At 25madison, we don’t play the traditional venture game. We’re a venture studio backed by Apollo Global Management, one of the world’s largest alternative asset managers. This gives founders access to:
- Accelerated GTM — Leverage Apollo’s $600B+ ecosystem and our network of PE-backed strategics for customer intros, design partners, and early revenue.
- Flexible Capital — From SaaS to tech-enabled rollups to software-enabled hardware, we tailor the investment structure to match the business model.
- Faster Outcomes — In this market, time to scale and exit matters. We help you get there faster than going solo.
You’ll get founder-level equity and a real salary — so you can go all-in without compromising the rest of your life.
We believe entrepreneurship is applied philosophy. A creative act. A test of character. If that resonates, you’ll thrive here.
The Role: Founder-in-Residence
You’re not joining a team — you’re leading one. As a Founder-in-Residence, you’ll step in as the founding CEO of a new company, starting from a core insight and building toward launch. Backed by capital, a full-stack team, and a venture studio engineered to help you win, you’ll move fast and stay focused on what matters most.
We don’t place scattered bets — we take a concentrated, hands-on approach. Acting as your cofounder, we work alongside you through discovery, prototyping, early revenue, team-building, and fundraising — so you can build something enduring.
Why Founders Choose Us
- Unmatched GTM: We drive revenue from day one. Through our platform, founders gain direct access to F500 executives, PE dealmakers, public sector leaders, and tier-one VCs. We don’t claim to know everything — but we can always get you in front of the right person.
- Speed + Risk Reduction: With 0→1 playbooks, modular codebases, and in-house support across engineering, GTM, finance, legal, ops, design, and more, you'll move faster with fewer unforced errors.
- Aligned Long-Term: We don’t just incubate. We stay in the trenches — writing follow-on checks, recruiting talent, and scaling with you beyond launch.
What You’ll Do
- Find and Validate the Pain — Run discovery sprints with end-users and strategics to pinpoint acute, valuable problems.
- Prototype and Iterate — Translate insight into MVPs and pressure-test toward early proof points.
- Lead GTM — Close early customers and design partners with studio and PE support.
- Fundraise — Craft the story and lead the raise, backed by our investor network.
- Build the Team — Recruit operators as the venture scales.
You Might Be a Fit If You...
- Think from first principles and move with urgency.
- Have built in B2B verticals like supply chain, manufacturing, or defense.
- Have held senior roles (Founder, CPO, GM, CTO) or bring equivalent operating experience.
- Are fluent in AI, data infra, or thrive alongside technical teams.
- Want to build a company with an unfair advantage from day one.
What You Get
- Salary: $125K–$200K base + significant founder equity.
- In-House Team: Engineering, design, ops, finance, legal, HR, GTM, and brand — all staffed and resourced.
- GTM Lift: Customer access and commercial pilots.
- Capital: Pre-Seed funding + long-term studio support.
- Speed: Go from insight to company in months, not years.
- Community: Join a cohort of world-class FIRs building at the frontier.
How to Apply
Apply with your background and a short note on:
- A problem you’re obsessed with solving
- Why you want to be a founder
We’re ready when you are.
Equal Opportunity Employer
At 25madison, we aim to foster a workplace free from discrimination. We believe that diversity of experience, perspectives, and backgrounds leads to a better environment for our people and a better product for our clients. 25madison is an equal-opportunity employer and encourages all applicants from every background and life experience to apply.