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Program FAQs

Does my company have to be based out of the US?

At the moment, we are able to support startups that are based in the US, Canada, EU, and UK.

What industry do you prefer?

We generally avoid consumer-facing or advertising driven companies, two-sided marketplaces, social networks and network-effect businesses, unless the founder has a proven track-record growing such businesses profitably. We prefer startups that have unit economics such that each additional user is incrementally profitable at any scale.

How long can I expect to wait until things get started?

We review and respond to initial applications within a couple weeks.

Are your investment terms negotiable?

Feel free to apply and include the terms of your last raise and the investors involved in the application. You can also make a specific request for an exception to our standard terms.  We review each exception request on a case-by-case basis based on the strength of the founder’s justification.

How much equity does MassLight take?

We have 3 programs:
Idea stage: 3% equity
Discover stage: 6% equity
Build stage: 20% equity

Startups have the ability to go through multiple programs, with MassLight taking equity for each program.

We've already been working on our startup for a while. Is MassLight appropriate for us?

We work with startups from very early idea stage to post-seed. If you need a technical team, please reach out.

What stage companies do you work with?

Idea to post-seed. We are typically the lead investor, but it's not a requirement.

Are you able to work with part-time founders?

No.  We devote ourselves full-time to each startup and we expect founders to do the same.

What do you expect from founders?

Our primary focus is partnering with full time, non-technical co-founders who have deep domain experience in a vertical market.

We look for founders who can use their industry contacts and experience for client acquisition, sales, and marketing. We are especially interested in founders in highly regulated markets or verticals that require specialized knowledge.

Application FAQs

Can I apply more than once?

Yes. If you've applied before and not gotten in, we encourage you to reapply if you’ve made progress since your last application.

How long does it take to hear back after I submit my application?

We try to respond to applications within 2 weeks. Sometimes we may take a bit longer; there's a large amount of applications coming in daily.

Will you sign an NDA? How do I know you won't steal my idea?

Like most investors, we are unable to sign an NDA.  We speak to many startups, often direct and indirect competitors, and do our best to keep confidential information appropriately siloed.

How long can I expect to wait until things get started?

We are only able to accept a small fraction of the companies that apply.   We tend to make that decision fairly quickly, usually no more than a month, often sooner.

Why didn't you accept our application?

The volume of build-for-equity applications is so large that we can’t comment on your application individually, but we only work with startups when think our team will add value. We often decline startups we think will succeed because we aren’t confident in our own ability to help.

Will someone from MassLight review my startup idea?

We review each and every application. While we can’t work with everyone, and we can’t comment on specific applications, we will always let you know either way.

Process FAQs

Are there any fees involved?

There are no fees. We invest engineers, cash and mentorship in startups in exchange for an equity stake.

How is the investment structured?

It is a capped YC SAFE with a pro-rata side letter.

Y Combinator Documents

What does the collaboration/communication process look like?

We are only able to accept a small fraction of the companies that apply.   We tend to make that decision fairly quickly, usually no more than a month, often sooner. If you submit your application on time, and your application is approved we'd start work during the next cycle.

Does MassLight take pro-rata interest in build-for-equity investments?

Yes.  MassLight typically sets up a syndicate/series-SPV to exercise our pro-rata interest in a follow-on build-for-equity round. We have relationships with investors who track our build-for-equity portfolio companies and participate.  If you are an institutional investor interested in access to our build-for-equity portfolio, please contact us by email at [email protected].

Does MassLight require a board seat or other involvement in corporate governance?

No.

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