Our programs
Two programs. One bet on Southeast tech founders
The Incubator takes an idea and builds a company around it. Ignite takes a company and sharpens the leader running it
Find Your Fit
If you have an idea, the Incubator gives you twelve weeks alongside a cohort of builders to leave with a company worth running. If you’re already building, Ignite provides phase-based support for operating companies, with top engagements opening a path to the Ignite Fund.
I have an idea for a startup ->
I need to fund and scale my startup ->
I'd like to host Launchpad ->
The Incubator
The Incubator runs twelve weeks, up to twenty founders per cohort, three cohorts a year in each active city. Curriculum draws from Founder University and is led by operators who have built and sold companies. Founders arrive with an idea and leave with a running company, a team, and a plan.
Operator-led curriculum inspired by Founder University, covering product, go-to-market, fundraising, and leadership- Weekly feedback from mentors who have been in your seat
- A cohort of peers running at the same pace, often the most lasting part of the program
- A defined exit: a company, a pitch, and clarity on what to build next
Who it’s for
The Incubator is for founders building high-growth software or AI companies. First-time founders with a real idea. Second-time founders with a new thesis. Operators leaving a company to start their own. Conviction and coachability matter more than credentials or prior exits.
Outcome
Ninety founders have come through the Incubator. Graduates leave knowing whether what they are building is worth building, with the company structure, Cohort network, and operator bench to go run it.
Grow the company. Grow the leader.
Ignite is for operating companies with customers, revenue, and room to grow. Engagements are phase-based, shaped around what the company needs at each stage. A bench of operators who have been through those stages works alongside the founder on the real problems.
- Strategy and operations work on whatever the active constraint happens to be
- Go-to-market, hiring, pricing, and positioning support
- Regular operator reviews with a bench that has built and exited companies
- A path to capital through the Ignite Fund for the strongest engagements
Who it’s for
Founders of operating B2B software and AI companies in the Southeast with early customers, early revenue, and a real team. Most Ignite companies sit between first customers and first institutional check.
Outcome
The strongest Ignite companies gain access to capital through the Ignite Fund as they are ready. All Ignite companies leave sharper, with a team that runs better and a founder who leads better.
12 Week Incubator
What you will learn throughout the 12 week incubator program.
Four beats, three weeks each. Not a syllabus — a shape.
Weeks 1-3
Validate
Pressure test the idea with real customers. Kill what does not hold.
Weeks 4-6
Build
Product, company structure, first hires, or first dollars.
Weeks 7-9
Sell
Go-to-market, pricing, early traction. Whatever growth looks like for this company.
Weeks 10-12
Stand Up
Fundraising readiness, leadership fundamentals, and the plan for the next twelve months.
LAUNCHPAD IGNITE
The advisory team you are looking for and can afford
Early Ignite work is usually legal cleanup, investor readiness, a data room that survives diligence, and a traction story you can defend. The unglamorous parts of raising capital.
Formation
The company exists and has a product or early customers. The commercial model is still forming. Our work: validate the shape of the business and stabilize the first version.
Traction
We assess, streamline, and guide your technology choices—ensuring your systems scale as fast as your ambition
Scale
From go-to-market to team structure, we help design the strategic backbone that supports sustainable, measurable growth
FAQ
Fast Answers for Fast-Moving Teams
We’ve worked with dozens of fast-moving teams—so we know what comes up before your first call.
Here’s what you should know.
Here’s what you should know.
How much does the Incubator cost?
Pricing varies by city. See details on your local Cohort page.
What exactly does Stategis deliver?
We deliver tailored strategy, financial modeling, tech audits, and growth planning—backed by real execution support, not just recommendations.
Do you offer one-off projects or ongoing advisory?
Both. We offer focused sprints for immediate needs and retainer-based or embedded advisory for longer-term transformation.
How long does it take to get started?
We typically begin within 5–7 business days of your initial call, depending on scope and availability.
Is Stategis a good fit for early-stage startups?
Yes—especially if you’re preparing to raise capital, need a financial model, or want clear systems and priorities before scaling.
What industries do you specialize in?
Our core focus areas are SaaS, fintech, consulting, B2B services, and investment-backed ventures—but we’re flexible if there’s a strategic fit.
How much does the Incubator cost?
Pricing varies by city. See details on your local Cohort page.
When is the next Cohort?
Three Cohorts a year in each active city. See upcoming Cohorts by location by visiting the Locations page.
Do I need to be from the Southeast?
Most founders are from the Southeast or are moving here. The Cohort you join runs in one of our cities, so if you're open to spending twelve weeks in that city, you can apply from anywhere.
How do you choose who gets a seat?
Twenty seats per Cohort. We read applications for conviction, coachability, and evidence the founder has actually started wrestling with the idea. Background and prior exits weigh less than those three.
How long does it take to get started?
We typically begin within 5–7 business days of your initial call, depending on scope and availability.
What kind of companies do you typically work with?
We partner with venture-backed startups, scaling tech firms, consulting groups, and finance teams—from pre-seed to Series C and beyond.
What exactly does Stategis deliver?
We deliver tailored strategy, financial modeling, tech audits, and growth planning—backed by real execution support, not just recommendations.
Do you offer one-off projects or ongoing advisory?
Both. We offer focused sprints for immediate needs and retainer-based or embedded advisory for longer-term transformation.
Is Stategis a good fit for early-stage startups?
Yes—especially if you’re preparing to raise capital, need a financial model, or want clear systems and priorities before scaling.
What industries do you specialize in?
Our core focus areas are SaaS, fintech, consulting, B2B services, and investment-backed ventures—but we’re flexible if there’s a strategic fit.
Is Ignite a program or a fund?
Both, connected. Ignite is a phase-based engagement program for operating companies. The Ignite Fund is a pre-seed fund that invests exclusively in companies coming out of Ignite.
Does every Ignite company get invested in?
No. Most Ignite engagements are about making the company stronger, not leading to a check. Companies at the Scale phase become candidates for the Ignite Fund when they're ready to raise.
Can Incubator graduates move into Ignite?
Sometimes. The Incubator ends with a company and a plan. Ignite is for companies with customers and revenue. Some Incubator graduates get there in months, others in a year or more, others go a different path entirely.
How long does an Ignite engagement last?
Phase-based, not fixed-length.
Do you offer one-off projects or ongoing advisory?
Both. We offer focused sprints for immediate needs and retainer-based or embedded advisory for longer-term transformation.
What kind of companies do you typically work with?
We partner with venture-backed startups, scaling tech firms, consulting groups, and finance teams—from pre-seed to Series C and beyond.
What exactly does Stategis deliver?
We deliver tailored strategy, financial modeling, tech audits, and growth planning—backed by real execution support, not just recommendations.
How long does it take to get started?
We typically begin within 5–7 business days of your initial call, depending on scope and availability.
Is Stategis a good fit for early-stage startups?
Yes—especially if you’re preparing to raise capital, need a financial model, or want clear systems and priorities before scaling.
What industries do you specialize in?
Our core focus areas are SaaS, fintech, consulting, B2B services, and investment-backed ventures—but we’re flexible if there’s a strategic fit.
Who can host Launchpad in their city?
Regional leaders, anchor sponsors, and universities willing to commit to a multi-year partnership.
What does a host city provide?
Local anchor capital, space, and the regional founder network. Launchpad brings the program, the operator bench, and the multi-market community.
Where is Launchpad active now?
Greenville, Columbia, Clemson, Myrtle Beach, and a New York City satellite. One additional Southeast market is in planning.
WHAT FOUNDERS SAY
Founders, in their own words.
From Incubator cohorts and Ignite engagements across the Southeast. Some still in build mode, some scaling, most still in the network.
ReFitMe
This Launchpad cohort has truly changed the course of my life. Thank you for everything. I will never forget this experience
Madyson S
Mathlab
Prior to joining Launchpad, I knew little about the process of developing a startup. This experience has been amazing, rewarding and insightful. Big thanks to the Launchpad team!
Christopher B
AmICompliant
Before joining Launchpad, I had the idea and the tool, but I didn’t yet have a real business. Launchpad helped turn that vision into something tangible, and now we are up and running with real momentum.
Tom B
Get Started
Pick the program. Start the conversation.
Applying to either program begins with a conversation. Tell us what you're building and where you are. We'll route you to the right next step.