wGrow Labs/How we partner
Founders lead the company. We help build it.
The terms we hold ourselves to.
Founder-led by design
You own the vision, the key decisions, the team and the customers. We work from a supporting seat.
Minority ownership
We take a minority shareholding, structured to fit the stage and needs of each company. The goal is shared value, not control.
Capital follows milestones
Seed funding is tied to defined milestones, so everyone knows what each tranche must prove.
Built to hand over
We set up architecture and operating discipline that your future CTO and internal team can understand and extend.
Your company owns what we build
Code, models and IP created for the venture are assigned to the venture, and repositories live in its own organisation.
Clear build economics
Before we start, we set out how engineering is paid for (capital, equity or a mix), so there are no surprises on the cap table.
What studios typically take, and why it matters later.
Studio equity varies widely. The stake matters most two rounds from now. These figures are industry data, shown so founders can compare any studio offer, including ours.
Studio equity: range, middle half and median
Fig. 01Alder VC cites anywhere from 15% to 50%. wGrow Labs takes a minority stake, agreed with each venture before we start.
Founder ownership after Series A, by studio stake
Fig. 02One published model. Actual dilution depends on round sizes and valuations.
Five questions to ask before any studio builds your company.
Ask them of every studio, including us. A good studio deal is one you could explain to your Series A investor in one page without apologising for any of it.
| # | Question | What to ask for | Our answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | How much equity, and what does it pay for? | Separate the equity taken for capital from the equity taken for work. | A minority shareholding, structured to fit the stage of each company (P2). We agree the stake with each venture before we start rather than publish a fixed range. |
| 2 | Who owns the code, the models and the IP? | Present-tense IP assignment, repositories in the company's own organisation from day one, clarity on anything licensed. | Code, models and IP created for the venture are assigned to it; repositories live in its own organisation (P5). |
| 3 | How is the engineering paid for? | The fee policy up front, and no paying twice for the same work. | Set out before we start: capital, equity or a mix (P6). |
| 4 | What happens when you hire your own CTO? | A handover: documentation, written architecture decisions, a codebase a new CTO can read, tied to your hiring plan. | Built to hand over: architecture and operating discipline your future CTO can understand and extend (P4). |
| 5 | Who carries the operating load after launch? | Who handles security, backups, monitoring, incidents and model evaluation, and how it is paid for. | wGrow Technologies runs security, backup, recovery and operations after launch. |
Begin the conversation
What important problem can you see more clearly than others?
You don't need a polished pitch deck. Send a short, non-confidential introduction: the problem, your connection to it, what exists today and what you want to build.
- 01
Tell us the opportunity
The problem, who pays to solve it, and where you need help.
- 02
We review the fit
Founder, problem, potential business, and where the lab can contribute meaningfully.
- 03
A private conversation
If there may be a fit, we discuss expectations and a possible build plan.
Contacting us does not constitute an offer or commitment to invest. Please do not send trade secrets, unpublished IP, credentials or confidential technical information at this stage.