5:30 · yogashala
5:30 · yogashala
you start before your inbox does.
yoga, meditation, or just quiet with the ghats. no agenda, no performance. your nervous system remembers what it's for.
cohort zero · applications open
5 spots only
the structured boost
you've been looking for.
you have product. you have traction. and that one stubborn thing keeping the next stage out of reach. we'll work alongside you until it isn't.
one problem.90 days.proof.
built on 4 years of building with founders
8
accelerator cohorts
400+
founders in network
37
portfolio companies
3
sprint tracks
- fundraise
- go-to-market
- team-build
our investment partners
you're not at zero. you have product, customers, and signal. what you don't yet have is the structured boost to push past what's holding you up
you've sat through workshops. you've watched cohort programs move at the pace of the room. and you've felt that something is still missing, not more information, but more traction with uncertainty.
our job is to create the conditions where you find yours, faster than you would alone.
what's different
co-building, not consulting.
we don't write a report and wave goodbye. we stay in it week by week, until the work is good enough to ship. an advisor gives you captain america. we bring the avengers with sherpas across fundraising, go-to-market, team, finance, and brand, measured on your outcome, not our hours.
vs. an advisor
one fee. a full bench.
the cost of one advisor buys a portfolio of sherpas. matched to your growth gaps.
vs. cohort programs
your charter. our crew.
cohorts of five. we cobuild on your charter. weekly working sessions, two residencies at the ecoāshrām, a team of sherpas bench on your charter.
vs. advisory retainers
we win when you win.
mostly post-paid, tied to your milestones. our upside is your outcome.
the founder journey
3 months. one problem. done together.
T -30 days · before you arrive
selection + charter
the set-up
application → contract
- application reviewed; meet our team
- matched with your sprint sherpas
- charter co-written together
- contribution terms agreed and co-signed
day 1 → 5 · opening residency
direction + deep work
at the startup ecoāshrām
5 days · western ghats, north of goa
- side-by-side with your sprint sherpas
- deep work afternoons, sewa and community in the evening
- your charter leaves this session locked — problem statement tight, scope agreed, ready to work. when we go remote, we hit the ground running.
- meet the 4 other founders — building is isolating. the peer circle is the antidote: four founders who've lived a version of your story and will give you the one thing most people in your life can't — genuine understanding, and an honest mirror.
day 5 → 85 · the remote sprint
the work itself
remote sprint
11 weeks
- weekly working sessions, scheduled and sacrosanct. additional sessions available for when the sprint demands it.
- three checkpoints — we build to each one together, and we don't leave one behind until it holds.
- founder circles for empathy, shared experiences and peer accountability
- building toward your charter outcome
day 85 → 90 · closing residency
outcomes, not ceremonies
the close
5 days · western ghats, north of goa
- sprint debrief, what worked documented
- demo day for qualifying founders
- playbook v1, the gains are yours to keep
- the relationship doesn't end here
see a sample sprint charter. a real charter is shorter, sharper, and signed by both sides. this one is shaped from past portfolio cases.
sprint tracks
one problem solved beats
three problems workshopped.
three tracks. each founder picks one. the sprint goes all the way in on that problem, and only that problem.
track 01
fundraise
"come back when you have more traction." you're getting meetings, but not closing. investors seem interested, then go quiet, and you can't quite tell why.
sprint outcome
a fundable story backed by evidence, and three or more warm investor conversations in active diligence by sprint close.
not the right fit if:
you haven't yet built a financial model. that's a founder-prep step, not a fundraise sprint, start with our fundraise bootcamp, then come back.
wk 1
narrative surgery
one version of the story, tested on 2 external voices
wk 2
financial model stress test
the 5 hardest investor questions resolved
wk 3
investor targeting
pipeline of 30–50 names, build3-approved
wk 4
outreach in motion
3+ outreaches sent, 1+ confirmed next step
wk 5
objection mapping
a live objection log, tested in real conversations
wk 6
pipeline deepening
build3 warm intros activated
wk 7
diligence readiness
data room structured, no surprises
wk 8
pitch under pressure
a full run-through, pitch holds under diligence
wk 9–10
pipeline consolidation + demo day prep
warm intro list locked
track 02
go-to-market
the product works. your earliest customers love it. but growth is entirely founder-shaped, when you stop pushing, growth stops. you haven't yet found the channel that compounds without you.
sprint outcome
one channel showing consistent, repeatable acquisition at defensible unit economics, and a motion the founder is no longer running by hand.
note for B2C founders: brand and design fold into go-to-market here. for consumer brands, brand is the channel, discovery, preference, adoption, stickiness all live on it. we'll work it inside go-to-market, not as a separate sprint.
not the right fit if:
you don't yet have a paying customer. that's a 0-to-1 problem, and our accelerator is the better fit.
wk 1
brand foundation
brand thesis stress-tested against 3 real customer touchpoints; one-page brand signal locked
wk 2
channel prioritization
2 channels selected, thesis and kill criteria set
wk 3
live test
both channels in market, real data by end of week
wk 4
kill or double down
one channel decision, documented
wk 5
iteration
surviving channel adjusted on data
wk 6
retest
adjusted motion back in market
wk 7
systemise
motion runnable without founder in the loop
wk 8
first hand-off
motion handed to one other person
wk 9
handoff quality check
what broke, what held, one adjustment made
wk 10
document
CAC defensible in one sentence
track 03
team-build
you are the company. every important decision still runs through you. hiring has been a graveyard. and the people you do want, a co-founder, a senior hire, even the right AI teammate, you haven't yet figured out how to find or onboard.
sprint outcome
the founder freed from at least one critical function. the specific hire (or hires) you needed, co-founder, key role, or AI team member, sourced, onboarded, and producing. plus the operating structure to hold it.
not the right fit if:
you're a solo founder applying because you don't want to hire. this track is for founders ready to bring people in, not looking for permission to stay solo.
wk 1
the gap and the hire
the specific bottleneck role (or co-founder shape) defined in writing
wk 2
sourcing in motion
targeted outreach started: networks, AI tools, our portfolio
wk 3
structural options
3 written delegation/structure options with tradeoffs
wk 4
first conversations
candidates in pipeline, first interviews done
wk 5
structural change executed
not planned. executed. documented same week.
wk 6
onboarding plan
the first 30 days for the new person, written before they start
wk 7
hire made
offer out, accepted, start date confirmed
wk 8
first delegation test
decisions made without founder, outcomes logged
wk 9–10
embed + document
operating model v1 documented, with the new hire in it
not sure which track? start with groundwork.
a clarity sprint for founders pulled in too many directions — a fourth track for when fundraise, go-to-market, and team-build all feel partly right, and none feel like the obvious next move.
if that’s you, clarity is the bottleneck, not execution. groundwork is a 2-hour workshop to name what’s actually tangled, then a 6–8 week retainer to build the structure to act on it. one founder, one charter, hybrid by design.
what you walk away with
- clarity, in writing — a read of where your business actually stands.
- two or three priorities, ranked and named.
- an operating structure to start moving on them, so you leave with momentum, not just a clearer view.
if a sprint is the right next step, this becomes your sprint charter. if it isn’t, you still leave with the clarity.
the place
you've turned this problem over for months.
the eco-āshrām is where you stop and something shifts.
it's not that you haven't worked hard enough. it's that you haven't stopped long enough. five days in the western ghats, north of goa. a working ecovillage, not a retreat. you still do the work. you just do it differently.
western ghats · north of goa
the day has a shape here. that's the point.
8:30 · deep work
8:30 · deep work
four and a half hours, protected.
you, your sherpas, your sprint charter, and the problem you came here to solve. no pings. no context-switching. just the work, and people who take it as seriously as you do.
14:30 · sewa
14:30 · sewa
the gardens, the farm, the kitchen.
small acts of stewardship alongside the community. you don't schedule clarity, but founders consistently find it here, doing something with their hands that has nothing to do with their product. just moments of serendipity.
19:00 · long table
19:00 · long table
food cooked together, eaten together.
four other founders running their own sprints. artists, builders, and sherpas who chose this on purpose. the most useful conversations rarely happen in the sessions, they happen on the walk back from the farm, or across the table after dinner, when your guard is down and your thinking is loose.
we've built the conditions. you bring the problem. the rest takes care of itself.
residencies
two · 5 days each
one at the start of your sprint, one at the close.
stay value
₹2,500/day
included in your contribution, not overhead on top.
a note on sewa
we are inclusive
if sewa isn't possible for you for any reason, reach out. we'll have the conversation.
what is sewa?read more +
every afternoon at the eco-āshrām, we step away from our laptops and contribute to the life of the place — the gardens, the farm, the kitchen, the community. not as a break from the work. as part of it.
when you give without agenda — to a place, to a community, to something larger than your startup — you get back more than you put in. clarity, energy, and the kind of thinking that doesn't happen on a screen.
who you're working with
sherpas, not panellists.
to sherpa is not a metaphor we use lightly. we've walked this route with hundreds of founders before you. we know the cliffs, the false summits, the places people lose time.
varun chawlaco-founder, build38 cohorts, 37 portfolio companies on fundraising and strategyview on linkedin →arvind gourishankarsherpafinancial models and investor decks across seed and Series Aview on linkedin →sanya kalanisherpahelped 10+ founders close their first institutional roundview on linkedin →karanvir guptasherpabuilt go-to-market for B2B SaaS and D2C consumer brandsview on linkedin →anshu budhrajasherpascaled 3 D2C consumer brands to ₹1Cr+ MRRview on linkedin →nishant kaushiksherpagrowth strategist for early-stage startupsview on linkedin →girish sampathsherpaCFO and finance operator across 5 startupsview on linkedin →ajay guptasherpaexecutive coach for founders navigating co-founder and team dynamicsview on linkedin →indira vartaksprint lead · venture builderdesigned AI-powered learning experiences used by 5,000+ learnersview on linkedin →pranav khannasprint lead · venture builderproduct and growth across multiple early-stage startupsview on linkedin →
contribution
tell us what this is worth to you.
we'll build the terms together.
think about what this problem has already cost you. then tell us what solving it is worth in cash, equity, or a mix of both. one honest offer is all we ask for. you'll know within one conversation.
what you get
3 months side-by-side.
two residencies at the startup ecoāshrām, weekly working sessions, sherpa team activation, sprint charter execution.
3 months in your corner.
fortnightly check-ins, investor pipeline support, follow-on connections.
₹25,000 of any cash you put in comes back as stay value at the ecoāshrām. no fine print, no surprises.
how payment works
a little upfront. the rest when it works.
across 3 months
20%
of the cash component, paid in instalments. signals we're both in.
when the outcome lands
balance cash + all advisory equity
we win when you do.
20% is our floor, not a ceiling. advisory equity paperwork done on day one, held in escrow.
a worked example
a founder offers ₹4L cash + 2% advisory equity against two advanced-stage investor conversations within 9 months.
- across the sprint: 20% of ₹4L = ₹80,000, paid in instalments
- at outcome: remaining ₹3.2L cash + full 2% advisory equity transferred
- if the round closes: an agreed success kicker applies on top
- advisory equity paperwork done on day one, held in escrow
we'll walk you through everything in one honest intake call. one conversation, nothing hidden.
after the sprint
the sprint ends.
the relationship doesn't.
demo day, for qualifying founders
earned through sprint progress, not handed out. qualifying founders are introduced to our investor network in a closed session at the closing residency.
co-investment as you grow
we hold advisory equity from the sprint. as you scale, we may co-invest at subsequent rounds alongside our investor network. when the next round is right for both of us.
distribution introductions
targeted introductions to the distribution partners and growth networks that actually fit what you're building. the door we open is the right door.
co-founder matching, if a gap surfaced
if a missing co-founder or key hire became the question during the sprint, we run an AI-assisted matching process across our alumni and extended network.
startup ecoāshrām access, by invitation
alumni founders may be invited back as members. access is subject to a separate contribution. we'll talk about it when the moment is right.
questions
the ones founders ask most.
is this right for me?+
this works best if you’re post-revenue, somewhere between pre-seed and pre-Series A, with product and traction and one stubborn problem keeping the next stage out of reach.
it’s not the right fit if you’re pre-revenue, looking for validation over real work, or not yet ready to move on the problem you’re bringing in.
if you’re on the fence, fill the intake form, book a builder date. one conversation will tell us both.
how is this different from build3's accelerator?+
the accelerator is for founders at 0-to-1, finding product-market fit, getting to first paying customers. the venture builder sprint is for founders who've cleared that and are stuck at the next inflection point. it's a 1:1 co-building engagement capped at 5 founders, with fully personalised charters and no shared curriculum.
is this contribution an expense or an investment?+
an investment, in the most concrete way we can make it. only 20% of the cash component is paid during the 3 months we're working alongside you, enough to cover our costs and signal that we're both in. the balance cash and all advisory equity is paid only when the outcome we agreed on actually lands. our compensation is tied to a result that's worth more to you than what you put in, not to the hours we logged. if the sprint doesn't move the needle, most of your contribution stays in your pocket. it's structured to be a wager on the outcome, not a fee for our time.
do I have to be a build3 alum to apply?+
no. cohort zero includes up to 2 curated external founders. our alumni and portfolio network is the primary pool, but the right external founder at the right stage is very welcome.
what if the cash component is a stretch?+
we can structure the contribution with less cash and more advisory equity, that's exactly the kind of thing the intake call is for. if timing is the real constraint, tell us. we'd rather find a way to make it work than have the wrong bottleneck block the right founder.
what is sewa, and is it really non-optional?+
sewa is the morning practice at the startup ecoāshrām, time in the kitchen, on the farm, or in the gardens, alongside the team that keeps the place running. it's part of the experience because the cognitive reset it creates is what makes the deep afternoon work possible. that said, we're inclusive, under exceptional circumstances, we'll consider alternatives. don't let it deter the right founder from applying.
can I work on more than one problem?+
no. each founder gets one primary sprint charter. one problem deeply solved beats three problems workshopped. the intake conversation helps identify which problem is actually the bottleneck, and which ones to set aside for now.
can solo founders apply?+
yes. solo founders and co-founder teams are both welcome. the only nuance is the team-build track, which is for founders who are ready to hire (including a co-founder), not for solo founders looking for permission to stay solo.
when does cohort zero start?+
we're in active selection now. cohort zero is capped at 5 founders, applications are reviewed within 5 working days, and selected founders are invited to a 30-minute intake call. apply early, we close selection once the cohort is full.
apply
cohort zero is open.
5 spots. first come, first selected.
10 minutes. no trick questions. reviewed within 5 working days.