Founder Framework: Apply for our Fall Cohort
Founder Framework | Fall 2026 Cohort — Program Overview for Applicants
Held in person at T-REX and led by Venture Capitalist Vikram Lakhwara, this 11-week program is invaluable for early-stage founders. Alongside a cohort of peers, founders will sharpen their thinking and strategy so they can take their start-up to the next level.
This course is FREE and is offered in the spring and fall. But please note – spots are limited and admission is competitive! Don’t miss your chance to join our Fall Cohort.
Each week focuses on one foundational topic — from customer discovery and value proposition design to business models, market sizing, go-to-market strategy, and financial storytelling. Founders leave every session with practical, usable outputs they can apply immediately. The program also integrates investor-readiness throughout, helping founders develop a clear and compelling narrative for grant opportunities, pitch competitions, and future fundraising.
Who Should Apply?
- First-time builders seeking structure
- Early-stage founders looking to validate their MVP
- Entrepreneurs preparing for future grant, pitch, or investment opportunities
- Start-ups looking for product-market fit and refining their go-to-market
What You Will Gain:
- A clarified problem, customer segment, and value proposition
- Customer insights from real conversations
- A product roadmap tied to milestones
- Simple and defendable TAM/SAM/SOM model
- Working business model and early unit economics
- A polished, investor-ready narrative and pitch outline
- Practical go-to-market plan and early experiments
- A straightforward financial story and model
Details:
- Format: In-person workshops at T-REX (911 Washington Ave)
- Cost: Free
- Duration: 11 weeks, starting mid-September
- Application deadline: September 3, 2026
About Vik
Vik brings nearly 20 years of experience as an investor, advisor, and venture ecosystem builder. Throughout his career, Vik has backed early-stage founders – first as co-founder of Green Cow Venture Capital, and before that as the first external hire at SK Telecom Ventures. He is now Founder and Managing Member of Stakehouse Fund, which invests in breakout founders from Midwest universities
A Silicon Valley native now fully planted in St. Louis, he’s become a fixture in the Midwest startup ecosystem as an advisor, investor-in-residence (at T-REX and Washington University’s Skandalaris Center), speaker, judge, and guest lecturer. Vik holds a BA in Economics from Vassar College.