Founder Residency

About Philo Ventures

Philo Ventures is a venture studio based in Utah. We deploy up to $1M in total resources per portfolio company (cash, IP, sweat equity, and shared services) and take companies from concept to Seed-ready spinout in 12–18 months—versus the industry average of 3+ years solo. Our full-stack team of 0-1 builders and operators covers engineering, design, product strategy, GTM, legal, and finance from day one.

We’re currently focused on AI-native and tech-enabled B2B opportunities, with particular depth in the Built Environment and other verticals where our network gives portfolio companies a meaningful edge.

The Opportunity

We are looking for residents to test and lead our early startup concepts. This is a flexible position where you will be working with the Philo team to validate startup ideas, with a path to becoming the founder of that business.

Most venture capital is deployed by investors who interact only briefly with companies. They evaluate, write a check, and move on. Philo is different. We’re operators and builders who happen to invest. We don’t wait for great companies to walk in the door; we build them.

Philo Ventures is a venture studio. We systematically identify high-impact problems, validate them with real market evidence, and then build the team, technology, and capital structure needed to turn them into leading venture-scale businesses. Through our Founder-in-Residence (FIR) program, we partner with exceptional co-founders who own the long-term vision, customer relationships, and execution.

The Philo Residency is how that partnership begins.

What is a Resident?

A Resident is someone we believe could be a great founder, but before either side commits to the multi-year journey of building a company together, we work side by side for 2–4 months to build shared conviction. You’ll work on a real Philo-sourced opportunity, backed by our studio team, doing the actual work of an early-stage founder.

What You’ll Do

This isn’t a shadowing program or an academic exercise. You’ll be embedded in an active venture opportunity, doing the work that matters most in the earliest days of a company:

• Talk to customers. Run structured discovery interviews. Validate (or kill) the problem thesis. Synthesize what you learn into product and strategy decisions.

• Shape the vision. Develop and own the strategic narrative, including the problem, the market, the “why now,” and the “why us.”

• Drive product direction. Work alongside Philo’s engineering and design teams to shape what gets built and why.

• Grit and Quit. Prototype, sell, fail, and iterate as part of finding early signs of product market fit.

• Start selling. Build early pipeline. Test willingness to pay. Convert discovery conversations into first customers.

What You Get

• A paid stipend scaled to your level of engagement.

• Full access to Philo’s studio resources : engineering, design, product strategy, GTM, legal, and finance.

• Structured programming: weekly accountability sessions, office hours with studio leadership, and Founders Forum educational sessions.

• A clear pathway to becoming a the full-time founder over a portfolio company with founder-level equity and salary plus full benefits.

• A genuine look at what building with a venture studio feels like before you commit to the long haul. Founding is often a 10-year+ journey. Philo’s goal is to build and back incredible founders committed to that long-term journey.

What We’re Looking For

We don’t have a rigid checklist. But the people who thrive here tend to share certain traits:

Founder DNA

• You default to action. You’d rather ship something imperfect than debate something theoretical.

• You’re a builder at heart. Creating something from nothing is energizing, not exhausting.

• You can sell. Whether it’s a customer, an investor, or a future teammate.

• You’re resilient. You’ve done hard things and didn’t quit when they got harder.

• You’re customer-obsessed. You’d rather spend an hour on a customer call than an hour on a slide deck.

• You’re coachable. You appreciate input from experienced operators and know when to adopt it.

Functional & Technical

• You have product intuition. You understand what product-market fit looks like and how to find it.

• You’re AI-native. You build and think with AI as a default, not an afterthought.

• You know enough about technology to engage deeply with engineering on tradeoffs.

Practical Fit

• You’re based in Utah. In-person collaboration matters in the studio model.

• You prioritize equity and long-term outcomes over near-term salary.

• Prior startup or founding experience is a plus, but not a requirement. We care more about what you’re capable of as a Resident and future founder than what’s on your resume.

Who This Is For

The Philo Residency is built for people who have founder qualities but are looking for the right opportunity to pursue building in a structured and supportive environment. You might be:

• Coming off a startup, Sandbox cohort, or accelerator, and looking for your next 0→1 build.

• An operator at a growth-stage or enterprise company who’s ready to make the leap to founding.

• A domain expert in an industry Philo is exploring, with the drive and ambition to lead a company.

• Someone passionate about B2B SaaS and AI-native products who hasn’t yet found the right idea—but knows they want to build.

• This is not an internship, a fellowship, or a learning program.

It’s a mutual evaluation. You’re evaluating Philo as much as we’re evaluating you, while we evaluate the opportunity together. The question on both sides is the same: should we build this company together?

Logistics

Duration: 2–4 months

Commitment: Flexible. Enough to do meaningful work and build mutual conviction.

Compensation: Paid stipend (varies by engagement level). Founder equity and compensation upon conversion to FIR.

Location: Utah

Applications: Rolling. Reach out anytime.