Startup Science vs The Neighborly App

Giving founders an unfair advantage

To help startups design their success, 1 founder at a time.

Why? Because wealth inequality is directly tied to entrepreneurship. 95% of people who get out of check-to-check living do so by selling a business.

It started with researching why, how, and when startups fail. We did 1,200 interviews and spent months reading the research to understand the 90% failure rate. We learned that founders keep making the same mistakes and these mistakes can be avoided. And the problems that lead to these mistakes center around people, knowledge, and financial resources.

Accelerators are designed to help startups solve these problems. But only 2% of startups who apply, are accepted into accelerators. 60% of rejected founders “failed to complete the application due to lack of knowledge.” And 70% of those startups who are accepted, came through a referral. So if you don’t know the language or are not connected into the ecosystem already your chances are slim.

Location: Santa Cruz, United States

A local social network where users can buy and sell goods or services from people in their neighbourhoods

Neighborly connects local people with each other, helping everyone get more out of - and give more back to - their communities and neighbourhoods.

It was launched in March 2020, originally to help our local community in East London keep each other informed about COVID-19 related issues.

The app's ease of use meant it quickly developed a broader purpose - with users posting about all kinds of things, like the best dog walking spots, where to get the best coffee, and if anyone could recommend a tradesperson to carry out a particular task or service.

It was this last point that made us think - what if we could let tradespeople create profiles, take bookings, and then receive payment and reviews directly through the app? So we developed the Neighborly marketplace for just that.

Location: London, United Kingdom