By: Ben Freeberg
Currently, Sabotage views the venture marketplace as one that has been producing pricey companies with thin market validation. As previous operators and investors, the Sabotage team is focused on creating a startup studio which does ideation in-house to help address this market need.
The sector-agnostic group seeks to engage with potential co-founders to lead the experimentation aspect of starting a company, then ultimately hire those people to run the businesses they help to create. With a goal to create 3-4 companies a year, the team is drawing from numerous different sources of ideation, including design thinking and psychology, in an effort to try to come up with unmet needs and solutions.
For Entrepreneurs:
Sabotage provides the fulfillment, pride and excitement of being a founder of a growing start-up at a fraction of the risk. The firm is looking to partner with potential co-founders who are looking to take on either a CEO, CIO, CTO, CMO, or other high-level role early on in the startup’s lifecycle.
The firm will provide future co-founders with equity and salaries from day one, further demonstrating their effort to try and de-risk the start-up process for entrepreneurs. Beyond having the passion for a specific industry or start-up, Sabotage believes one needs grit, perseverance and a long-term focus in order to be a successful operator. Interested entrepreneurs should reach out through their website.
For VCs:
The firm seeks to partner with VC firms who have similar mindsets in terms of idea validation and true market and customer research. Sabotage offers co-investors access to ideas that have gone through a rigorous ideation and experimentation process. Their strategy will lead to a more de-risked venture investing process by proving out market demand and curating an experienced team, which will further help reduce the risk of founder breakup.
Sabotage also is looking to connect with other startup studios, building out their network which includes firms such as Polymath Ventures out of Bogotá, Colombia.
Sabotage aims to create a platform for experienced entrepreneurs, investors and operators to come together and create great companies. The firm is also seeking out institute fellows for the companies they are creating. An institute fellow will join an advisory board of one of Sabotage’s portfolio companies, which Sabotage assembles for each start-up. As an institute fellow, you will act as a board member, receive equity in the business and strive to provide value to your companies with industry connections and expertise.
Thank you to Tim Lee, Erik Logerquist and Andy Powers for assisting us with this post.