The main strategy during the Founder Phase is to hire employees to build products so you can earn revenue and IPO points.

Pay the listed hiring cost to hire an employee.

Employees may be assigned to developing or completed products immediately.

Reassigning Employees

You may move your employees between your own products during your Planning step.

Unassigned Employee Limit

You may have up to 4 unassigned employees.

If you exceed this limit, discard excess employees at the end of your Founder Phase.

If you do not have enough Time Cards to complete a product:

• Assign the required number of builders to the product.
• Place the Product Card in landscape orientation.
• Stack assigned employee cards on top of the product.

A developing product:

• Is reserved for you
• Can be completed later when you gain enough Time Cards

⚠️ If a developing product does not have the full required number of builders, it is not reserved and may be taken by other players. When another player takes it, your assigned employees return to your pool.

If you have enough Time Cards to complete a product:

• Pay the required Time Cards (discard them).
• Assign the required number of maintainers.
• Place the Product Card in portrait orientation.
• Stack assigned employees on top of the product.

A completed product:

• Will generate revenue starting the next round (not the same turn)
• Must always have the required number of maintainers

⚠️ If a completed product lacks required maintainers, it does not generate revenue.

Products must be completed in order:

You cannot skip a tier.