Hire the talent you can't pay for yet.
Work in milestones
A project is split into deliverables, and each piece gets its own price, due date, and approval stage.
Similar to fixed-price freelance work or consulting, the money is set aside up front and released piece by piece as the work is finished.
Why it works on campus
- Priced by the task.
You agree on a fixed value for each step rather than paying by the hour. There is nothing to track and less to argue about.
- Help without hiring.
You can work with talented students without making anyone an official employee. Hiring is slow and expensive; contracting is not.
- Expertise, fast.
You quickly gain access to campus experts in the fields you do not know yet.
How to hire without cash
Restricted stock purchase agreements
You set the share for the whole project and split it across the deliverables.
It is restricted stock, priced once when you make the offer, and each piece vests only when you approve the completed work. Unfinished work vests nothing.
| Deliverable | Hours | Vests |
|---|---|---|
| Brand system and logo | 12 | 0.20% |
| Launch film | 14 | 0.20% |
| Social templates | 6 | 0.10% |
Faculty-sponsored course credit
You can petition a faculty member to sponsor the project for independent study credit.
The student registers through the standard school permit, and the faculty member reviews and grades the work. There is no payment on credit projects, and they are optional campus by campus.
How we help you advance
Investors back traction instead of just ideas.
Using non-cash options like vested equity or faculty-approved credit, you can build your product and prove the concept long before you need outside capital.
We also maintain a current list of free resources like grants, accelerators, pitch competitions, and software credits.
Federal seed funding for deep technology. They take no equity and you keep your IP.
Common questions
What does it cost?
Nothing to post. On cash projects you cover the payment processing fee.
Do you take equity?
No. Never.
Who can post?
Founders with a campus email, faculty running their own ventures, and businesses the university designates.
Can I hire from another campus?
Not today. Each campus runs on its own instance.
Post your first project
Tell us about what you are building and we will set up a demo.