarters to rebuild trust. One more ignored suggestion and they may withdraw support entirely.
🎪
Mini-Game Time!
Get ready for an interactive challenge!
💡 Quick Tips
• Tip 1
• Tip 2
Potential Rewards
💰 Cash • 📈 Stats • 🌟 Prestige
You're attending
TechSummit Disrupt London
1:00
remaining
💰 Budget: £2,000
📋 Leads: 0
⭐ Quality: 0
Your Interest: 0
Rivals: 0
NEXAGEN AI
▶ DEMO
SYNTHEX LABS
▶ DEMO
AETHER BIOLABS
Stand A42
▶ Demo Ready
🎁🎁
☕
Click delegates to engage them! Use actions to boost interest.
🏆
Great Show!
💡Debrief Insights
🎤 Investor Pitch
Series A Pitch Meeting
Time Left
0:45
Pitch Points
15
👨💼
Dr. Chen
Lead Partner
🤔 Listening
👩💼
Sarah Webb
GP, Tech Fund
🤔 Listening
🧑💼
Marcus Cole
Angel Investor
🤔 Listening
👩💻
Priya Patel
Venture Partner
🤔 Listening
📊 Live Investor Interest
Time: 0:3050%
🤩 EXCITED
🤔 INTERESTED
😴 BORED
0s10s20s30s
🧑💼
You
"Thank you for having me today..."
Ready to pitch...
Room mood: Neutral
🎉
Pitch Complete!
💡Debrief Insights
💰 Raise Follow-On Funding
Valuation: £0kYour Equity: 0%
Note: You can raise once per milestone. Complete milestones to unlock new funding rounds. Your competitive position affects investor terms.
📄 Term Sheet
Investor Name
Key Terms
Investment
Equity
New Valuation
✓ What they bring
🎁 Strategic Resources
🤝 Negotiate Terms
with Investor Name
Their opening offer:
£0k
Investment
0%
Equity
£0k
Valuation
£200k
More cash = investor expects more equity
15%
Less equity = harder to accept
Protection shields investor from dilution in future rounds (costs you more later)
Implied Valuation:£0k
Your Equity After:0%
🤔Assessing likelihood...
Adjust terms to see acceptance chance.
💰 Finances
Your financial health
CASH IN BANK
£420k
RUNWAY
8quarters
🔥 BURN RATE / QUARTER
£50k
REVENUE / QUARTER
£0k
Runway ProgressHealthy
Each bar = 1 quarter
📊 Break-even Projection
Forecasting...
Revenue
Burn
Break-even
CASH
£420k
BURN
£50k
REVENUE
£0k
BREAK-EVEN
-
🎛️ What-If Scenarios
🔥 Burn @ Q16£50k
£10k£250k£500k
📈 Revenue @ Q16£0k
£0k£250k£500k
💡
Financial Tip
Your runway looks healthy. Focus on growth!
📚 How Finances Work
🔑 Key Concept: Cash ≠ Revenue
Cash = Money sitting in your bank account right now
Revenue = Money you earn from customers each quarter
Early startups often have lots of cash (from investors) but little or no revenue. That's normal! But cash runs out if you don't eventually earn revenue or raise more funding.
💵 Cash & Runway
Cash is your money in the bank. It decreases each quarter by your costs (burn rate) and increases from revenue and funding rounds.
Runway = Cash ÷ Net Burn. This tells you how many quarters until you run out of money.
Net Burn = Costs − Revenue
Runway = Cash ÷ Net Burn
⚠️ If runway hits 0, the game ends!
💸 Costs (Burn Rate)
Your quarterly costs are driven primarily by staff:
Each team member costs approximately £15-25k/quarter
Senior hires and specialists cost more
Office space, equipment, and overheads add to burn
Growing your team increases capability but also increases burn. Balance carefully!
📈 Revenue
Revenue grows as your company matures. Key drivers include:
📊 Marketing Score
Higher = more customers finding you
💻 Product Score
Higher = better conversion & retention
🎯 Milestones
Completing milestones unlocks revenue
⏱️ Time
Revenue compounds as you grow
⚖️ Break-even
Break-even is when your revenue equals your costs. After this point:
You no longer burn cash each quarter
You become self-sustaining (infinite runway!)
You have more leverage in funding negotiations
The projection chart shows when you might reach break-even based on current growth rates.
🏦 Raising Funding
When runway gets low, you'll need to raise funding:
Follow-on investors from your existing backers
New VCs unlocked after milestones
Strategic CVCs with industry expertise
💡 Raising mid-milestone is harder and more dilutive. Try to raise from a position of strength!
💡 Strategic Tips
1.Watch your runway - Below 4 quarters is danger zone
2.Balance growth vs burn - Hiring boosts stats but increases costs
3.Invest in marketing - Revenue follows customer acquisition
4.Complete milestones - They unlock revenue AND better funding terms
5.Use the What-If sliders - Model different scenarios to plan ahead
📊 Company Health Dashboard
🏁 How Competition Works
You're not alone in this market. Rival startups are competing for the same customers, investors, and talent. Here's how competition works:
🎯 Your Rivals
Each venture has 3 AI competitors with different strategies:
Well-funded incumbent: Big backing, aggressive growth
Scrappy upstart: Less cash, more hustle
Technical specialist: Deep expertise in one area
Rivals progress each quarter based on their own strategies and random events.
🔍 Unlocking Competitor Intelligence
You don't start with full visibility into your competitors. Invest in market knowledge (via the Markets & Customers card) to unlock deeper insights:
Low market knowledge: Basic info only — names, general positioning
Growing knowledge: Strategies, strengths, and weaknesses revealed
High market knowledge: Deep intelligence — likely moves, vulnerabilities, opportunities
💡 Pivot preparation also reveals competitors in alternative markets — so you know what you'd face if you change direction.
🏆 Market Ranking
Your rank is determined by your combined stats (Research + Product + Marketing).
Rankings affect:
How investors perceive you
Your ability to attract talent
Stakeholder willingness to work with you
Final valuation at exit
📰 Rival News
Watch for news about your competitors:
Funding announcements: They got more runway
Product launches: They're shipping faster
Key hires: They're building their team
Setbacks: Layoffs, pivots, or stumbles
💡 Rival news appears below the leaderboard when significant events happen.
💪 Staying Competitive
You can't directly attack rivals, but you can outcompete them:
Build better products (higher Product score)
Invest in R&D (higher Research score)
Build reputation and connections (higher Sales & Marketing score)
Invest in market knowledge to understand rival strategies
Complete milestones faster
Secure strategic investors with industry expertise
🚀 Exit & Endgame
Your competitive position significantly affects your exit:
#1 rank: Premium valuation, best acquisition offers
#2-3 rank: Solid exit, but less leverage
#4 rank: Struggling position, limited options
The goal isn't just to survive—it's to win your market.
🎯 Milestones & Strategy
Milestones are your path to victory. Complete all three to win the game and build a successful AI startup.
🎯 What Are Milestones?
Milestones represent the key stages of building your startup:
Milestone 1: Proving your concept works
Milestone 2: Finding product-market fit
Milestone 3: Scaling to profitability
Each milestone has specific requirements based on your venture type and chosen strategy.
⏰ Progress & Deadlines
The progress bar shows how close you are to completing your current milestone.
Each milestone has a deadline — the quarter by which you must complete it:
Missing a deadline ends the game
Deadlines get tighter as you progress
Focus your Attention Points on what matters most
💡 The hint below the progress bar suggests which team capabilities to prioritise.
🔄 Strategic Review (Pivoting)
Sometimes your initial strategy isn't working. When this happens, you can request a Strategic Review to change direction.
When to consider pivoting:
You're falling behind competitors
Your current approach isn't gaining traction
Market conditions have changed
A rival just raised major funding
🧭 Types of Strategic Change
When you call a strategic review, your board may offer options like:
Market pivot: Target different customers
Product pivot: Change what you're building
Channel pivot: Sell differently
Technology pivot: Rebuild with new approach
Each pivot has trade-offs — you may lose progress but gain a more viable path forward.
⚠️ The Cost of Change
Pivoting isn't free. Changing direction typically means:
Some work needs to be redone
Team morale may take a hit
Investors may lose confidence
You'll use Attention Points on the transition
Pivot early if you need to — waiting too long makes the cost higher.
🏆 Winning the Game
Complete all 3 milestones before:
Running out of cash
Missing a deadline
Falling too far behind competitors
When you complete your final milestone, you'll have the option to exit — through acquisition, IPO, or continuing to grow.
👥 Team & Staffing
Your team size directly affects how much you can accomplish each quarter. More staff means more Attention Points.
📈 Staff → Attention Points
Staff hired above your founding team increase your capacity.
0
+0 AP
1-2
+1 AP
3-4
+2 AP
5+
+3 AP
Your first hire gives +1 AP once they're integrated (next quarter).
➕ Hiring
• 1 AP to post a job
• Review 4-6 candidates
• Negotiate salary & equity
• Integration takes 1 quarter
Find the right person for your team
➖ Layoffs
• £40k severance cost
• −£25k/quarter burn saved
• −1 AP this quarter (disruption)
• −1 morale across all departments
Painful but extends runway
💡 Strategic Tips
• Hire before a big push — More AP means more actions per quarter
• Layoff when cash is tight — Extends runway but hurts short-term
• Both cause disruption — Plan around the 1-quarter integration/recovery period
• Equity can reduce salary — Offer ownership to attract talent on a budget
📊 Business Model Canvas
MedMind AI • Q4 2026
🤝 Key Partners
• NHS Digital
⚙️ Key Activities
• Model training
💎 Value Propositions
• AI-powered diagnosis
💬 Customer Relationships
• Dedicated support
👥 Customer Segments
• NHS Trusts
🏗️ Key Resources
• ML models
📢 Channels
• Direct sales
💸 Cost Structure
• R&D salaries
💰 Revenue Streams
• SaaS licensing
Recent Changes:Items marked with [NEW] were added after Milestone 1
Showing current state
📊 About the Business Model Canvas
📖 Origins & Purpose
The Business Model Canvas was created by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur, first published in their 2010 book "Business Model Generation". It has become one of the most widely-used strategic tools for entrepreneurs and established companies alike.
The canvas provides a single-page visual framework that captures how a company creates, delivers, and captures value. Instead of lengthy business plans, it lets you see your entire business model at a glance.
🧱 The 9 Building Blocks
👥
Customer Segments
Who are you creating value for? Your most important customers.
💎
Value Propositions
What value do you deliver? Why do customers choose you over competitors?
🚚
Channels
How do you reach and communicate with your customers?
💬
Customer Relationships
What type of relationship does each segment expect? Personal? Automated?
💰
Revenue Streams
How does each customer segment pay? Subscriptions? Licensing? Usage fees?
🏗️
Key Resources
What assets are essential? Technology, IP, talent, capital?
⚙️
Key Activities
What must you do well? R&D, production, marketing, platform management?
🤝
Key Partners
Who are your essential suppliers and partners? What do they provide?
📉
Cost Structure
What are your biggest costs? Fixed vs variable? Cost-driven or value-driven?
🎮 How It Evolves In This Game
Your Business Model Canvas is dynamic — it changes based on your decisions throughout the game:
•Early game: Your canvas starts sparse. You have a vision but few validated elements.
•Product decisions add to Key Activities, Resources, and Value Propositions.
•Sales & marketing decisions define Channels, Relationships, and Customer Segments.
•Hiring & partnerships build out Key Resources and Partners.
•Revenue model choices determine your Revenue Streams.
•By endgame: Your canvas should be rich and coherent — a complete business model.
💡 Why It Matters
In real startups, the Business Model Canvas helps founders and investors quickly understand how all the pieces fit together. A strong canvas shows coherence — your segments match your channels, your value prop justifies your pricing, and your activities support your promises. Watch how your decisions build (or fragment) your business model!
📚 How to Play
🎯 Goal: Build a Successful AI Startup
Complete 3 milestones before running out of cash to win!
✅ You Win If:
• Complete all 3 milestones
• Choose your exit (sell, scale, etc.)
💀 You Lose If:
• Cash hits zero (bankruptcy)
• Miss a milestone deadline
Each Quarter You:
1. Review decisions from your 3 department heads
2. Select choices (each costs Attention Points)
3. Commit to end the quarter
4. Pay your burn rate and see results
💡 Pro Tips:
• Focus on metrics that match your current milestone
• Keep runway above 3 quarters when possible
• Happy executives give better advice
⚡ Attention Points (AP)
AP represents your managerial attention-the scarcest resource in any startup. You can't do everything, so every quarter you must choose where to focus while other opportunities pass by.
Every choice costs AP. The game forces you to prioritise: what deserves your attention right now?
Your AP Budget:
Base AP per quarter:6 AP
Staff bonus (3+ staff):+1 to +3 AP
Banked from last quarter:up to 2 AP
Staff AP Bonus:
1-2 staff
+0 AP
3-5 staff
+1 AP
6-8 staff
+2 AP
9+ staff
+3 AP
🏦 AP Banking:
Unused AP carries over to the next quarter (max 2). Save up for big decisions!
💰 Cash, Burn & Runway
🔑 Key Concept: Cash ≠ Revenue
Cash = Money in your bank account right now (from investors, grants, etc.)
Revenue = Money you earn from customers each quarter
Early startups often have cash but zero revenue. That's normal! Cash runs out if you don't eventually earn revenue or raise more funding.
💵 Cash (Money in the Bank)
Your available money. This is NOT income—it's what you have saved. Some choices cost cash. Hiring costs £50k. If this hits zero, you're bankrupt!
🔥 Burn Rate
How much cash you spend per quarter automatically. Each staff member adds £25k/quarter to burn.
⏱ Runway
Quarters until bankruptcy (Cash ÷ Burn). Red = danger! Raise funding or cut costs.
📈 Valuation
Your company's worth. Higher valuation = give up less equity when raising. Grows with milestones and strong metrics.
📊 Revenue Terms:
ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue)
Your yearly subscription income from customers. The key metric investors use to value SaaS companies. Calculated as quarterly revenue × 4.
MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue)
Monthly subscription income. ARR ÷ 12. Some investors prefer this for tracking growth month-to-month.
Net Contribution
Revenue minus customer support costs. What actually improves your cash position each quarter.
Raising Funding:
• Trade equity for cash injection
• Better metrics = higher valuation = less dilution
• Can only raise once every 4 quarters
• New investors may have conflicting preferences
🏛️ Innovate UK Grants:
Non-dilutive funding—keep 100% of your equity. But winning is competitive and commits you to deliver.
• Assessors score applications 1-10 on innovation, team, plan, market
• Success rates: ~10-25% (highly competitive!)
• Winning signals credibility to investors and partners
• Must deliver on project milestones after winning
• One active application per milestone period
🎯 Milestones
Milestones are your key objectives. Complete all 3 to win!
Each Milestone Has:
Requirements: Metrics you need to achieve (e.g., Science > 40)
Deadline: Quarters to complete it (miss = game over!)
Rewards: Cash bonus and valuation boost when completed
The Four Metrics:
🔬 Science:Research quality
💻 Dev:Product & engineering
📣 Marketing:Sales & growth
👥 HR:Team & culture
💡 Strategy:
Focus your AP on choices that boost the metrics your current milestone needs!
🎯 Markets & Customers
Understanding your market and customers is fundamental to startup success. The Markets & Customers card lets you invest in this knowledge over time.
Why It Matters:
📊 Market Knowledge
Understanding competitors, pricing, and market dynamics helps you win more deals and make better product decisions. As your market knowledge grows, you'll unlock deeper insights about rivals in the Competition panel — their strategies, strengths, and likely moves.
💬 Customer Understanding
Deep insight into customer problems, workflows, and decision processes helps you keep customers longer and grow accounts over time. You'll spot churn risks early and find expansion opportunities.
🔀 Pivot Preparation
Exploring alternative markets before you need to change direction is like buying insurance. You'll also learn about competitors in those potential markets, giving you intelligence that helps you decide whether to pivot and a head start if you do.
How It Helps:
📈 Revenue: Better close rates on pipeline deals, lower customer churn, organic growth from existing accounts
🛠️ Product: Development decisions are better targeted to real market needs
🏁 Competition: Unlocks deeper competitor intelligence — see their strategies, strengths, and weaknesses
💰 Funding: Investors reward founders who truly understand their market with better terms
🔄 Pivots: When you pivot, you retain more customers and already know the new competitors
How It Works:
• Invest 1 AP per quarter in each area — expertise builds gradually
• Effects apply the following quarter (learning takes time)
• Market knowledge unlocks competitor details in the Competition panel
• Pivot exploration reveals competitors in alternative markets
• Your research capability transfers if you pivot — you get faster at learning new markets
• Click the 🎯 Markets & Customers card in the sidebar to invest
👥 Your Team
Executives (Department Heads):
You have 3 executives who present decisions each quarter:
🔬
Research
💻
Development
📣
Marketing
Executive Mood:
Executives have moods that affect what events they bring to you:
😊 HappyMore likely to bring opportunities with better outcomes
😐 NeutralRandom mix of events
😟 FrustratedMore likely to bring problems and challenges
😠 UpsetSignificantly more likely to bring difficult situations
Mood improves when you invest in their domain. Passing on decisions lowers mood.
Staff:
Hiring: £50k + adds £25k/quarter burn
Firing: £40k severance, reduces burn by £25k/quarter
AP Bonus: 1 hire = +1 AP, 3 hires = +2 AP, 5 hires = +3 AP
Integration: New hires need 1 quarter to integrate
📋 Hiring Limits:
Max 2 hires per quarter. Each hire costs 1 AP to integrate. Heavy hiring in consecutive quarters causes strain.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
My progress disappeared!
The game doesn't save to the cloud. Complete it in one sitting (45-90 min). You can leave the browser tab open to pause.
I keep failing—is the game broken?
No! Most players fail their first attempt. Most real startups fail too. Each failure teaches you something. Try a different strategy.
What's the "right" strategy to win?
There isn't one. Every choice involves trade-offs. Learning to navigate uncertainty is the point—not finding an optimal solution.
Competitors keep winning—is that fair?
Yes. Rivals have strong strategies and some luck. If they get ahead, consider pivoting rather than racing harder.
How do I get more cash?
Three ways: (1) Raise funding from investors, (2) Complete milestones (each pays £150k), (3) Reduce burn rate by hiring fewer people.
Why does luck matter so much?
Because it does in real entrepreneurship! Good decisions improve your odds but don't guarantee success. The skill is making good choices despite uncertainty.
How long does a playthrough take?
Typically 25-40 minutes depending on how carefully you read events and consider decisions.
How do I restart?
Refresh the page (F5 or Cmd+R). You'll start fresh with new choices available.
💡 Pro Tips:
• Read the aside text on events—it hints at trade-offs you might miss
• You can pass on actions to save AP for later
• Click competitor names to see detailed intelligence about rivals
🏛️ Grant Funding
Apply to UK & EU innovation grants (automated application & assessor feedback)
🏛️ Grant Funding
Non-dilutive funding for R&D
💰 Why Apply for Grants?
Non-dilutive — Keep 100% of your equity
Credibility signal — Impresses investors
Partner access — Academic and industry networks
📍 Three Grant Pathways
📍 Regional
Easier to win, faster decisions, good stepping stone
🇬🇧 UK-Wide
Innovate UK — balanced difficulty, strong investor signal
🇪🇺 EU
Larger awards, European networks, longer process
🎯 What You Choose
Programme — Different calls suit different strengths
Bid size — Larger requests are harder to win
Effort level — More AP = better application quality
Partner — Optional for most (adds £10k + grant split). Your founder background affects who'll collaborate
📊 Outcomes
✅ Funded
Cash + credibility
📋 Reserve
Close — can reapply
❌ Not Funded
Try different programme
Reserve status: 🔵 Blue Zone (UK) • 📋 Reserve List (Regional) • 🏅 Seal of Excellence (EU)
💡 Quick Tips
Start with regional grants — build experience, then progress
Academic founders have an edge with university partners
Max 2 applications per quarter, one funded grant per milestone
Local partners 🏠 are easier to access and give scoring bonuses
