# Startup Science

Unifying the startup ecosystem in one platform

- Canonical URL: https://wefunder.com/startupscience
- Entity ID: wefunder:company:190700
- Last updated: 2026-06-07T23:54:48Z
- Generated at: 2026-06-08T02:54:45Z

## Quick facts
- Fixing the $27B annual problem of preventable startup failures.
- Led by CEO who built and sold 12 companies and four private equity awards from $25M to $1B deals.
- 88,000 users across four continents with multiple streams of income.
- 200+ accelerator, university, and government partners onboarded.
- Chosen by the Fulbright Foundation as their entrepreneurship platform.
- $7T global startup economy. $150B spent annually on founder tools and services.
- $5.75M raised from management and strategic investors to build the core platform.
- Two acquisitions completed. 20+ more planned to unify the startup ecosystem.

## Active fundraises
- wefunder:fundraise:152824: 4(a)(6) successful (USD)
- wefunder:fundraise:152823: 4(a)(6) open (USD)

## Story
Startup Science unifies the startup ecosystem in one platform, primarily making money through software subscriptions. We support 89,000 founders across 200+ accelerators and universities. We’ve completed two acquisitions and raised $5.75M to date. We’re building Startup Science to unify the startup ecosystem into one platform.Founders fail because the startup ecosystem is fragmented. The right guidance often arrives too late or out of order.“After building and exiting 12 companies over 35 years, I saw the same failures repeat again and again. Founders weren’t failing because of bad ideas or lack of effort. They were failing because the ecosystem itself was broken. Startup Science exists to fix that.”Founder and CEO, Gregory ShepardFor more than 30 years, the global startup failure rate has remained near 90%. No other industry would accept that level of waste. Outcomes have not improved despite more tools, capital, and faster company creation.The number one driver of startup failure is the fragmented startup ecosystem. This fragmentation results in founders not finding what they need when they need it. This leads to compounding mistakes from a startup’s inception that are entirely avoidable given the right framework, software, and services to support a founder.Startup Science is the first platform that addresses the root causes of startup failure. We unify founders, mentors, universities, accelerators, investors, and service providers into one structured operating system that brings clarity, timing, and alignment to the founder journey.Artificial intelligence has made it much easier to start a company. Founders can now build working products in days instead of months. As a result, more people are starting startups than ever before.At the same time, the systems that support founders have not improved.Tools are still disconnected.Advice is still inconsistent.Programs still operate in silos.As startup creation speeds up, these problems grow faster and cause more early mistakes. Without structure, speed leads to more failure. This moment requires a shared operating system that brings clarity, timing, and alignment to the entire startup journey.Startup Science gives founders a single operating system that shows them where they are in their journey, what decisions matter next, and who they should work with. It replaces disconnected tools with a shared system that guides founders through each stage with clarity and timing.Founders learn exactly what they need to know at the moment they need it, not months too early or years too late. They manage planning, learning, mentors, advisors, programs, providers, and later investors in one place. This structure keeps them focused on the right work instead of jumping between disconnected tools.The platform includes:Education matched to where founders are in their journeyMentor and advisory matchmaking with assignments and progress trackingProgram management software for accelerators, universities, and governmentsA marketplace with $4M+ in potential savings for foundersTools integrated with all business critical services like business insurance, cap table management, and many moreAI-powered matching across founders, mentors, programs, and providersCommunities based on stage, sector, and geographyPortfolio tools for investors launching in 2026Startup Science combines the Startup Lifecycle framework with a single software platform. This platform brings the startup ecosystem into one place so founders and the people who support them can work from the same system at the right time.FoundersFounders get clarity on their current stage and what to focus on next. The platform delivers stage-specific guidance, mentors, peer support, and access to vetted tools and exclusive savings—all through a single profile that follows them across programs and the broader ecosystem.Accelerators, Incubators, and UniversitiesStartup programs run their programs from a single system built for founder support. Applications, curriculum delivery, mentor matching, progress tracking, and reporting all live in the same place. This reduces manual work and improves consistency across cohorts. Programs gain clearer insight into founder progress and produce stronger, more reliable outcomes for funders and partners.Mentors and AdvisorsMentors see each founder's progress and readiness at a glance so they can focus on the right topics at the right time. The platform supports session tracking, resource sharing, and ongoing visibility into founder progress, making mentor time more effective and relationships become more valuable.Software and Service ProvidersSoftware and service providers connect with founders at the moment their solutions are most relevant. Startup Science places tools and services directly inside founder workflows. Providers gain clearer engagement data and better conversion while founders avoid irrelevant offers. This creates better outcomes for both sides.InvestorsInvestors get deal flow aligned with their thesis and clear visibility into founder progress. Startup Science provides a structured environment where readiness and milestones are tracked over time, enabling faster diligence, cleaner deal flow, and stronger portfolio insight. Operating from a shared system improves timing, reduces confusion, and creates a repeatable framework for startup success.The core platform already delivers an excellent experience for both Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) and founders. Basic features are in place for mentors, advisors, sponsors, and investors. By early 2026, we'll complete their experiences and cover every persona in the startup ecosystem.Acquisitions are core to our growth strategy. We’ve already made 3 with 20+ planned over the life of our company.Startup StackBecame the Marketplace module in Startup Science, offering startup founders $4M+ in potential savings. On track for 1,000+ software and service providers by the end of 2025 to become the largest startup marketplace in the world.Startup BenefitsSupports our international expansion with a rich database of hundreds of thousands of grants, software, and services, and investors worldwide (emphasis on Europe). This will power the Capital module rebuild in Q1 2026.SphereBecoming the Mentorship module to connect tens of thousands of mentors and mentorship support software to our founder community.Startup Science generates revenue through three connected streams.Program SubscriptionsAccelerators, incubators, universities, and government programs license the platform to run their startup programs. Applications, curriculum, mentorship, progress tracking, and reporting all run from one system. Programs use the built-in Sponsorship module to offset subscription costs, which deepens retention and embeds Startup Science into daily operations. Each ESO brings its founders onto the platform, driving ecosystem-wide adoption.Provider RevenueSoftware and service providers pay to reach founders inside active workflows rather than through crowded marketing channels. Revenue comes through featured placements, affiliate deals, cost-per-lead fees, and API-based billing. Providers get better conversion. Founders get relevant solutions at the right moment.Direct Founder and Advisor RevenueFounders outside of ESO programs subscribe directly for structure, curriculum, and ecosystem access. Advisors subscribe for matching, analytics, and workflow tools. When founders hire advisors for paid engagements, Startup Science earns a share.These three streams fuel each other. ESOs bring founders who create demand for advisors and providers. Providers bring sponsorship and partner revenue. Every new participant increases the value of the platform for everyone else.The startup ecosystem is a $7 trillion global asset class. That's larger than private equity and approaching the scale of public equities.Market DynamicsEvery year, three million startups launch, and AI is about to make that number skyrocket.History shows disruption drives entrepreneurship: after the dot-com crash, 2008, and COVID, new businesses surged. AI now lets founders prototype, test, and operate faster and leaner than ever.More startups will only magnify the 90% failure rate. Without structure, more capital is wasted and more founders fail.That’s where Startup Science comes in. We unify the fragmented ecosystem, guide founders through the lifecycle, connect them to the right resources, and coordinate stakeholders—turning chaos into sustainable growth.Our PositionStartup Science sits at the center of this market surge. Startup Science sits beneath accelerators, founders, mentors, and providers. As startup activity grows, the need for shared infrastructure grows with it. As AI fuels startup creation, Startup Science becomes the operating system ensuring those companies survive, grow, and exit.Gregory Shepard has spent 35 years building, scaling, acquiring, and exiting companies in fragmented, chaotic markets. He's founded 12 companies across biotech, adtech, govtech, and ecommerce, and has led more than 20 acquisitions on both the buy and sell side. His entire career centered on one skill: bringing structure to messy ecosystems and unlocking value in the process.Today’s startup ecosystem has too many tools, too many disconnected players, and no shared operating system. Startup Science applies the same playbook: unify the market, create structure, and build outsized enterprise value.Gregory's Track RecordBuilt and sold 12 companies across BioTech, TransitTech, AdTech, and MarTechLed more than 20 acquisitions across buy and sell sidesReceived 4 private equity awards for transactions from $25M to $1BPlayed a critical role in scaling Delerrok from $0 to $42M exit in three yearsInvested in 8 companies as an angel and LP through BOSS Capital PartnersAuthor of The Startup Lifecycle, published globally by BenBella BooksHost of the Forbes Podcast and contributor to more than 200 articles and podcastsTEDx speaker and co founder of the Fulbright Entrepreneurship InitiativeFrequent keynote speaker at major global conferencesGregory grew up in poverty, neurodivergent, and often overlooked. He knows what it feels like to fight for a chance and what it means when an idea finally works. His mission is simple. He wants to create a world where anyone, anywhere, has a real shot at building a company that succeeds. Startup Science is the platform that makes that possible, built by someone who has spent his entire career unifying fragmented ecosystems and leading them to successful exits.Gregory is surrounded by a team that has already built and sold companies together and knows how to execute as a unit. Several leaders, including our CTO and Operations leader have built and sold multiple previous exits with Gregory. Nearly every leader at Startup Science has founded, scaled, or sold a company of their own, bringing firsthand operating experience and empathy with our users. Together, they combine technical depth, operational leadership, product expertise, and growth execution from the startup and enterprise worlds. This is a product built by founders, for founders, that is uniquely equipped to deliver the operating system the ecosystem has been missing.Startup Science is built for strategic acquisition, and there are two clear categories of buyer.The first is investment institutions looking for fresh deal flow. The data that powers PitchBook and Crunchbase is scraped, which means by the time an investor sees it, everyone else already has. A platform with millions of founders at the earliest stages of company building is a source of deal flow no one else has seen yet.The second is large technology platforms. Companies like Microsoft, Google, HubSpot, Salesforce, and GitHub all run entrepreneur programs, and they spend $30,000 to $40,000 in credits to acquire a single startup customer. That number tells you what a founder is worth to them. A platform with millions of founders represents an acquisition cost savings that justifies a significant purchase price on its own.Fresh businesses need everything: software, services, capital, infrastructure. That makes founders among the most valuable customers in any market. The key driver of our future valuation is founder acquisition, and everything we build is designed to grow that number.Startup Science is currently valued at $19.75M pre-money. Our long-term goal is to build a platform that becomes large and valuable enough to support a strategic acquisition. This round is focused on execution, not speculation.We are raising up to $1.2M with a clear, milestone-driven plan. The goal is to reach break-even and transition into self-sustaining growth. Capital from this round will be used to accelerate what is already working and complete key parts of the product roadmap.Funds will be deployed across five focused areas.#1: Product DevelopmentExpand our engineering team to accelerate the long product roadmap.Invest in AI-driven development capabilities to accelerate our platform growth with limited headcount.Integrate additional tools and features that enhance founder workflows and drive retention.#2: Strategic AcquisitionsContinue acquiring “spot solutions” in the startup ecosystem (like Startup Stack and Startup Benefits) to expand platform functionality and create cross-sell opportunities.#3: Sales & Marketing ExpansionIncrease participation in industry conferences to drive visibility and adoption.Scale cold outbound, partnership-driven sales, and growth channels to accelerate customer acquisition.Build targeted campaigns to deepen adoption among accelerators, universities, and government programs.#4: Team GrowthAdd headcount in sales and customer success to support growing user numbers.Ensure strong onboarding and retention support as we scale to tens of thousands of founders.#5: Path to ProfitabilityEvery dollar is allocated with the dual objective of achieving profitability while continuing to push for growth.This structure avoids dependency on future fundraising rounds and positions Startup Science as a self-sustaining, cash-flow positive business.Startup Science is building the infrastructure that supports founders at every stage of their journey. By investing, you are backing a platform designed to bring clarity, coordination, and consistency to a fragmented startup ecosystem.Gregory Shepard’s 12 exits and decades of primary research shaped this system. The lessons learned over decades now power a system designed to help founders make better decisions, earlier, and with the right support.For over 30 years, the global startup failure rate has remained near 90 percent. This is a systemic problem. Startup Science exists to change the system so that more companies survive, grow, and reach meaningful outcomes.Invest in Startup Science and own a piece of the operating system powering the future of entrepreneurship.

## FAQ
1. **Hi Gregory, Really cool initiative. Love what you do. Before committing, I have a few high-level questions regarding the long-term scalability and defensibility of the business: - Does the company (Startup Science, Inc.) legally own the BOSS methodology and the underlying rese...**
   - Thank You Prakash - we appreciate your interest and engagement! Here are responses to your questions (in brackets [ ]). Let us know if you have further questions. Really cool initiative. Love what you do. Before committing, I have a few high-level questions regarding the long-term scalability and defensibility of the business: IP Ownership: Does the company (Startup Science, Inc.) legally own the BOSS methodology and the underlying research dataset of startups, or are these assets licensed fr...
2. **When a company is focused on fundraising, having access to a list of investors who have previously invested in the same industry can be helpful, but there are already many free resources that offer this. What truly differentiates your platform when it comes to reaching out to ...**
   - You’re absolutely right that investor lists, by themselves, are not differentiated. That’s why our Capital Module was intentionally designed as a multi-phase system, not a single feature. Phase One addressed a foundational but real problem: fragmentation. Founders were forced to manage fundraising across multiple URLs, logins, subscriptions, and tools just to assemble a basic investor universe. We consolidated that into a single system of record, reducing friction, cost, and cognitive overhea...
3. **Hi Gregory, We are D3VC, an early-stage venture fund that invests in select RegCF offerings. You deal scored high in our algorithm and we had a chance to begin diligence during our last investment committee call. The committee had the following question we were hoping you coul...**
   - Right now is actually the most interesting moment to get involved.We launched early, earlier than I normally would, and onboarded 100 users on a free pilot to get solid data to build on. Honestly, the product had real issues. Early software always does. What we learned is that re-engaging users after a rough first experience is harder than acquiring them in the first place.So that became our focus. In the last two weeks, we've converted 13 of those original 100 to paid, not through a polished...
4. **What is the exit plan (acquisition, IPO, merger, etc.) in which investors will be able to see a ROI?**
   - We are intentionally building toward three viable exit routes:First, acquisition by a strategic buyer. This includes large platform players such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Siemens, and similar organizations. These companies have both the capital and the strategic incentive to acquire platforms like ours, particularly as we scale into a category-defining position. This is because these companies live or die on getting in the door with new companies as early as possible. Second, a path towar...

## Team
- Gregory Shepard (Founder and Chief Executive Officer)
- Jonathan Engle (Head of Marketing)
- Gary Horn (Head of Service & Operations)
- Gerardo Ortiz (Head of Product)
- Daniel Dickson (Chief Technology Officer)
- Darrell Allen (Head of Sales)

## Recent posts
-  (2026-04-14T14:27:30Z)
- What we've proven (2026-03-02T19:10:57Z)
- Democratizing Entrepreneurship (2026-02-26T02:45:02Z)

## Q&A
- Q: When a company is focused on fundraising, having access to a list of investors who have previously invested in the same industry can be helpful, but there are already many free resources that offer this. What truly differentiates your platform when it comes to reaching out to VCs? How does your platform identify investors who are currently active, have capital available, and are genuinely likely to invest in a specific business? While getting a list of VC firms may seem appealing, identifying even one investor who is actively investing, has available capital, is interested in a particular type of business, and aligns with the founder’s vision is extremely difficult. In practice, a founder may reach out to 300+ VCs selected by your platform (or any other platform), execute excellent outreach and pitching, and still see no results. How does your platform solve this problem?
  - A: You’re absolutely right that investor lists, by themselves, are not differentiated. That’s why our Capital Module was intentionally designed as a multi-phase system, not a single feature. Phase One addressed a foundational but real problem: fragmentation. Founders were forced to manage fundraising across multiple URLs, logins, subscriptions, and tools just to assemble a basic investor universe. We consolidated that into a single system of record, reducing friction, cost, and cognitive overhead while standardizing how founders organize their capital strategy. Phase Two is where the platform moves beyond lists. Here, we use AI-driven matching on enriched investor data to evaluate fit across deal-specific criteria such as vertical and industry focus, company lifecycle phase, check size, round type, stage, ownership patterns, and historical behavior. The output is not a broad list, but a sharply reduced set of investors actually worth review for a specific raise. This is a critical distinction from platforms built on scraped deal data. Scraped data is inherently backward-looking. It reflects activity that has already occurred, has already been widely surfaced, and has already been evaluated by the market. Because that same data is resold broadly, founders are often targeting investors who have already seen similar deals, already passed, or already deployed capital for reasons that are invisible in static datasets. Phase Three closes the loop. This phase introduces a deal management system on both the founder and investor sides. Instead of relying on scraped or inferred signals, deal data is originated directly by founders as part of the fundraising process. That data then lives inside a core system of record or is synchronized via API into the deal management tools investors already use. The result is a living, forward-looking dataset grounded in real deal flow, not historical snapshots. Founders can manage outreach, conversations, and deal progression in one place, while investors receive structured, standardized deal information without changing their existing workflows. Taken together, the differentiation is not access to investor names. It is the creation of a closed-loop capital system where data originates at the source, matching improves before outreach, and deal flow is managed end-to-end rather than guessed at after the fact.
  - A: I wanted to confirm I was able to answer all your questions
- Q: Hi Gregory, Really cool initiative. Love what you do. Before committing, I have a few high-level questions regarding the long-term scalability and defensibility of the business: - Does the company (Startup Science, Inc.) legally own the BOSS methodology and the underlying research dataset of startups, or are these assets licensed from you personally? Are there any patents pending for the 'success prediction' algorithms? - What percentage of your current revenue is recurring SaaS platform fees versus one-time implementation or consulting fees for setting up Innovation Hubs? - To what extent is the platform 'product-led'? Can a new Innovation Hub or accelerator be fully onboarded and successful without significant 'hands-on' time from you or your executive team? - Besides yourself, who are the key technical and operational leaders responsible for scaling the software architecture to ensure the company thrives as a standalone product entity? - Once a founder finishes the curriculum or a cohort ends, why would they continue paying for the software? Is there a long-term data play or a networking component? - Lastly, what is your burn rate and how long before you need to raise again, I see frequent raises in the last 4+ years. Thank you for your time and transparency! I appreciate what you do for startup community. We are ONE great community...
  - A: Thank You Prakash - we appreciate your interest and engagement! Here are responses to your questions (in brackets [ ]). Let us know if you have further questions. Really cool initiative. Love what you do. Before committing, I have a few high-level questions regarding the long-term scalability and defensibility of the business: IP Ownership: Does the company (Startup Science, Inc.) legally own the BOSS methodology and the underlying research dataset of startups, or are these assets licensed from you personally? Are there any patents pending for the 'success prediction' algorithms? [Yes Startup Science owns the BOSS IP as well as the Startup Lifecycle Book. We currently have no patents pending.] Revenue Quality: What percentage of your current revenue is recurring SaaS platform fees versus one-time implementation or consulting fees for setting up Innovation Hubs? [The majority of our revenue is from recurring SaaS platform fees or advertising/sponsorship. We do not currently charge for implementation or consulting fees but may add paid education seminars in the future.] Product vs. Service: To what extent is the platform 'product-led'? Can a new Innovation Hub or accelerator be fully onboarded and successful without significant 'hands-on' time from you or your executive team? [The platform is entirely product-led for individual users and primarily product-led for institutional users (accelerators, universities, etc.). It is becoming moreso as we better learn our user's needs and automate processes. For institutional users, our service team currently provides ~2 hours of onboarding support.] Key Person Risk: Besides yourself, who are the key technical and operational leaders responsible for scaling the software architecture to ensure the company thrives as a standalone product entity? [Key Person Risk is assessed as low. Several team members have worked with Greg Shepard in previous companies and cross-training is significant. Both software engineering and business processes are extensively documented.] Stickiness: Once a founder finishes the curriculum or a cohort ends, why would they continue paying for the software? Is there a long-term data play or a networking component? [The platform is designed to provide incentives for long-term participation. In addition to the education components, it will provide a network that connects entrepreneurs with peers, mentors, services, updated information and access to discounted goods and services that they will need throughout the building of their business. Providing data on the long term success of entrepreneurs is a key goal.] Exit Strategy: Since you advocate for 'starting with the end in mind,' what is the specific exit roadmap for Startup Science? Who are the most likely strategic acquirers for this platform? [We are planning to exit to a large service provider by providing both the traditional SaaS multiple valuation and a demonstrated improvement in CAC:LTV for the early stage entrepreneurs they seek to capture as clients.] Voting Rights: As a Wefunder investor, am I purchasing voting or non-voting shares when the SAFE converts? Who currently holds the majority of the voting power, and how are minority investor interests protected in future rounds? What is your burn rate and how long before you need to raise again, I see frequent raises in the last 4+ years. [The terms and conditions of our next round offering have not yet been determined, but investors in the Wefunder SAFE will convert on the same terms. Our Wefunder filing states that the shares will be non-voting. Previous fundraising has been focused on bringing strategic partners onto our Cap Table, which is the reason for the frequency of the raises. Founder Gregory Shepard holds the majority of our voting shares and controls the company. If our Wefunder raise is fully subscribed it will provide in excess of 12 months of runway for our current operations; however, we are considering raising additional capital in that period to support strategic growth opportunities that are being explored. There are no specific protections available for minority investors with regard to potential future rounds; however, Startup Science is run by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs and committed to providing the best possible outcome for all of our partners.] Thank you for your time and transparency! I appreciate what you do for startup community. We are ONE great community... [Absolutely - we exist to help improve the startup community. Glad to set up a call to discuss any questions you may have.]
  - A: I would be happy to have a GMeet if you like. My direct email is Greg@Startupscience.io
- Q: Greg@StartupScience.io - i would love to hear what you have to say
- Q: What is the exit plan (acquisition, IPO, merger, etc.) in which investors will be able to see a ROI?
  - A: We are intentionally building toward three viable exit routes:First, acquisition by a strategic buyer. This includes large platform players such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Siemens, and similar organizations. These companies have both the capital and the strategic incentive to acquire platforms like ours, particularly as we scale into a category-defining position. This is because these companies live or die on getting in the door with new companies as early as possible. Second, a path toward an IPO. We are being deliberate about keeping this option open rather than closing it off prematurely. Our current community round is an important step in that direction. It allows us to establish an SEC filing history and begin building a broad investor base. From there, we would have the flexibility to transition into a secondary market and ultimately position the company for a public offering.Third, acquisition by a financial institution or venture platform. This is a very real and active market. As a reference point, last year, a private financial company acquired a company I would say is in our wheelhouse for approximately $1.2 billion. That company had greater scale but significantly fewer features, which reinforces our belief in the strength of our positioning as we grow.Overall, our strategy is to build the company to maximize leverage across all three paths, rather than committing too early to a single outcome.Happy to walk through this in more detail on a call if helpful.
- Q: Hi Gregory, We are D3VC, an early-stage venture fund that invests in select RegCF offerings. You deal scored high in our algorithm and we had a chance to begin diligence during our last investment committee call. The committee had the following question we were hoping you could answer for us: It seems you've done an impressive job building a technology backend for startups that provides a holistic view of the startup ecosystem, but they hadn't successfully converted their users into paying customers despite having great experience. What is the sticking point here? How are you addressing tthis? Thanks, Sherwood Neiss, Managing Partner
  - A: Right now is actually the most interesting moment to get involved.We launched early, earlier than I normally would, and onboarded 100 users on a free pilot to get solid data to build on. Honestly, the product had real issues. Early software always does. What we learned is that re-engaging users after a rough first experience is harder than acquiring them in the first place.So that became our focus. In the last two weeks, we've converted 13 of those original 100 to paid, not through a polished pitch, but by fixing problems and showing up. That conversion rate, under those circumstances, tells us the core value is real. What we see now is more and more are coming back to the table. I would be happy to have a GMeet if you like. My direct email is Greg@Startupscience.io We also know exactly what's still missing. Two features, mentor access and investor connectivity, are what we believe will unlock full adoption. Both are on track to ship by May.I prepared a set of documents to provide to help navigate the StartupScience investment https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12ldtkOPc_h2k6COIaC67SSpTRtpWLUSd
  - A: I wanted to confirm I was able to answer all your questions