01
Equity at incorporation
A minority stake in each company we co-found. Our return arrives when the company’s does.
The studio
You lead the company. We build it with you.
Bring a problem you know firsthand. We bring capital, design, engineering and the work of finding customers, with six months together at Makerspace Nairobi.
CapitalInvested at incorporation, on terms agreed in writing.
Six monthsBuilding together at Makerspace Nairobi.
Founder ledYou own and run the company. Cr4fts holds a minority stake.
Two decisionsCommit or stop at month one. Take the lead at month six.
The commitment on both sides.
We work as co-founders. We share the early work, take a minority stake and agree every term before incorporation.
We bring
- Capital invested into the company, on terms agreed together.
- A shared studio at Makerspace Nairobi, with the team in the room.
- Design and engineering to put a useful first product in customers’ hands.
- Sales, pricing and the operating routines a company needs.
You bring
- A problem you know firsthand, and the customers who have it.
- The commitment to lead the company after residence.
- A drawing, a prototype or a clear explanation. Polish is not required.
- Honesty about what the evidence says, including when it says stop.
Six months. Two decisions.
First, test the need. Then commit to the company and build for real use. By month six, the founder leads the next stage.
- 01
Find the problem
Rolling intakeStart with a need you know firsthand and the people who have it.
- 02
Test the demand
Weeks 1–3Thirty customer conversations to test the need and the willingness to pay.
- 03
Make the commitment
Month 1Review the evidence together. Agree terms and incorporate, or stop with the findings.
- 04
Build for real use
Months 1–4Put a useful first product in customers’ hands and learn from how they use it.
- 05
Earn the first sales
Months 4–6Test the price, the cost of delivery and the reason customers come back.
- 06
Lead what comes next
Month 6The founder takes the company forward. Cr4fts stays a minority partner.
How the studio sustains itself.
Equity ties our return to the companies we co-found. Partner projects and sponsored venture labs fund the wider work.
02
Paid work for partners
Pilots, product delivery and portfolio support, priced before they start. Never a condition of co-founding.
Commission a pilot or build
03
Sponsored venture labs
Development partners fund building around a need they serve. Outcomes are agreed first and reported after.
For DFIs and foundationsIntake is rolling. We commit according to the team and capacity each company needs.
Your company. Clear terms.
Ownership, responsibilities and decision rights are agreed in writing before incorporation.
01Does Cr4fts take equity?
Yes. We invest at incorporation and hold a minority stake. The founder owns the company and leads it.
02What does the founder own?
The founder leads the company. Cr4fts holds a minority stake, with ownership, product rights and decision rights agreed in writing before incorporation.
03What if the evidence says stop?
We stop at the month-one decision or a later milestone. We write up what we learned, and the findings stay with the founder.
04What happens after six months?
Residence ends. The founder takes the company forward and Cr4fts stays a minority partner, with any further investment or support agreed separately.
05Can a partner commission work without co-founding?
Yes. Pilots, product delivery and sponsored venture labs are paid work with their own terms, and never a condition of co-founding.
Bring the problem worth solving.
Who needs a better answer? How do they solve it today? Tell us what you have learned and what you want to build.