Founder Framework
11-week program to help founders sharpen their thinking & strategy + build alongside a cohort of peers. Spring and fall sessions.
What is Founder Framework?
Held in person at T-REX and led by Venture Capitalist Vikram Lakhwara, this 11-week program is invaluable for early-stage founders. Alongside a cohort of peers, founders will sharpen their thinking and strategy so they can take their start-up to the next level. This course is FREE and is offered in the spring and fall. But please note – spots are limited and admission is competitive! Follow T-REX on social and subscribe to our newsletter so you’re the first to know when applications open up for our next cohort.
What will you gain?
– A clarified problem, customer segment, and value proposition
– Customer insights from real conversations
– A product roadmap tied to milestones
– Simple and defendable TAM/SAM/SOM model
– Working business model and early unit economics
– A polished, investor-ready narrative and pitch outline
– Practical go-to-market plan and early experiments
– A straightforward financial story and model
Who should apply?
– First-time builders seeking structure
– Early-stage founders looking to validate their MVP
– Entrepreneurs preparing for future grant, pitch, or investment opportunities
– Start-ups looking for product-market fit and refining their go-to-market
Meet Vikram Lakhwara
Vik brings nearly 20 years of experience as an investor, advisor, and venture ecosystem builder. Throughout his career, Vik has backed early-stage founders – first as co-founder of Green Cow Venture Capital, and before that as the first external hire at SK Telecom Ventures. He is now Founder and Managing Member of Stakehouse Fund, which invests in breakout founders from Midwest universities
A Silicon Valley native now fully planted in St. Louis, he’s become a fixture in the Midwest startup ecosystem as an advisor, investor-in-residence (at T-REX and Washington University’s Skandalaris Center), speaker, judge, and guest lecturer. Vik holds a BA in Economics from Vassar College.
NeuroFore has developed the world’s first early diagnostic for Parkinson’s disease, using AI to detect the disease years earlier than is currently possible based on non-motor symptoms alone. By enabling earlier diagnosis and intervention, NeuroFore is improving outcomes for millions of patients worldwide.
Part of Founder Framework Cohort 1
Amass Biosystems is developing an agricultural bioenergy crop and feedstock system designed to increase and diversify revenue for American farmers while providing energy producers with a consistent renewable solid feedstock.Â
Part of Founder Framework Cohort 1