astral labs · incubator

branch 03 · incubator

a technical co-conspirator, not a vendor.

you're building something we'd build anyway. instead of paying full price, we invest engineering capacity in exchange for equity or revenue share. same delivery quality as a paid build — but the relationship is longer, deeper, and aligned on outcome. selective by design.

who this branch is for

three filters. all three must hold.

01

aligned thesis

we'd build what you're building even without you. wellness platforms, creator economies, ai-native tools, regenerative + lineage-respecting projects. if we wouldn't fund it ourselves with cash, it's not an incubator fit.

02

founder, not solopreneur

you're committed full-time (or are about to be). there's a long arc here — equity matters, revenue share matters, and that only works if you're in it. not for one-off projects or side hustles.

03

real chemistry

this is a multi-year relationship, often legal. we both need to want to spend time together. usually starts with a paid engagement first — a sprint, an audit, a strategy day — before any equity talk.

three structures

pick the shape that fits the relationship.

three legitimate ways to structure aligned engagements. all selective. all require an existing working relationship before terms get drafted.

A

equity build

we build your platform at significantly reduced rates in exchange for meaningful equity. same scope as a £30–80K full build, structured around your funding runway. vesting terms standard, drag/tag standard. typically pairs with a fractional CTO retainer post-launch.

B

revenue share

we build the platform with $0 upfront from you. in exchange, astral labs takes 10–30% of gross revenue (after stripe fees) for an agreed term — typically 3–5 years — with a small monthly floor. clean exit terms. used twice successfully (sacred counsel, and one ongoing).

C

fractional CTO

technical strategy, vendor decisions, hiring guidance, roadmap clarity, investor calls. not hands-on code (that's the retainer in /web or /ai). for founders who need a senior engineering brain in the room without the salary commitment. typically 5–10 hrs/week.

incubator engagements

what this looks like in practice.

01

sacred counsel

revenue-share build · multi-year

next.js supabase stripe connect rev share

marketplace platform built $0 upfront, 10% of gross revenue. signed agreement, live, paying. proof the rev-share model works at small scale.

02

yourloka

founder-built saas · aligned thesis

next.js supabase multi-tenant

built as a thesis platform — wellness practitioners need sovereign tools. running on a long-term aligned arc, not a one-off engagement.

03

sherppi

fractional CTO + build · multi-year

django react native CTO partner

built and ongoing technical leadership for a tour marketplace launching mexico 2026. shape of a long-term incubator engagement.

think you're a fit?

most incubator engagements start as paid first. a sprint, an audit, a strategy day — to see if the chemistry's there. equity talk comes later. if you want to skip to a conversation, book a call.