Structured learning for every founder ready to do the work.
A stage-aligned program built on the Startup Lifecycle, focused on the first three phases of the founder journey: Vision, Product, and Go-to-Market. Twelve weeks. One cohort. One coherent path.
Clarity over chaos.
The Startup Science Institute is the education and assessment arm of Startup Science. The Founders Pathway is anchored in the Startup Lifecycle by Gregory Shepard, refined across multiple live cohorts.
Incubators and accelerators do important work, but their seats are limited, and most accept only around 3% of applicants. The other 97% of founders need somewhere to learn, get sharper, and either re-apply with stronger traction or build their own path. That’s what the Founders Pathway is for.
Progress is powered by purpose.
Built for founders doing the work.
The Founders Pathway maps to two moments in the early-stage journey. If you’re here, one of these probably sounds like you.
The early-stage founder
You’re somewhere between an idea and your first real revenue. Vision is forming. Product is being shaped. Customers are being found. The Founders Pathway maps exactly to where you are, across Vision, Product, and Go-to-Market, and gets you to consistent revenue generation with a framework instead of guesswork.
The founder hitting walls
You keep hearing “no.” From investors. From capital sources. From accelerators. From customers. The Founders Pathway gives you the framework to understand why, the traction to change the answer, and the language to make your next conversation land differently.
Twelve weeks. Two sessions a week.
The flagship Guided Pathways cohort. The goal: getting founders to a “yes” with accelerators, with investors, with the next milestone. Built on RIL (Rapid Iterative Learning), our learning model: Learn → Personalize → Prove → Refine → Repeat. Apprenticeship, not academics.
Summer Cohort 264
Twelve weeks of curriculum developed and delivered by Chris, Colin, and Dr. Barbut. Wednesdays and Thursdays at noon Mountain Time, two-hour sessions, mixing workshops with discussion. Holiday breaks built in: Canada Day, Independence Day, and Civic Holiday weeks are off.
You’ll Walk Away With
A validated customer, a refined pitch, evidence of demand, and a clear roadmap for the next phase, whether that’s an accelerator application, a fundraise, or independent traction.
- Twice-weekly live sessions for 12 weeks
- Cohort facilitation by Chris, Colin & Dr. Barbut
- Gregory Shepard joins throughout the term
- Assigned mentor + peer cohort
- Rapid Iterative Learning (RIL) methodology
- Re-enroll in future cohorts, included with monthly Pathways membership
Twelve weeks across the first three phases.
The Founders Pathway focuses on the first three phases of the Startup Lifecycle. Every session is mapped to a phase, a skill, and a homework outcome.
By far the biggest win… everything we’ve done is super practical. I went and plugged that into AI, plugged that into my own mind as I’m working through, and it just clarifies everything.Plamen Notov, cohort participant
Where are you, and where do you want to go?
- Workshop: Intro to the first 3 phases & the 7-Stage Startup Journey
- Session: Where do you want your business to end up?
Customer clarity
- Session: What is your customer’s job to be done?
- Session: Who is your ideal customer profile?
Telling the story
- Workshop: The perfect pitch deck (10-slide formula)
- Session: The 3-sentence pitch
Holiday week, no sessions
Canada Day & US Independence Day week. Cohort reconvenes the following Wednesday.
Finding your customers
- Session: How will folks find you? (AAARR & customer journey)
- Session: Where can you actually find customers?
Social capital & mid-program check-in
- Workshop: Leveraging social capital to accelerate
- Session: Mid-program review & Q&A
Proof & traction
- Session: The power of non-binding LOIs
- Session: How can you tell it’s working? (metrics that matter)
Team & pivots
- Workshop: Team building, gaps, talent, complement
- Session: When should you pivot?
Holiday week, no sessions
Civic Holiday (CA) week. Cohort reconvenes the following Wednesday.
Leadership & planning
- Workshop: Leadership communication
- Session: Planning your roadmap (Telescope to Microscope)
Application-ready & final review
- Session: Applying to accelerators (clarity, traction, reduced risk)
- Session: Final review & Q&A
Pitch pit & launch
- Workshop: Virtual Pitch Pit / Demo Day prep
- Session: Overall review & launch into next steps
The people in the room.
Every Summer Cohort session is led by a member of the Institute’s core facilitation team.
Chris Breen
Cohort Facilitator
Manager, Startup Science Institute. 25+ years international business, MBA, John Maxwell certified.
Colin Christensen
Cohort Facilitator
Head of Advisory at Startup Science. Built Sphere, a mentorship platform serving 2,500+ entrepreneurs across five continents. 40+ years of entrepreneurship across 15 countries.
Dr. Arthur Barbut
Cohort Facilitator
Brings academic rigor and practitioner depth to the cohort experience and the Institute’s methodology.
Gregory Shepard
Joins Throughout
Founder of Startup Science. Joins the cohort throughout the term, where his framework matters most.
One program. One price.
Twelve weeks of live cohort facilitation, peer accountability, and a mentor in your corner. Pay in full or month-to-month. Either way, you’re in.
Seats are limited. Cohort starts June 8, 2026.
Curated. Facilitated. Stage-aligned.
Three principles run through every session.
You’re saying something out loud, encouraged by folks that you trust, and having a conversation that otherwise you wouldn’t have.Plamen Notov, cohort participant
Curated
Every module, every workshop, every framework is vetted against a single standard. We curate from The Startup Lifecycle and partner contributors. No fluff, no filler.
Facilitated
Founders don’t need another lecture. They need a guided experience with peers, mentors, and accountability. We facilitate. We don’t teach at.
Stage-Aligned
Every piece of learning is mapped to a phase of the Startup Lifecycle. You always know where you are, what comes next, and why it matters now.
From the founders in the room.
Verbatim quotes from participants of the most recent cohort.
I feel like I got a lot more than what I paid for with this program.
I’ve been able to speak out loud a lot of things that were probably trapped in my mind somewhere. That to me is a form of reflection.
There’s a vacuum out there of community when it comes to business and entrepreneurs and startups. That’s where you’ve caught the tail of the comet.
The biggest transformation for me was just this mindset shift, from trying to hurry up and get to the thing, to now it’s about settling down and knowing where I’m at in the structure, and investing deep in where I’m at.
Things founders always ask.
How much time per week will the cohort take?
Plan on 4–6 hours per week. Two live sessions (Wed and Thu at noon MT, two hours each), plus async homework and peer accountability.
Are sessions live or recorded?
Both. Core facilitation happens live so the cohort dynamic works. Every session is recorded so you have it for reference and to stay caught up if you miss one.
What if I can’t make a live session?
Recordings are available. Peer accountability and homework happen asynchronously, so missing one live session doesn’t set you back.
What phase of the Startup Lifecycle does this cover?
The Founders Pathway focuses on the first three phases of the Startup Lifecycle: Vision · Product · Go-to-Market. If you’re past Go-to-Market, the Institute’s other tracks pick up where this one ends.
How are accelerators part of this?
Accelerators are partners and customers, not competitors. They have limited seats, typically accepting around 3% of applicants. The Founders Pathway helps the rest get sharper, gain traction, and either re-apply with a stronger case or continue building independently. Week 11 of the cohort is dedicated to accelerator application prep.
Can I re-enroll in future cohorts?
Yes. As a Guided Pathways member, you can return to any cohort as often as you want, for as long as you maintain your membership. Many founders run the cohort multiple times as their phase shifts.
How long do I keep access?
Access continues for as long as you’re an active Guided Pathways member. Pause or cancel anytime; you keep your progress in the system.
What comes after the Founders Pathway?
Additional pathways for later stages of the Startup Lifecycle (Operators, Growth, Exit) are on the roadmap. You can also re-enroll in the Founders Pathway as often as you want with your Guided Pathways membership.
When do future cohorts run?
The Summer Cohort (Jun 8 – Aug 27) is the 12-week extended format. More cohort dates are opening up in Fall 2026, typically running as 8-week intensives. Members are notified first when new dates are announced.
Join the Summer Cohort. Start June 8.
Guided Pathways seats are limited. Lock yours in. Seats fill before the cohort starts.