Venture Tracks
Choose one track. Identify a specific problem within it. Develop a clear, well-reasoned response.
Boring Businesses, Real Leverage
Operational problems in unglamorous sectors where small improvements create real value.
Focus on operational inefficiencies in sectors that don't attract venture attention but generate real economic activity. Think logistics, manufacturing, agriculture, local services, and B2B operations.
The best responses will identify a specific, narrow problem within one of these sectors and explain why solving it creates measurable value. We're looking for problems where a small improvement in efficiency, reliability, or cost structure compounds into meaningful business impact.
Example problem areas
- ●Route optimisation for regional delivery networks
- ●Inventory forecasting for small manufacturers
- ●Quality control automation in food processing
- ●Scheduling and dispatch for field service teams
What to avoid
- ●Problems that require changing consumer behaviour
- ●Solutions that only work at massive scale
- ●Ideas that depend on network effects to create value
From Data Exhaust to Revenue
Using existing but underutilised data to create measurable business outcomes.
Most organisations collect far more data than they use. This track is about identifying data that already exists, is currently underutilised, and could generate value if properly structured and applied.
You might propose an internal tool that helps a company make better decisions, or an external data product that packages insights for a specific buyer. The key is specificity: who has the data, what decisions could it improve, and why isn't this already happening?
Example problem areas
- ●Turning maintenance logs into predictive alerts
- ●Converting customer service transcripts into product insights
- ●Building benchmarking products from anonymised operational data
- ●Creating early warning systems from supply chain signals
What to avoid
- ●Ideas that require data the organisation doesn't already have
- ●Generic "data platform" proposals without clear use cases
- ●Approaches that ignore privacy, consent, or regulatory constraints
AI-First Products With Long Horizons
AI-enabled products in domains where trust, validation, and long timelines shape what's feasible.
Some domains are ready for AI-enabled products, but the path to adoption is measured in years, not months. Healthcare, legal, education, critical infrastructure, and regulated industries all fall into this category.
This track is for proposals that take the long view: products that could be valuable and defensible, but require building trust, navigating regulation, and demonstrating safety over time. We're interested in how you think about the path to adoption, not just the end state.
Example problem areas
- ●Clinical decision support tools with clear validation pathways
- ●Legal research assistants designed for professional accountability
- ●Educational tools that work within institutional constraints
- ●Infrastructure monitoring systems with explainable outputs
What to avoid
- ●Products that require regulatory changes to be viable
- ●Ideas that hand-wave away trust and safety concerns
- ●Approaches that assume rapid adoption in conservative domains
Automated Internet Businesses
Lean, AI-assisted systems designed to operate with minimal ongoing human input.
The economics of internet businesses have shifted. AI tools now make it possible to build and operate services that previously required teams of people. This track is about identifying opportunities for businesses that can be largely automated from the start.
We're looking for clear thinking about unit economics, customer acquisition, and the realistic limits of automation. The best responses will be honest about what can and cannot be automated, and will show a path to profitability that doesn't depend on raising venture capital.
Example problem areas
- ●Automated content services for specific professional niches
- ●AI-powered marketplaces with minimal manual curation
- ●Monitoring and alerting services that scale without headcount
- ●Research and synthesis tools with subscription models
What to avoid
- ●Ideas that are already heavily competed
- ●Approaches that underestimate customer acquisition costs
- ●Businesses that require constant human intervention to function