Frequently asked questions.
What is LaunchPort?
LaunchPort is an operating platform for selected engineers building serious side projects. We provide infrastructure and operating support so a project can launch, accept customers, and build toward its own independent company.
Who is LaunchPort for?
Software engineers with serious side projects who want to launch quickly, do not want to incorporate too early, need production infrastructure, want to accept real customers, and want to retain ownership of their product.
Is LaunchPort a venture studio?
No. LaunchPort does not build products for founders and does not take standard studio equity. Founders build their own product; LaunchPort provides the platform and operating support agreed for their project.
Is LaunchPort an accelerator?
No. There is no fixed cohort, no demo day, and no standard investment. LaunchPort is an operating platform selected engineers apply to join.
Can I build a startup while working full-time?
Many LaunchPort applicants have full-time jobs. Whether you can build a specific project while employed depends on your employment agreement, your employer's policies, and applicable law. LaunchPort helps you document the project cleanly but does not provide legal advice.
Can my employer own my side project?
It depends on your employment agreement, jurisdiction, and how the project was built. Invention assignment clauses, moonlighting policies, use of employer equipment or time, and overlap with the employer's business all matter. LaunchPort flags common risk areas and can refer projects that need legal review to qualified counsel.
Does LaunchPort provide legal advice?
No. LaunchPort is not a law firm. We collect documentation, flag risk areas, and can refer projects to qualified professionals when legal review is required before production approval.
Must I upload my employment agreement?
Not to submit an initial application. Shortlisted applicants may be asked to upload employment and ownership documents before production access is approved.
Can I apply before uploading documents?
Yes. Sensitive documents are only requested after your application is being seriously reviewed.
Who owns my code?
Founders retain their product-specific code. LaunchPort provides shared infrastructure and platform tooling. The exact licensing and operating terms are agreed before production deployment.
Who owns my product IP?
Founders retain product-specific intellectual property, brand, domain, designs, roadmap, content, and product-specific data (subject to customer agreements and applicable law). LaunchPort owns the shared platform, infrastructure, and operating services it provides.
Does LaunchPort own my customers?
While LaunchPort is Merchant of Record for a project, the direct commercial contract with each customer is between the customer and LaunchPort. Your customer relationships and eligible product records are prepared for transfer during graduation, subject to customer agreements, privacy obligations, payment-provider rules, and applicable law.
Is LaunchPort the Merchant of Record?
For approved projects, LaunchPort can act as the Merchant of Record. Whether this applies to a specific project depends on the plan, the product, review outcomes, and payment-provider requirements.
Can I accept payments before incorporating?
For projects where LaunchPort acts as Merchant of Record, revenue is collected through LaunchPort and reported at the product level. This does not remove the need to eventually operate through your own company; graduation planning is part of the platform.
Do I need an LLC or corporation before applying?
No. LaunchPort exists specifically to reduce the pressure to incorporate too early. Incorporation typically happens later, as part of graduation.
When do I need to incorporate?
Incorporation timing is discussed as part of each project's operating and graduation plan. Triggers may include revenue growth, external fundraising, hiring, enterprise contracts, or regulatory exposure.
How does graduation work?
Graduation moves a project into its own company under terms agreed at acceptance. It typically includes company formation, code repository transfer, domain transfer, infrastructure migration, customer communication, eligible data transfer, payment migration, contract transition, financial reconciliation, and documentation handover. Transferability depends on third-party rules, customer agreements, privacy obligations, and applicable law.
Can LaunchPort require a project to graduate?
Yes. Each accepted project receives agreed operating limits and review points. If a project outgrows what LaunchPort can safely operate — for example due to regulatory exposure, security requirements, or customer volume — graduation may be required. Those conditions are agreed before production deployment.
Can I leave LaunchPort?
Graduation terms are agreed before your project enters production, so you understand the path from the beginning. The specifics — including timing, fees, and any equity component — depend on the selected plan.
Does LaunchPort take equity?
Depending on the selected plan, graduation may include a fixed fee, a small equity component of 5% or less, or another structure agreed before production deployment. No founder should discover graduation economics after joining.
How much does LaunchPort cost?
LaunchPort plans to combine a monthly subscription, a small percentage of revenue processed through LaunchPort, and optional fractional-support costs. Exact pricing and graduation terms are provided before a founder accepts an offer.
Can I remain anonymous?
You may operate publicly under a product name or approved alias. However, LaunchPort must privately verify your legal identity and other information required for risk, payments, tax, sanctions, fraud prevention, and contractual purposes. Public anonymity does not mean anonymity to LaunchPort.
What products does LaunchPort accept?
We currently prioritize serious software products with a clear customer problem, a founder capable of building or managing the product, low-complexity B2B or consumer software, and a realistic path to customers.
What products are restricted?
Financial services, lending, healthcare, children's products, gambling, crypto custody, products that hold customer funds, highly regulated marketplaces, products using sensitive personal information, products with unclear ownership, and products that conflict directly with a founder's employment may require additional review or may not be accepted initially.
Can LaunchPort help me hire people?
For approved projects on plans that include it, LaunchPort can arrange fractional operators across engineering, product, design, growth, customer support, bookkeeping, and security. Employees are typically hired after graduation.
Does LaunchPort provide fractional team members?
Fractional support is available on request for approved projects, based on the project, risk profile, and selected plan. Availability is not guaranteed for every project.
Can LaunchPort guarantee my employer will not sue me?
No. LaunchPort provides structured records and issue flagging. It does not provide legal advice or guarantee that an employer or third party will not make a claim. Projects requiring legal review may be referred to qualified counsel before production approval.
What happens to my documents?
Documents are stored in private LaunchPort storage. Access is restricted to authorized reviewers, is logged, and is subject to LaunchPort's Applicant Privacy Notice and Document Handling Policy.
How does LaunchPort protect sensitive files?
Sensitive files are held in private storage behind authenticated, admin-only access, use least-privilege permissions, and every read is logged. Documents are not exposed through public URLs and are not included in analytics.
What happens if LaunchPort shuts down?
Wind-down and continuity terms are part of the operating agreement for each project. The intent is always to keep founders' product-specific assets recoverable, subject to third-party platform rules and applicable law.
Is LaunchPort currently accepting applications?
Yes. Applications are now open for our first selected projects. Submission does not guarantee acceptance; every application is reviewed before production access is granted.