ENTREPRENEURIAL HELP
Tech Startups 101
ENTREPRENEURIAL HELP
Tech Startups 101
ENTREPRENEURIAL HELP
Tech Startups 101
How it Works
Building a tech startup is a journey with distinct stages, clear milestones, and very different capital needs along the way. CORE helps founders navigate each step—from validating their idea to proving customer demand to raising capital for growth. This page explains the basics so anyone can quickly understand how tech startups work and how CORE supports them.
1
1
1
Idea Stage
A founder has identified a problem worth solving and has a rough idea for a solution.
Primary Goals
Validate the problem
Talk to prospective customers
Sketch possible solutions
Create an early pitch
Primary Goals
Validate the problem
Talk to prospective customers
Sketch possible solutions
Create an early pitch
Primary Goals
Validate the problem
Talk to prospective customers
Sketch possible solutions
Create an early pitch
Capital Needs
Personal capital only
Not yet ready for outside investment
The most important resource is time spent with potential customers
Capital Needs
Personal capital only
Not yet ready for outside investment
The most important resource is time spent with potential customers
Capital Needs
Personal capital only
Not yet ready for outside investment
The most important resource is time spent with potential customers
How CORE helps
Pre-Accelerator program focused on customer discovery
Support creating a pitch deck
Creation of a 3-minute pitch video
Basic product sketches and early product concepts
How CORE helps
Pre-Accelerator program focused on customer discovery
Support creating a pitch deck
Creation of a 3-minute pitch video
Basic product sketches and early product concepts
How CORE helps
Pre-Accelerator program focused on customer discovery
Support creating a pitch deck
Creation of a 3-minute pitch video
Basic product sketches and early product concepts
Outputs from this stage
Validated problem
Initial product concept
Early pitch materials
Customer insights to guide development
Outputs from this stage
Validated problem
Initial product concept
Early pitch materials
Customer insights to guide development
Outputs from this stage
Validated problem
Initial product concept
Early pitch materials
Customer insights to guide development
2
2
2
Proof of Concept (POC)
A founder has identified a problem worth solving and has a rough idea for a solution.
Primary Goals
Secure a first paid customer pilot
Obtain a letter of intent (LOI)
Build extended product designs or an initial prototype
Demonstrate early commercial demand
Primary Goals
Secure a first paid customer pilot
Obtain a letter of intent (LOI)
Build extended product designs or an initial prototype
Demonstrate early commercial demand
Primary Goals
Secure a first paid customer pilot
Obtain a letter of intent (LOI)
Build extended product designs or an initial prototype
Demonstrate early commercial demand
Capital Needs
$15K–$25K typically sufficient for early prototype development
Still too early for a major outside round
Capital Needs
$15K–$25K typically sufficient for early prototype development
Still too early for a major outside round
Capital Needs
$15K–$25K typically sufficient for early prototype development
Still too early for a major outside round
How CORE helps
$15,000 proof-of-concept investment
Hands-on support to help founders refine product direction and customer engagement
Guidance to prepare for the first major raise (pre-seed)
How CORE helps
$15,000 proof-of-concept investment
Hands-on support to help founders refine product direction and customer engagement
Guidance to prepare for the first major raise (pre-seed)
How CORE helps
$15,000 proof-of-concept investment
Hands-on support to help founders refine product direction and customer engagement
Guidance to prepare for the first major raise (pre-seed)
Outputs from this stage
Prototype or expanded product design
Pilot customer or LOI
Foundation for a pre-seed raise
Outputs from this stage
Prototype or expanded product design
Pilot customer or LOI
Foundation for a pre-seed raise
Outputs from this stage
Prototype or expanded product design
Pilot customer or LOI
Foundation for a pre-seed raise
3
3
3
Pre-Seed
The company begins building out a functional prototype and running a structured customer pilot.
Primary Goals
Build the full prototype
Run a paid pilot to test assumptions
Begin defining sales and user acquisition channels
Demonstrate that someone will pay for the product
Primary Goals
Build the full prototype
Run a paid pilot to test assumptions
Begin defining sales and user acquisition channels
Demonstrate that someone will pay for the product
Primary Goals
Build the full prototype
Run a paid pilot to test assumptions
Begin defining sales and user acquisition channels
Demonstrate that someone will pay for the product
Capital Needs
Typically $250K–$500K
Used for product development, pilot execution, early hires (contract or part-time)
Capital Needs
Typically $250K–$500K
Used for product development, pilot execution, early hires (contract or part-time)
Capital Needs
Typically $250K–$500K
Used for product development, pilot execution, early hires (contract or part-time)
How CORE helps
Continued mentoring and connections
Coaching on pilot structure, pricing, and early go-to-market strategy
Prep for the next stage (seed)
How CORE helps
Continued mentoring and connections
Coaching on pilot structure, pricing, and early go-to-market strategy
Prep for the next stage (seed)
How CORE helps
Continued mentoring and connections
Coaching on pilot structure, pricing, and early go-to-market strategy
Prep for the next stage (seed)
Outputs from this stage
Working prototype
Paid pilot results and insights
Early go-to-market strategy
Readiness for a seed round
Outputs from this stage
Working prototype
Paid pilot results and insights
Early go-to-market strategy
Readiness for a seed round
Outputs from this stage
Working prototype
Paid pilot results and insights
Early go-to-market strategy
Readiness for a seed round
4
4
4
Seed
The company has early traction and is now focused on replicable growth.
Primary Goals
Expand and refine sales processes
Build consistent customer acquisition
Increase revenue and retention
Strengthen the product based on real-world use
Primary Goals
Expand and refine sales processes
Build consistent customer acquisition
Increase revenue and retention
Strengthen the product based on real-world use
Primary Goals
Expand and refine sales processes
Build consistent customer acquisition
Increase revenue and retention
Strengthen the product based on real-world use
Capital Needs
Typically $500K–$1.5M
Funds major product enhancements, sales expansion, onboarding systems, and early hiring
Capital Needs
Typically $500K–$1.5M
Funds major product enhancements, sales expansion, onboarding systems, and early hiring
Capital Needs
Typically $500K–$1.5M
Funds major product enhancements, sales expansion, onboarding systems, and early hiring
How CORE helps
Repeatable customer acquisition
Strong product-market fit indicators
Ability to raise a Series A for scale
How CORE helps
Repeatable customer acquisition
Strong product-market fit indicators
Ability to raise a Series A for scale
How CORE helps
Repeatable customer acquisition
Strong product-market fit indicators
Ability to raise a Series A for scale
Outputs from this stage
Repeatable customer acquisition
Strong product-market fit indicators
Ability to raise a Series A for scale
Outputs from this stage
Repeatable customer acquisition
Strong product-market fit indicators
Ability to raise a Series A for scale
Outputs from this stage
Repeatable customer acquisition
Strong product-market fit indicators
Ability to raise a Series A for scale
5
5
5
Growth (Series A, B, and Beyond)
The company focuses on scaling revenue, expanding the team, and accelerating product development.
Primary Goals
Expand sales and marketing
Grow the team across all functions
Invest heavily in product and engineering
Form strategic partnerships
Enter new markets
Primary Goals
Expand sales and marketing
Grow the team across all functions
Invest heavily in product and engineering
Form strategic partnerships
Enter new markets
Primary Goals
Expand sales and marketing
Grow the team across all functions
Invest heavily in product and engineering
Form strategic partnerships
Enter new markets
Capital Needs
Multi-million-dollar rounds depending on growth targets
This is where significant job creation occurs
Capital Needs
Multi-million-dollar rounds depending on growth targets
This is where significant job creation occurs
Capital Needs
Multi-million-dollar rounds depending on growth targets
This is where significant job creation occurs
Outputs from this stage
Large customer base
Scaled operations
Significant economic and employment impact
Outputs from this stage
Large customer base
Scaled operations
Significant economic and employment impact
Outputs from this stage
Large customer base
Scaled operations
Significant economic and employment impact
6
6
6
Success / Exit
A company is acquired, partially sold, or goes public.
Key Points
Founders, employees with stock options, and investors may see significant returns
Only ~1 in 10 tech startups that reach the pre-seed stage will make it this far
Exits fuel wealth creation, reinvestment, and future entrepreneurial activity
Key Points
Founders, employees with stock options, and investors may see significant returns
Only ~1 in 10 tech startups that reach the pre-seed stage will make it this far
Exits fuel wealth creation, reinvestment, and future entrepreneurial activity
Key Points
Founders, employees with stock options, and investors may see significant returns
Only ~1 in 10 tech startups that reach the pre-seed stage will make it this far
Exits fuel wealth creation, reinvestment, and future entrepreneurial activity
Idealized Cap Table
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Idealized Cap Table
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Idealized Cap Table
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FAQs
We’re Here to Help
FAQs
We’re Here to Help
FAQs
We’re Here to Help
Is startup success about the idea?
No. It’s about execution.
Great startups often evolve far from their initial idea—what matters is customer discovery, speed of learning, and building something people will pay for
Is startup success about the idea?
No. It’s about execution.
Great startups often evolve far from their initial idea—what matters is customer discovery, speed of learning, and building something people will pay for
Is startup success about the idea?
No. It’s about execution.
Great startups often evolve far from their initial idea—what matters is customer discovery, speed of learning, and building something people will pay for