Our method, in public
We validate first, we build only what clears, and we recruit on terms that align everyone to the same outcome. Here is how all three work.
Part 1
Validation before a line of production code
Startup failure in this market is rarely about effort. It is about building something nobody was waiting for, with capital that runs out before anyone finds out. Validation is how we avoid paying for that lesson repeatedly.
Hypothesis and assumptions
Define the problem, the solution and the target market. Write down what must be true. Benchmark against whoever already serves this customer.
Customer discovery
Talk to real SMEs. Establish whether the problem is urgent enough to pay for, rather than merely real.
Pre-sell and pilot
Get first paying users before the product exists. Willingness to pay is the only demand signal worth acting on.
Feasibility and risk
Can it be built efficiently at scale? What is the regulatory position? What breaks first?
Go or no go
A decision against pre-agreed metrics. Refine the business model, or stop.
If the metrics are not met, the venture does not proceed. We publish the ones we stop.
Part 2
Where the ideas come from
We maintain a continuous pipeline rather than waiting for inspiration. Ideas come from industry trend analysis, corporate and government collaboration, data from SME surveys and user research, internal ideation sprints, and university and research partnerships.
Every idea entering the bank is scored on six criteria before it is allowed into validation.
- 01
Market demand. How urgent is the problem?
- 02
Scalability and total addressable market. How large is the opportunity?
- 03
Revenue potential. Can this reach $10 million in annual recurring revenue within five years?
- 04
Competitive landscape. Who already does this, and how would we differ?
- 05
Technical feasibility. Can the AI or financial infrastructure actually be built?
- 06
Regulatory position. What legal or compliance obstacles exist?
The bank is reviewed on a cycle and the strongest candidates enter validation.
Part 3
Three routes in
A studio is only as good as the people it can call on. We built three routes rather than relying on recruitment.
CEO-founders.
We validate the venture, then bring in a founder to scale it. Candidates come through the Mountain Hub pipeline and through a corporate-to-startup transition route for executives moving out of large organisations.
Engineering for equity.
Senior engineers contribute to venture builds in exchange for 2 to 5 percent equity, vesting over 12 to 24 months. They build a position without leaving their current role, and they become candidates for the full-time technical leadership once a venture is funded.
The fellowship.
A programme for junior and mid-level professionals moving into startups. Hands-on work inside MHTECH ventures, mentorship from founders and investors, and a route to full-time offers in the portfolio.
Part 4
Growth as a measured discipline
We run growth across five stages, with metrics attached at each: acquisition, activation, retention, revenue and referral. Before a venture launches, we build a waitlist, run beta testing and pre-sell. After launch, every stage carries its own targets and its own review.
This is the same method we apply on client growth engagements.
