Pre-Seed Validation Roadmap v0.3¶

24-Month Bootstrap to Profitability Plan¶

ORGANIC GROWTH MODEL - No External Investment Required¶

Validation Philosophy¶

"Build sustainable business first, raise growth capital from strength (optional)"

Core Validation Principle:¶

Test the riskiest assumptions first with minimal time and money investment. Build evidence systematically for either: - Path A: Profitable, sustainable business without external funding - Path B: Strong position for Series A fundraising (15-25% dilution vs 40%+ preseed)

Success Criteria:¶

Product-Market Fit: Clear evidence startups will pay for integrated solution across lifecycle tiers
Technology Validation: AI coordination working reliably at Swiss quality standards
Channel Validation: Multiple channels working (VC partnerships + direct + referrals)
Unit Economics Proof: 37% gross margins, 15%+ net margins at scale
Organic Sustainability: CHF 160K+ MRR by Month 24, profitable, founders paid

Phase 1: Foundation Validation (Months 1-3)¶

Goal: Prove core concept works with your own startup Funding: Founder savings + part-time consulting income (bootstrap mode) Burn Rate: Minimal - living expenses only, no salaries yet

Month 1: Technical Proof of Concept¶

Validate: "Can AI coordinate marketing work while maintaining Swiss quality?"

Week 1-2: Minimal Viable AI System¶

Build Core Components:
✓ Basic task breakdown system (manual + AI assistance)
✓ Context preservation framework (strategy document storage)
✓ Simple quality validation checklist
✓ Time tracking and reporting dashboard

Test With: Your startup's immediate marketing needs
Success Criteria: Complete 1 marketing project using AI coordination

Week 3-4: Swiss Talent Integration¶

Recruit & Test:
✓ Identify 2-3 Swiss marketing professionals willing to test concept
✓ Offer equity/early payment for pilot participation
✓ Execute marketing tasks using AI coordination system
✓ Document quality, efficiency, and satisfaction metrics

Success Criteria: Maintain quality standards with AI coordination

Month 2: Market Problem Validation¶

Validate: "Do Swiss startups have this problem urgently enough to pay?"

Week 1-2: Customer Development Interviews¶

Target: 20+ Swiss startup founders (Preseed stage)
Questions:
✓ How do you currently handle marketing execution?
✓ What challenges do you face proving marketing ROI to investors?
✓ How much do you spend monthly on marketing services?
✓ What would integrated execution + transparency be worth to you?

Success Criteria: >70% confirm problem is urgent and would consider paying

Week 3-4: Investor Problem Validation¶

Target: 5+ Swiss VCs with portfolio management focus
Questions:
✓ How do you currently assess marketing effectiveness in portfolio?
✓ What operational transparency would be most valuable?
✓ Would you fund/mandate portfolio marketing transparency tools?
✓ What price point would justify implementation across portfolio?

Success Criteria: 2+ VCs express genuine interest in pilot programs

Month 3: Solution-Problem Fit¶

Validate: "Does our specific solution address validated problems?"

Week 1-2: Solution Concept Testing¶

Present Integrated Model to Interviewed Stakeholders:
✓ Show AI coordination demo with real marketing work
✓ Demonstrate transparency reporting generated from execution
✓ Test pricing model acceptance (target rate of CHF 110-125/hour + platform fees)
✓ Validate "no dashboard without execution" positioning

Success Criteria: >60% of stakeholders prefer integrated model over alternatives

Week 3-4: Self-Use Case Study Development¶

Document Your Startup's Results:
✓ Marketing performance before/after AI coordination implementation
✓ Time savings and efficiency gains from integrated approach
✓ Quality improvements and investor reporting benefits
✓ Total cost comparison vs. traditional agency + consultant approach

Success Criteria: Compelling ROI story for investor presentations

Phase 2: Market Validation (Months 4-6)¶

Goal: Prove market demand with paying beta clients Revenue Target: CHF 15K MRR by Month 6 (5 paying clients) Funding: Still on founder savings, revenue covers some operational costs Key Milestone: First paying clients validate willingness to pay

Month 4: Beta Client Acquisition¶

Validate: "Will startups actually pay for this service?"

Week 1-2: Beta Program Design + Multi-Channel Preparation¶

Create Beta Offering:
✓ 3-month pilot program with 50% discount pricing (CHF 1.5K-2.5K/month)
✓ Success guarantees and risk mitigation for clients
✓ Clear deliverables and measurement criteria
✓ Feedback collection and improvement process

Parallel Channel Development:
✓ Direct: Target 3-5 Swiss startups from customer development interviews
✓ VC: Present portfolio dashboard concept to 2-3 VCs from earlier conversations
✓ Referral: Ask accelerator contacts for warm introductions

Week 3-4: Beta Client Onboarding¶

Pilot Implementation:
✓ Full marketing assessment and strategy development
✓ AI coordination system setup and talent assignment
✓ Technical infrastructure integration (CRM, automation)
✓ Baseline measurement and reporting implementation

Success Criteria: Successfully onboard 3+ paying beta clients

Month 5: Service Delivery Validation¶

Validate: "Can we deliver Swiss quality consistently with AI coordination?"

Week 1-4: Execution Excellence¶

Deliver Full Service to Beta Clients:
✓ Marketing campaign development and execution
✓ Technical infrastructure setup and optimization
✓ Real-time transparency reporting and insights
✓ Quality assurance and client satisfaction monitoring

Track Metrics:
- Project completion rate (target: >95%)
- Client satisfaction scores (target: >4.5/5)
- Quality consistency across different talent
- AI coordination effectiveness and efficiency

Month 6: Business Model Validation¶

Validate: "Are unit economics sustainable and scalable?"

Week 1-2: Financial Analysis¶

Calculate Actual Metrics:
✓ True cost per hour (including all overhead)
✓ Actual gross margins achieved
✓ Client acquisition cost through different channels
✓ Time to break-even per client relationship

Compare to Financial Model Projections

Week 3-4: Scaling Feasibility¶

Test Capacity Expansion:
✓ Recruit additional Swiss marketing talent
✓ Scale AI coordination across multiple concurrent clients
✓ Maintain quality standards with increased volume
✓ Validate talent availability and retention

Success Criteria: Demonstrate scalable operations with consistent quality

Phase 3: Multi-Channel Scaling (Months 7-9)¶

Goal: Validate both VC partnership AND direct acquisition channels Revenue Target: CHF 40-50K MRR by Month 9 (10-12 clients) Funding: Still bootstrap, revenue covers more costs, founders still minimal/no salary Key Milestone: Prove repeatable client acquisition through multiple channels

Month 7: VC Partnership Development + Direct Channel Growth¶

Validate: "Will VCs pay for portfolio dashboards and refer clients?"

Week 1-2: VC Portfolio Benefit Model Design¶

Create VC Value Proposition:
✓ Portfolio transparency dashboard (CHF 300-500/month per portfolio company)
✓ Cross-company benchmarking capabilities
✓ Operational excellence signal to LPs
✓ ROI calculation: CHF 90K/year < hiring portfolio ops person (CHF 150K+)
✓ Opt-in execution for startups (not mandated - key difference)

Present to 3+ interested VCs from previous interviews

Week 3-4: VC Pilot Agreement + Direct Sales Acceleration¶

VC Partnership Track:
✓ Negotiate 3-month dashboard trial with 1 VC (15 portfolio companies)
✓ VC pays CHF 7.5K/month for portfolio visibility
✓ Strong recommendation to portfolio, but startup decides
✓ Success metric: 40-70% portfolio adoption rate

Direct Acquisition Track (run in parallel):
✓ Launch founder-focused content marketing ("Preseed Marketing Playbook")
✓ Leverage beta client success stories for referrals
✓ Target 2-3 direct clients per month through network

Success Criteria: 1+ VC partnership signed + 2+ direct clients added

Month 8: Portfolio Implementation¶

Validate: "Does portfolio-wide adoption create value for VCs?"

Week 1-4: VC Pilot Execution¶

Implement Across Portfolio Companies:
✓ Rapid onboarding of VC-mandated clients
✓ Standardized execution methodology across companies
✓ Portfolio-level reporting and benchmarking
✓ VC satisfaction and feedback collection

Track Metrics:
- Implementation speed (target: <30 days per company)
- Portfolio company satisfaction with mandated service
- VC satisfaction with transparency and insights
- Revenue predictability from portfolio relationships

Month 9: Channel Scalability¶

Validate: "Can investor-led model scale beyond pilots?"

Week 1-2: Channel Economics Analysis¶

Calculate Channel Performance:
✓ Customer acquisition cost via VC channel vs. direct
✓ Sales cycle length for portfolio adoptions
✓ Retention rates for VC-mandated vs. direct clients
✓ Revenue predictability and expansion potential

Compare to traditional B2B sales approaches

Week 3-4: Channel Expansion Planning¶

Scale VC Relationships:
✓ Identify next 5+ VCs for partnership discussions
✓ Refine value proposition based on pilot learnings
✓ Develop systematic VC outreach and onboarding process
✓ Create reference stories from successful pilots

Success Criteria: Clear path to 10+ VC partnerships within 12 months

Phase 4: Bootstrap Sustainability (Months 10-12)¶

Goal: Achieve founder sustainability milestone Revenue Target: CHF 75-90K MRR by Month 12 (15-20 clients, mixed tiers) Funding: Revenue covers ALL costs + founder salaries (CHF 8K each) Key Milestone: Business is "default alive" - profitable without external funding

Month 10: Upmarket Tier Validation + Quality at Scale¶

Validate: "Will clients upgrade after fundraising? Can we maintain quality while scaling?"

Week 1-2: First Upmarket Conversions¶

Test Upgrade Hypothesis:
✓ Identify 2-3 beta clients who raised seed funding
✓ Present seed tier packages (CHF 8K-10K/month)
✓ Emphasize institutional knowledge + cost vs hiring team
✓ Measure upgrade conversion rate (target: 40%+)

Success Indicator: At least 1 client upgrades to seed tier

Week 3-4: Scale to Sustainability¶

Expand Client Base and Revenue:
✓ Target 15-18 active clients (12 preseed + 3-6 seed tier)
✓ Revenue target: CHF 65-75K MRR
✓ Recruit and onboard additional Swiss talent (20-25 professionals)
✓ Stress-test AI coordination with concurrent multi-tier clients

Track Metrics:
- Quality consistency across expanded talent pool and service tiers
- Client satisfaction during rapid growth
- AI system reliability under increased load
- Unit economics: Gross margin holding at 37%+

Month 11: Market Position Validation¶

Validate: "Are we becoming the recognized category leader?"

Week 1-2: Competitive Analysis¶

Assess Market Position:
✓ Track competitive responses to your model
✓ Monitor market perception and brand recognition
✓ Evaluate pricing power and differentiation strength
✓ Assess defensibility of competitive advantages

Benchmark against traditional agencies and platforms

Week 3-4: Market Feedback¶

Systematic Market Assessment:
✓ Survey Swiss startup ecosystem about awareness
✓ Collect feedback from non-clients about perception
✓ Assess word-of-mouth and referral generation
✓ Evaluate thought leadership and market influence

Success Criteria: Recognized as innovative leader in Swiss market

Month 12: Sustainability Achievement + Year 2 Planning¶

Validate: "Have we achieved default alive status?"

Week 1-2: Financial Sustainability Validation¶

Confirm Bootstrap Success:
✓ CHF 75-90K MRR achieved (15-20 mixed-tier clients)
✓ Revenue mix: 60% preseed, 30% seed, 10% Series A (proving upgrade model)
✓ Unit economics verified: 37% gross margin, path to 15%+ net margin clear
✓ Founders paying themselves CHF 8K/month each
✓ Business covers all costs without external funding

Document Success:
✓ 12-month financial performance report
✓ Client success case studies (fundraising outcomes)
✓ Talent network growth (25+ Swiss professionals)
✓ Channel performance analysis (VC vs direct vs referral)

Week 3-4: Year 2 Strategic Decision¶

Evaluate Growth Options:

Option A: Continue Organic Growth (Bootstrap)
✓ Target: CHF 160K+ MRR by Month 24 (30+ clients)
✓ Hire first employee (client success manager)
✓ Expand VC partnerships to 3-5 total
✓ Scale talent network to 50+ professionals
✓ Maintain profitability and founder control

Option B: Prepare for Growth Capital Raise
✓ Position: Profitable business with proven model
✓ Use case: DACH expansion, team scaling, technology enhancement
✓ Target: Series A for CHF 1-2M at 15-25% dilution
✓ Timing: Raise from strength in Month 18-24

Success Criteria: Clear strategic decision made, Year 2 roadmap defined

Phase 5: Scale to Profitability (Months 13-24)¶

Goal: Build sustainably profitable business Revenue Target: CHF 160K+ MRR by Month 24 (30+ clients, mixed tiers) Funding: Fully self-funded from revenue, profitable operations Key Milestone: 15%+ net margins, first employee hired, market leadership established

Months 13-18: Systematic Growth¶

Target: CHF 100-130K MRR

Growth Initiatives:
✓ Add 2-3 new clients per month (mix of preseed + seed tiers)
✓ Expand VC partnerships to 2-3 total
✓ Strengthen content marketing and thought leadership
✓ Build referral program for existing clients
✓ Continue upgrading preseed clients as they raise funding

Operational Excellence:
✓ Hire first employee - Client Success Manager (Month 15-16)
✓ Systematize onboarding and delivery processes
✓ Scale talent network to 40-50 Swiss professionals
✓ Enhance AI coordination based on learnings

Financial Targets:
✓ Month 15: CHF 100K MRR
✓ Month 18: CHF 130K MRR
✓ Gross margins: 37%+ maintained
✓ Net margins: 10-12% (still investing in growth)

Months 19-24: Profitability & Optionality¶

Target: CHF 160K+ MRR with 15%+ net margins

Business Maturity:
✓ 30+ active clients across all three tiers
✓ 3-5 VC partnerships providing steady client flow
✓ Strong direct channel (30%+ of new clients from referrals)
✓ Market recognition as category leader

Financial Performance:
✓ CHF 160K+ MRR (CHF 1.9M+ ARR)
✓ Net profit: CHF 25K+/month (CHF 300K+/year)
✓ Founders earning well, business self-sustaining
✓ Option to reinvest profits for faster growth

Strategic Decision Point (Month 24):
✓ Continue organic: Scale to 60-80 clients over 3-5 years, lifestyle business
✓ Raise growth capital: Series A for CHF 1-2M for DACH expansion
✓ Hybrid: Maintain majority control, raise small growth round

Success = Optionality from position of strength

Validation Success Metrics Summary¶

Month 12 Success Criteria (Bootstrap Sustainability):¶

Revenue & Growth:

✓ CHF 75-90K MRR from 15-20 mixed-tier clients
✓ Revenue mix: 60% preseed, 30% seed, 10% Series A
✓ 20% of revenue from VC dashboard subscriptions
✓ 2-3 new clients per month acquisition rate
✓ Business is "default alive" - no external funding needed

Product-Market Fit:

✓ >90% client satisfaction scores
✓ <5% monthly churn rate (excluding graceful exits)
✓ 40%+ upgrade conversion rate (preseed → seed tier)
✓ Strong word-of-mouth: 30%+ referral rate
✓ Pricing acceptance without objections

Technology Validation:

✓ >95% project completion rate with AI coordination
✓ Consistent Swiss quality standards across distributed talent
✓ AI system reliable with 15-20 concurrent clients
✓ Positive talent satisfaction with coordination tools
✓ Demonstrable efficiency gains vs. manual coordination

Channel Performance:

✓ 1-2 VC partnerships active (portfolio dashboard model)
✓ 40-70% portfolio adoption rate for execution services
✓ Direct channel working: 2-3 clients/month from network/content
✓ Referral engine established: 30%+ new clients from referrals
✓ Multiple revenue sources derisk single-channel dependency

Financial Sustainability:

✓ 37% gross margin on billable hours (talent contribution)
✓ Path to 15%+ net margins clear at scale
✓ Founders paying themselves CHF 8K/month each
✓ All operational costs covered by revenue
✓ CAC <CHF 800 through efficient channels

Month 24 Success Criteria (Profitability & Optionality):¶

Business Maturity:

✓ CHF 160K+ MRR (CHF 1.9M+ ARR) from 30+ clients
✓ 15%+ net margins (CHF 25K+/month profit = CHF 300K+/year)
✓ Client mix across all three tiers validated
✓ 3-5 VC partnerships providing steady client flow
✓ Recognized market leader in Swiss preseed marketing

Operational Excellence:

✓ First employee hired (Client Success Manager)
✓ 50+ Swiss professionals in active talent network
✓ Systematized onboarding and delivery processes
✓ Quality maintained at scale across multiple tiers
✓ AI coordination proven reliable for 30+ concurrent clients

Strategic Optionality:

✓ Profitable business without external funding
✓ Founder control maintained (100% ownership)
✓ Choice to continue organic or raise growth capital
✓ Strong position for fundraising if desired (15-25% dilution)
✓ Clear path to DACH expansion or lifestyle business

Validation Failure Contingencies (Bootstrap Context)¶

If Market Demand Lower Than Expected (Months 4-6):¶

Signal: Unable to get 5 paying beta clients by Month 6 - Action 1: Extend beta period, increase founder part-time consulting to preserve runway - Action 2: Pivot to pure VC transparency tools (sell only dashboards, not execution) - Action 3: Geographic expansion to DACH region earlier than planned - Action 4: Vertical specialization in high-budget sectors (biotech, deep tech) - Decision Point: If <3 paying clients by Month 9, consider returning to full-time employment

If Upmarket Conversion Doesn't Work (Months 10-12):¶

Signal: <20% of funded clients upgrade to seed tier - Action 1: Adjust seed tier pricing downward (CHF 6K vs CHF 8K) - Action 2: Focus on preseed-only model, higher client volume strategy - Action 3: Create hybrid packages (partial internal team + our support) - Action 4: Target earlier-stage companies with longer relationships - Fallback: Profitability requires 25-30 preseed clients instead of 15 mixed-tier

If VC Partnership Model Fails (Months 7-9):¶

Signal: No VC signs dashboard subscription by Month 9 - Action 1: Double down on direct acquisition and referral channels - Action 2: Partner with accelerators instead of VCs for distribution - Action 3: Offer free portfolio dashboards, monetize only execution - Action 4: Pure B2B SaaS pivot - sell AI coordination software - Adaptation: Sustainable with direct channel, but slower growth (need 20+ clients for break-even)

If Unit Economics Don't Work (Months 6-9):¶

Signal: Gross margins <30% or unable to achieve profitability path - Action 1: Increase hourly rates (CHF 125-140/hour vs CHF 110-125) - Action 2: Reduce talent costs through junior talent mix - Action 3: Service scope reduction - focus only on high-margin services - Action 4: Target larger companies with bigger budgets (post-Series A) - Critical Decision: If margins don't improve by Month 9, return to employment before burning savings

If Founder Runway Runs Out (Anytime):¶

Signal: Savings depleted before reaching sustainability - Prevention: Track burn rate monthly, maintain 6-month minimum runway buffer - Action 1: Both founders take part-time consulting (reduce time on startup 50%) - Action 2: Raise small angel round (CHF 100-200K) from network to extend runway - Action 3: One founder returns to employment, other continues (equity split) - Last Resort: Pause startup, return to employment, restart when savings rebuilt

Bootstrap Success Factors:¶

✓ Runway Management: Critical path = 12 months to sustainability ✓ Rapid Validation: Fail fast on assumptions in Months 4-9 ✓ Flexibility: Pivot quickly based on data, don't wait for perfect validation ✓ Part-Time Income: Maintain ability to consult if needed to extend runway ✓ Decision Discipline: Pre-commit to kill criteria and timeline checkpoints

Validation Status: v0.3 - Bootstrap to Profitability (24-Month Organic Growth Plan) Business Model: No external funding required, optional growth capital from position of strength Key Innovation: Multi-tier client lifecycle model (preseed → seed → Series A) Critical Path: 12 months to sustainability (CHF 75K+ MRR), 24 months to profitability (CHF 160K+ MRR) Decision Points: Month 9 (continue/pivot), Month 12 (sustainable), Month 24 (organic vs growth capital) Next Update: Post-beta validation (Month 6) with actual unit economics, upgrade conversion, and channel performance data