Where first-time founders
build their foundation.
Founder Groundworks is an institute for people starting from zero, teaching first-time founders how to think, speak, and operate with the discipline of a serious startup leader.
Built for early founders, career switchers, and international talent preparing to build serious businesses.
What is Founder Groundworks?
An institute for the serious first-time founder.
Founder Groundworks exists for a specific kind of person: someone with ideas, ambition and potential, but no real exposure to the startup world.
We provide structured training in the fundamentals every founder is expected to understand: how to define a real problem, design a solution, build a lean first version, track meaningful numbers, and communicate like a leader.
No hacks. No hype. Just disciplined founder education.
The Groundworks Method™
From unclear ideas to disciplined founder.
Our method is designed to move people from "I don't know where to start" to "I understand how to build and present a serious business."
Foundations of Thinking
We begin by reshaping how you think about problems, solutions and value. You'll learn to separate the idea from the delivery, understand markets, and articulate why your solution matters.
Practical Structure
We then introduce simple, serious tools, from basic business models to MVP thinking and KPIs. You learn how to move from assumption to evidence, and from vague ambition to practical planning.
Communication & Presence
Finally, we refine how you speak as a founder. You'll practice pitching, answering hard questions, and presenting your work in a way that investors, partners and institutions take seriously.
Who we serve
Not "serial founders." First-time founders.
Founder Groundworks is built for people at the very beginning of the journey, often with no previous startup experience at all.
Our participants include:
Professionals transitioning into entrepreneurship
Builders and creatives with strong skills but no business structure
International talent preparing to start or grow a business in the UK
Individuals who have tried to "start something" before, but without a clear framework
If you are serious about becoming a founder – not just "starting a side project" – this is where you begin.
Outcomes
By the end, you will:
Understand the difference between a problem, a solution, and the means of delivering that solution
Be able to explain your idea clearly in plain language
Know the basic structures of business models and early-stage validation
Identify and track simple, meaningful KPIs for your project
Deliver a structured pitch and handle follow-up questions with confidence
Think and speak with the clarity expected of a serious founder
How it works
A clear, structured path – from first step to readiness.
Step 1 – Foundations Programme
A structured, cohort-based programme for first-time founders. Weekly sessions, practical assignments and guided frameworks to build your understanding.
Step 2 – Groundworks Clinics
Small-group clinics focused on real questions: refining your idea, tightening your pitch, and clarifying your direction.
Step 3 – Founder Readiness Review
At the end, you receive a structured review of where you stand as a founder – your strengths, your gaps, and your next steps.
Why foundations first?
Because serious opportunities require serious preparation.
The world does not need more unstructured projects. It needs founders who understand what they are building, why it matters, and how to communicate it.
Whether your goal is to build locally or think globally, your first responsibility is to become a disciplined founder. That is what Founder Groundworks focuses on, nothing less, nothing more.
Start your founder groundwork.
If you are ready to move from ideas to structured action, the next step is simple: apply to the Foundations Programme.