Programs & Engagement

Howweworkwithfounders.

Three engagement models. One common goal — building companies that endure. Pick the depth that fits where you are today.

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Engagement 01

VentureBuildingweco-buildfromdayone.

This is our deepest engagement. We come in as institutional co-founders — taking operating roles across product, fundraising, and go-to-market, and holding vesting equity in the company. We stay until the company stands on its own.

Involvement

Full partnership

Timeline

18–24+ months

Model

Vesting equity + fee

What we own with you
  • Validation

    Market research and customer validation

  • Product

    Product strategy and build

  • Fundraising

    Investor positioning, materials, and outreach

  • Go-to-market

    Go-to-market and brand

  • Team & ops

    Senior hiring and operational set-up

Best for

Pre-seed and seed-stage founders with conviction and capacity to commit to an 18–24+ month build.

Commercial model

Vesting equity, structured against milestones — we earn as we deliver, not upfront. Plus a consulting fee that reflects the operating bandwidth we commit.

Engagement 02

FractionalLeadershipsenioroperators,ondemand.

You don't need a full-time CFO yet. You don't need a permanent Head of Product. But you need the bench. We plug experienced operators into your team on an as-needed basis — saving you up to 80% on overhead, recruiter fees, and turnover risk.

Involvement

Embedded, part-time

Cadence

Monthly · quarterly review

Model

Role-scoped fee

Roles we cover
Chief Technology Officer
Chief Marketing Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Head of Product
Investor Relations & BD
Creative Director
UI/UX Designer
Graphic Designer
Technical Recruiter
Best for

Funded startups and scale-ups needing senior bandwidth without making a permanent hire.

Commercial model

Monthly engagement fee scoped to role and time commitment. Reviewed quarterly. No long lock-ins.

Engagement 03

StartupSchoolgetinvestment-readyin8weeks.

Our cohort-based program for founders preparing to raise their first institutional round. Structured curriculum, live mentor sessions, pitch deck and financial model reviews, and a demo day with active investors.

Format

8-week cohort

Outcome

Investor-ready + demo day

Model

Program fee · scholarships

What you get
  • 16+ live sessions over 8 weeks
  • One-on-one mentorship from experienced founders and investors
  • Pitch deck and financial model review with our team
  • Investor introductions — sector and stage matched
  • Demo day pitch slot in front of family offices and VCs
Best for

First-time founders and early-stage teams preparing for an institutional pre-seed or seed round.

Commercial model

Program fee per cohort. Limited seats. Scholarships available through the Nebula Foundation for founders who qualify. Active cohort: Nebula 1.0.

How we operate

Threephases.Eightstages.Oneoutcome.

Whichever model you start with, the work runs on one operating system — a repeatable path from a raw idea to a fundable, growing company.

01Months 0–4

Venture Validation

  • Market research
  • Lean canvas
  • Investor positioning
02Months 3–9

Product Development

  • User research
  • Design and build
  • Full-scale launch
03Month 9 →

Go-to-Market & Scale

  • Audience engagement
  • Brand and awareness
  • Follow-on capital
Applications open

Nebula 1.0 — our flagship cohort.

Eight weeks. Tamil Nadu founders. Live mentors, structured curriculum, and a demo day with investors writing cheques.

Apply for Nebula 1.0
FAQ

Questions about our programs

What programs does Nebula Startup School offer?

Nebula offers three engagement models. Venture Building is our deepest — we join as institutional co-founders across product, fundraising and go-to-market. Fractional Leadership embeds senior operators in your team part-time. Startup School is an 8-week cohort that gets founders investor-ready.

How long is the Startup School program?

Startup School runs as an 8-week cohort with 16+ live sessions, one-on-one mentorship from experienced founders and investors, pitch-deck and financial-model reviews, and a demo day in front of active investors.

Who is the Venture Building program for?

Venture Building suits pre-seed and seed-stage founders who can commit to an 18–24+ month build. Nebula takes operating roles across product, fundraising and go-to-market and holds vesting equity, so we earn as we deliver rather than upfront.

What is the Fractional Leadership model?

Fractional Leadership plugs experienced operators — CTO, CMO, CFO, Head of Product and more — into your team part-time on a role-scoped monthly fee, reviewed quarterly. It gives funded startups senior bandwidth without a permanent hire.

Are scholarships available for Startup School?

Yes. Startup School runs on a per-cohort program fee with limited seats, and scholarships are available through the Nebula Foundation for founders who qualify. The current cohort is Nebula 1.0.

Where is Nebula based?

Nebula is based in Tamil Nadu and backs founders across India.

Notsurewhichmodelisright?Let'sfigureitout.

Tell us where your company is today and what you're trying to reach. We'll point you to the engagement that fits — Venture Building, Fractional Leadership, or Startup School.

Venture BuildingFractional LeadershipStartup School