4|>layVenture Studio

Apply

Apply to 4|>lay

Profile as a founder, talent, mentor, or studio admin with 4|>lay. Founders track progress in the Founder Portal; talent connects to ventures in the Talent Portal; mentors use the Mentor Portal. Evidence over polish.

Partnership menu

What you get — and what we take

4|>lay contributes as an institutional co-founder. Equity should match contribution intensity so founders stay motivated and later capital still fits.

  • Venture media

    Document the build, craft the narrative, and put distribution behind the venture story.

    • Story framing and founder narrative
    • Content / documentary-style build coverage
    • Audience and ecosystem spotlight

    Best for: Ventures with a real story that need reach more than build capacity

  • Capital introduction

    Package the venture for pre-seed / seed conversations and warm investor intros.

    • Investment-case packaging
    • Introductions into aligned capital networks
    • Pitch rehearsal and diligence prep

    Best for: Ventures already investable that need the right rooms

  • Build support

    Hands-on GTM and product capacity — institutional muscle without full co-found intensity.

    • GTM strategy and activation support
    • Access to fractional product / talent capacity
    • Operating cadence and milestone design

    Best for: Founders with a clear problem who need execution leverage

  • Full studio partnership

    Institutional co-founder model: build, distribute, and de-risk toward investment readiness.

    • Deep co-build across product, GTM, and narrative
    • Shared operating cadence with studio team
    • Path to capital readiness and follow-on intros
    • Media + talent ecosystem access

    Best for: Founders ready for shared ownership and full co-build

Equity is negotiated case by case — not a fixed offer. Final terms depend on stage, contribution intensity, and cap-table reality for follow-on investors.

Start

How do you want to work with 4|>lay?

What we decide on

We look at five things: the problem, demand, product, finance, and team. Specific evidence beats polish. Full attention beats curiosity.

Contact

Who you are

0 / 800 characters

Intro video

Start with your video

An intro video is required to apply. Other answers can be refined later in your portal profile after submission.

Record in-app (up to 3 min), upload MP4 / WebM / MOV (max 1000 MB), or paste a URL.

Video guidance

Length: 1–2 minutes

Format: Selfie-style or seated, landscape

Style: Natural and conversational — no need for anything overly polished.

Teleprompter · Founder narrative

00:00 / 01:30

Who you are, and the venture name.

Next · The problem, in the African context you serve.

  1. 00:00 — Who you are, and the venture name.
  2. 00:15 — The problem, in the African context you serve.
  3. 00:35 — What you are building, and any traction so far.
  4. 00:55 — Why you are the person to build this — now.
  5. 01:15 — What you need next: talent, co-builders, or the pitch stage.

In-app recording isn't available in this browser — upload a file or paste a URL.

Draft with AI

Fill empty answers from your intro video and LinkedIn profile. Existing answers stay as you wrote them.

Add a LinkedIn URL or upload the intro video first.

Venture

What you’re building

Founder or existing venture?

0 / 280 characters

I · Problem

Who hurts, how badly, and why now?

0 / 800 characters

0 / 1200 characters

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II · Demand

Can strangers find you and convert?

0 / 400 characters

III · Product

What is the minimum that delivers value?

0 / 800 characters

0 / 280 characters

IV · Finance

What does it cost, and what capital buys

0 / 400 characters

0 / 800 characters

V · Team

Who builds this — and can we co-build?

0 / 1200 characters

0 / 800 characters

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Partnership

What you want from 4|>lay

Select all that apply

0 / 800 characters

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We decide whether to proceed from problem, demand, product, finance, and team. Specific beats polished.