What Startup Science does

Startup Science operates a multi-tenant SaaS platform that unifies the startup ecosystem onto a single operating system, connecting Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) — accelerators, incubators, universities, and government innovation programs — with founders, mentors, investors, and 500+ marketplace providers. The platform replaces the typical patchwork of 12-20 disconnected tools (LMS, CRM, spreadsheets, messaging, forms, analytics) that ESOs otherwise patch together, anchoring everything in a Unified Startup Profile that tracks verified founder progress across programs, curriculum, mentorship, and capital access. The product is organized into integrated modules: Mentorship Engine, Advisors (sourced from the May 2026 Sphere acquisition), Capital Access (grant finder, investor directory, AI Grant Writer), Providers Marketplace (sourced from the 2025 Startup Stack acquisition), Academy & Curriculum (lifecycle-timed learning), Program Management, and Analytics & Reporting. The company's intellectual property is anchored in the 7-phase Startup Lifecycle Framework (Vision, Product, Go-to-Market, Standardization, Optimization, Growth, Exit), developed from 4,867 interviews and codified in a 2024 book published by BenBella Books with Penguin Random House distribution.

The business model combines ESO subscription revenue (tiered plans based on features and usage, pricing not publicly disclosed), provider marketplace commissions (500+ SaaS and service providers), and a Regulation Crowdfunding campaign on WeFunder launched in February 2026 that raised $300K in the first week. Founders use the platform for free under a freemium model, creating top-of-funnel volume (88,000+ founders, 40+ countries) that monetizes through ESO subscriptions and provider deals. The company has scaled to 150+ ESOs, completed three acquisitions (Startup Stack and Startup Benefits in 2025, Sphere in 2026, with management citing 20+ planned acquisitions), and previously raised $5.75M from management and strategic investors. Leadership includes founder/CEO Gregory Shepard (12 prior companies, four PE exits between $25M-$1B, Forbes podcast host, TEDx speaker), Head of Marketing Jonathan Engle (founder of acquired Startup Stack), and Head of Advisory Colin Christensen (founder of acquired Sphere, 15 ventures, 2,500+ entrepreneurs mentored).

Name

Startup Science

Legal name

BOSS Startup Science, Inc.

Website

https://startupscience.io

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Startup Science is a multi-tenant SaaS platform unifying the startup ecosystem, connecting 150+ Entrepreneur Support Organizations with 88,000+ founders, mentors, investors, and 500+ marketplace providers through a shared operating system built on its 7-phase Startup Lifecycle Framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Ecosystem Management Software

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

Keywords

• Startup ecosystem platform
• Entrepreneur support software
• Mentorship matching software
• Cohort program management
• Startup marketplace platform

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. ESO Platform Subscriptions: Entrepreneur Support Organizations (accelerators, incubators, universities) pay for platform access to manage cohort programs, mentorship, curriculum, and analytics. Pricing is subscription-based with tiered plans based on features and usage.
2. Provider Marketplace Commission: 500+ SaaS and service providers distribute products through the marketplace. Providers gain access to founders at specific lifecycle phases when they need particular tools, generating referral or commission-based revenue.
3. Reg CF Crowdfunding: Regulation Crowdfunding campaign on WeFunder allows the startup ecosystem to invest in Startup Science, transitioning platform users to co-owners.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Startup Science operates a unified multi-tenant SaaS platform that links founders, Entrepreneur Support Organizations (accelerators, incubators, universities, government programs), mentors, investors, and SaaS providers on a single system with a Unified Startup Profile. The platform bundles program management, lifecycle-timed curriculum, algorithmic mentor matching, capital access tools (grant finder, investor directory, AI grant writer), a 500+ provider marketplace, and cohort analytics — replacing the 12-20 disconnected tools (LMS, CRM, spreadsheets, forms, messaging) typically used by ESOs.

Product overview

Startup Science is a unified multi-tenant SaaS operating system for the startup ecosystem, replacing disconnected tools (CRM, LMS, spreadsheets, forms, messaging) with a single platform linking founders, Entrepreneurial Support Organizations (ESOs/accelerators/incubators), mentors, investors, and marketplace providers. The platform consists of a Core Platform with integrated modules: Mentorship Engine (matching, scheduling, session tracking), Advisors Module (Sphere-acquired structured mentorship methodology), Capital Access (grant finder, investor directory, AI Grant Writer), Providers Marketplace (500+ provider deals via Startup Stack acquisition), Academy & Curriculum (lifecycle-timed learning), Program Management (cohort applications and tracking), and Analytics & Reporting (cohort benchmarking, sponsor ROI). Supporting products include Nova AI Advisor (AI guidance from nine data sources), Ping (real-time messaging), Unified Startup Profile (verified stage scoring), The Startup Lifecycle Framework (7-phase methodology), and The Startup Lifecycle Book (published by BenBella Books). The company has acquired Startup Stack (marketplace deals), Startup Benefits (grants/investor records), and Sphere (mentorship methodology).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• StartupScience.IO Platform Unified multi-tenant SaaS operating system for the startup ecosystem that links founders, Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs), mentors, investors, and providers on a single shared platform with a Unified Startup Profile. It bundles program management, lifecycle-timed curriculum, mentorship matching, capital access (grant finder, investor directory, AI Grant Writer), the context-aware Providers Marketplace, and analytics/reporting. ESOs pay for subscriptions; individual founders get free access.
• Providers Marketplace Context-aware marketplace connecting 500+ SaaS and service providers with 88,000+ founders through lifecycle-timed placement, with 1,000+ curated deals and $4M+ in potential savings. Named providers include AWS Activate, Stripe Atlas, HubSpot for Startups, and Clerky.
• The Startup Lifecycle Book Book authored by Gregory Shepard and published by BenBella Books (September 2024) with Penguin Random House distribution, presenting the seven-phase Startup Lifecycle framework (Vision, Product, Go-to-Market, Standardization, Optimization, Growth, Exit).

Quantifiable outcome

• 59% faster ecosystem value growth for organizations using structured, data-driven support vs. peers without it (Startup Genome research)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sphere (Colin Christensen)coreTechnology or Integration · 8 May 2026Acquisition of Sphere mentorship methodology and technology created by Colin Christensen, who becomes Head of Advisory at Startup Science. The system was developed through mentoring over 2,500 entrepreneurs across five continents and is now integrated as the Advisors module.
• Gold Ventures IncubatorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Strategic partnership bridging the US and EU innovation ecosystems for founders and investors, providing cross-border support and market access.
• Canada Startup AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership to bring structured learning and investor-readiness tools to underserved founders across Canada through the association's network.
• Startup StackcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Acquisition of Startup Stack, a 10,000+ founder community with $4M+ in marketplace deals, which became the Marketplace module inside Startup Science. This was the first of 20+ planned acquisitions.
• Startup BenefitscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Acquisition adding hundreds of thousands of grants, software deals, and investor records to expand the marketplace offerings for founders.
• UCSD (University of California, San Diego)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023First pilot partner where the Startup Science platform was tested with emerging founders and students validating ideas and accelerating their startup journeys. This pilot marked the beginning of hands-on collaboration with academic institutions.
• Fulbright CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership to launch Fulbright Entrepreneurship Initiative bridging global innovation with world-class education through cross-border mentorship, hands-on startup training, and access to ecosystem of experts, founders, and investors.
• Alacrity CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner in building the Fulbright Entrepreneurship Initiative providing structured learning and investor-readiness tools to founders.
• Angel Capital Association (ACA)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Ecosystem partner connecting founders with accredited investors, mentorship, and educational resources at scale. ACA represents angel investors who provide capital and guidance to early-stage companies.
• Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization (CEO)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Ecosystem partner providing resources to student and collegiate entrepreneurs across the startup lifecycle.
• Startup GenomeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerResearch partnership citing Startup Genome's 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Report and GSER 2025 data for ecosystem insights and benchmarks.
• WeFunderminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegulation Crowdfunding platform (SEC# 0002077302) hosting Startup Science's community investment round, enabling the broader startup ecosystem to invest and become stakeholders.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Carta: Carta is the dominant cap table and equity management platform serving startups, investors, and ESOs. Its data position and broader portfolio make it the largest incumbent in founder/investor tooling adjacent to Startup Science.
• DocSend: DocSend provides pitch deck sharing and investor tracking widely used by founders and ESOs. It overlaps with Startup Science's Capital Access and pitching workflows, though it is broader and not ecosystem-vertical.
• AngelList (Roll / Talent): AngelList operates Roll and AngelList Talent, serving the startup-and-investor ecosystem with cap table, syndication, and recruiting tools. It is a broader incumbent with overlapping capital access and founder workflow capabilities.

Direct peers

• Visible.vc: Visible.vc offers investor updates, data rooms, and fundraising pipelines for early-stage founders — a similar founder-and-investor workflow product overlapping with Startup Science's Capital Access and reporting modules.
• GrowthMentor: GrowthMentor operates a marketplace connecting founders with vetted mentors for 1:1 sessions. Directly comparable to Startup Science's Mentorship Engine and Advisors module (post-Sphere acquisition).
• Gust: Gust operates a global platform linking startups with accelerators, investors, and funding resources. It addresses the same ESO-plus-founder ecosystem connections that Startup Science unifies, though with a more investor-recruitment lens.
• Quatro (AcceleratorApp): AcceleratorApp (now Quatro) is purpose-built accelerator/incubator management software with cohort, application, and mentor tracking — the closest direct competitor on the ESO programmatic-management side of Startup Science.
• F6S: F6S is a founder and accelerator community platform that connects startups with programs, investors, and perks — directly comparable to Startup Science's multi-sided ESO + founder + marketplace model.
• Foundersuite: Foundersuite provides investor CRM, cap table, and fundraising pipeline tools for early-stage founders — a direct functional overlap with Startup Science's Capital Access and CRM-style modules for ESOs and founders.

Others

• Startup Genome: Startup Genome produces ecosystem research and benchmark reports that Startup Science cites (GSER 2025). It serves as an adjacent research/data provider rather than a direct platform competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@startupscience-io
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/startupscience
• Xx.com/startupscience_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Startup Science