THE FOUR-MONTH JOURNEY
Idea to investor-ready in four months.
From the first grooming session to a fundable narrative — a disciplined sequence with explicit gates. No zombie projects. No hidden timelines. If the thesis breaks, we tell you.
What you sign up for.
Four months. Two parties at risk. Five explicit gates.
Four months end-to-end.
From kickoff to investor-ready package. No engagement runs longer than that without a stage-gate decision to extend.
Full-time or fast convert.
Tier A founders go full-time at kickoff. Tier B founders commit to convert full-time by Stage 2 — or we don't proceed past validation.
$55,000–75,000 founder cash-in.
Split across operating capital and MVP cost-share. TDX adds engineering, product, and operating capital against equity. See the equity model →
Four stages. Five gates.
Each stage has deliverables, defined founder commitment, defined TDX commitment, and explicit kill criteria. We don't carry zombie ventures past gates they didn't pass.
- 01Weeks 1–2
Validate
Pressure-test the founder's thesis against operational reality before any code or capital is committed beyond cash-in floor.
Deliverables
- Thesis canvas: problem, customer, value, willingness-to-pay assumption
- Competitive landscape snapshot (3–5 incumbents + nearest substitutes)
- Kill-criteria framework: explicit conditions under which we stop
- Stage-gate decision document (proceed or terminate)
Founder commitment
- Full participation in two structured grooming sessions
- Operating capital deposited ($25,000 minimum)
- Honest disclosure of prior validation attempts and current operating context
TDX commitment
- Product lead and engineering lead time
- Domain reference checks with TDX hospitality network
- Honest thesis assessment — including "no" if we think the thesis breaks
Kill criteria
- Thesis cannot survive operator pressure-test
- Founder cannot articulate the problem in a single sentence
- Customer willingness-to-pay assumption has no supporting evidence
- 02Weeks 3–6
Customer interviews
Convert thesis into validated problem-solution fit through structured customer discovery. No code yet.
Deliverables
- 50+ structured customer interviews (recorded, transcribed, coded)
- Customer segments narrative (who pays, who uses, who blocks)
- Problem-solution fit document with pricing signal
- Stage-gate decision document (proceed or terminate)
Founder commitment
- Owns and leads customer interviews (TDX supports, does not replace)
- Tier B founders commit to convert to full-time by end of this stage
- MVP cost-share deposited ($30,000–50,000 depending on tier) for next stage
TDX commitment
- Customer discovery framework and interview structure
- Interview synthesis and pattern analysis
- Channel introductions inside Mediterranean / Middle East / North America hospitality networks where relevant
Kill criteria
- Fewer than 50 customer interviews completed by end of week 6
- No clear customer segment with willingness to pay at target price
- Founder cannot demonstrate authentic empathy with target customer
- 03Months 2–3
Build MVP
Ship a production-grade MVP in eight weeks using TDX's AI-Driven Product Development methodology.
Deliverables
- Production MVP with at least one paying or committed pilot customer
- Technical specification, test coverage, deployment infrastructure
- Operating documentation and handover-ready codebase
- Stage-gate decision document (proceed or terminate)
Founder commitment
- Daily product decisions; weekly steering reviews
- First customer commitments — paid pilots or signed letters of intent
- Operational readiness: legal entity, banking, basic accounting in place
TDX commitment
- Full engineering team and product lead through the build cycle
- Methodology execution at every gate — see how we build
- AI scales execution; humans own architecture, security, and quality
Kill criteria
- Zero paying or committed pilot customers by end of month 3
- Technical complexity dramatically exceeds initial scope without thesis change
- Founder disengagement from weekly steering
- 04Month 4
Investor-ready
Package the venture into a fundable narrative with an investor-introduction sequence.
Deliverables
- Investor-ready pitch deck (problem, market, traction, team, ask)
- Three-year financial model with sensitivity analysis
- Data room (customer interviews, traction data, financial model, cap table, legal)
- Warm introductions to 5–10 relevant investors in TDX network
Founder commitment
- CEO-level ownership of investor conversations
- Practice runs with TDX before warm introductions
- Honest disclosure of all material facts during investor diligence
TDX commitment
- Pitch coaching and narrative refinement
- Warm introductions inside Mediterranean / Middle East / North America investor networks
- Post-introduction follow-through for 90 days
Kill criteria
- Traction does not support a credible fundraising narrative
- Founder is not investor-meeting-ready and refuses coaching
- Material misrepresentation in diligence materials (immediate termination)
How we say no.
Most studios run zombie ventures because they cannot tell founders 'no' once equity is signed. We tell founders 'no' at every gate. This protects everyone.
- Thesis breaks under operator pressure-test (Stage 1)
- Customer interviews disprove willingness-to-pay assumption (Stage 2)
- Zero paying or committed pilots by end of month 3 (Stage 3)
- Traction does not support credible fundraising narrative (Stage 4)
- Founder disengagement or material misrepresentation (any stage)
- Founder keeps deposited operating capital balance and any unspent MVP cost-share
- Founder keeps all IP and documentation generated to date
- TDX returns equity if no functional product was shipped
- Stage-gate document explains the decision in writing
- Founder retains access to TDX advisory network on a goodwill basis
"This is what 'equity at risk' actually means. We share the upside because we share the discipline. Founders who cannot say 'no' to their own thesis do not belong in a studio."
Where your cash goes.
$55,000–75,000 in founder cash-in is split across operating capital and MVP cost-share. This is what each pool funds — and what TDX matches with equity.
Founder operating capital — $25,000
- Customer discovery operations (incentives, travel, recording)
- Legal entity setup and ongoing compliance
- Personal runway for the founder through Stage 2
- Marketing tests and landing pages during validation
TDX does not touch this cash. Funds remain in founder's company account. TDX coaches deployment.
MVP cost-share — $30,000–50,000
- Founder's share of production MVP build (Stage 3)
- Discounted approximately 50% from TDX commercial advisory rates
- Paid to TDX against deliverables, not hours
- Balances against TDX engineering equity contribution
This is what makes the studio model sustainable. TDX cannot build production-grade software equity-only without going insolvent. Cost-share keeps both parties honest.
Total founder cash-in: $55,000–75,000. Total founder equity retained: 45–75% depending on tier. See the equity model →
What this is not.
We get asked these questions every week. Honest answers up front.
Can I do this part-time?
Tier B allows part-time start, but you must commit to convert full-time by end of Stage 2. Founders who cannot make this commitment do not fit the model. This is not a feature — it is a filter.
Do you guarantee fundraising?
No. We commit to building a fundable company in four months — meaning the artifacts, traction, and narrative an investor needs to take the meeting seriously. Investor decisions are theirs to make. We open doors; we do not walk through them on your behalf.
What if my idea fails?
We tell you at the earliest possible gate. Stage 1 kills are common — that is the system working. Founder keeps operating capital balance, IP, and goodwill access to TDX network. Failure at month four is rarer because we shoot zombies earlier.
Do you cover the full MVP build cost?
No. Founder MVP cost-share covers approximately 50% of TDX's commercial advisory rate for the build. TDX engineering equity contribution covers the rest. This is a partnership, not a free build.
Can you take my equity in lieu of cash?
No. Cash-in floor is non-negotiable. Studios that build equity-only fail within 18 months. We will not be one of them. If $55,000–75,000 in committed capital is not available, this is not the right time for studio engagement.
What if you build something I do not like?
Stage 1 grooming and Stage 2 customer interviews are designed to surface this risk before any code is written. Stage 3 build operates from approved business stories and technical specs you have signed off. If we get to month three and the product surprises you, our process broke — and we own that.
Ready to commit to four months?
If the journey above matches what you want — and the equity model fits the capital you have — the next step is a founder application.
How we build →