# Startup Advisor

> Startup advisor for early-stage founders: business model, product strategy, go-to-market and fundraising. A tech entrepreneur with 3 exits and a mentor at 500 Global and Founder Institute.

### What I advise on

Advisory and consulting for idea and early-stage founders, on the decisions that shape the next round:

* **Business Model**: Validating the idea and projecting profitable unit economics.
* **Product Strategy**: From a lean MVP to state-of-the-art AI tech.
* **Traction & GTM**: Growth from the first sale to $1M+ ARR.
* **Fundraising**: The pitch, the data room and the strategy for closing the round.

Free templates for founders: the [Co-founder Responsibility Map](/articles/co-founder-responsibility-map) and a [napkin financial model](/startups/financial-model).

![Alex Samson in a one-to-one mentoring session with a founder](https://saalse.com/_astro/500-global-office-hours.Vc-ufZrt_Z2816xE.webp)

*Office Hours, 500 Global in Eurasia*

### Background

I have 25 years in tech, with 3 exits and 10 failures.

In 2010, I founded [dvhb](https://dvhb.com), a startup R\&D studio where I worked with more than 1,000 entrepreneurs and executives across Europe, the US, and Asia.

Since 2023, I've trained at [VC Lab](https://govclab.com/venture-institute/), gained hands-on experience at [Func Ventures](https://www.func.vc/) and published [MondayVC](/vc/mondayvc), a newsletter on venture capital. I know how founders think and how investors assess.

Mentoring is part of my advisory work. I've mentored founders at 500 Global, Founder Institute, NUS Enterprise BLOCK71 and Plug and Play APAC: see [my mentoring logbook](/startup-mentor).

![500 Global](https://saalse.com/_astro/500-global-logo.Cm7cDwEe_dJQr4.webp)

![Founder Institute](https://saalse.com/_astro/founder-institute-logo.CYFG6Fyw_Z5uus4.webp)

![Plug and Play](https://saalse.com/_astro/plug-and-play-logo.Bo4uawE6_ZuA1nV.webp)

![BLOCK71](https://saalse.com/_astro/b71-logo.DeIHacCo_1zUpVh.webp)

### Next step

A free 30-minute intro call: tell me about your startup and where you're stuck, and we'll see whether I can help.

👉 [Book an intro call](/call)