The venture-studio model
We run as a venture studio — a structure that's been quietly producing high-quality outcomes in the US for two decades but is still rare in the UK. Here's what that means in practice, and how it compares with the options most founders look at first.
Every engagement lands on one of three tiers. We propose the tier we think fits at the end of deep evaluation; you can ask for a different one and we negotiate from there. Cash and equity ranges below are illustrative and always finalised during phase 3.
Highest equity, lowest cash.
The tier for founders who can't write a six-figure cheque but can write a six-figure pitch. We carry the technical risk in exchange for a real share of the outcome.
Balanced cash and equity.
Our most common shape. You bring real money to the table, we bring real engineering and a serious co-founder relationship in exchange for a fair, smaller equity slice.
Highest cash, lowest equity.
Closest to a traditional agency arrangement in price, but you still get the dedicated team, the product mindset, the partner-level attention, and a long-term incentive alignment via the small equity slice.
Honest comparison
Not every founder belongs in a studio. If your shape is closer to one of the other columns, we'll tell you on the discovery call.
| Dimension | AlurDigital | Agency | Freelancer | Co-founder hunt | VC-only |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skin in the game | Equity stake | None — sells hours | None — sells hours | Yes | Yes (theirs) |
| Team continuity | Same dedicated team end-to-end | Account managers rotate | Single person | Two people, no team | N/A — you hire |
| Time to first build | 4–8 weeks | 3–6 months | Variable; usually slow | 6–18 months to find one | After raising — months |
| Domain alignment | We pick projects we'll work on personally | Broad — works on anything paying | Mixed | Hard to verify in advance | Sector-thematic |
| Up-front cash | Low to moderate (tier-dependent) | High | Moderate | Zero — pure equity | Zero until close |
| Ongoing relationship | Years — through to exit | Project-bounded | Project-bounded | Years | Years |
| Exit incentive aligned | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Best way to find out is to apply — the questionnaire tells us most of what we need, and we'll propose a tier after the discovery call.