Equity Resource NetworkA problem worth exploring
Describe the customer, their problem and your proposed solution. Ideas and early prototypes are welcome.
You don’t need to be
established to begin.
A first-time founder with a question, a prototype or an idea deserves a practical starting point. Start small: test demand, learn from potential customers, and plan the next milestone.
Ideas welcome. Applications closed.
Our initial focus is adult student founders. Current students and alumni from any college are eligible for consideration under the proposed campaign criteria. First launch: U.S.-based founders aged 18+ and U.S.-based supporters. This page collects nothing.
WHAT WE LOOK FORA clear profile.
A clear profile.
An honest next step.
These are proposed standards for profile completeness and community fit. This is not investment due diligence or verification of every claim.
No revenue, outside funding or personal-capital requirement.
A team with a next step
Explain who is responsible for what, the help you need, and one achievable next milestone alongside school.
Evidence that fits your stage
Customer interviews, prototypes or early users can help explain what you have learned. Links are optional. Label plans and estimates; do not present them as results.
A specific use for support
Outline practical business needs and a realistic smaller budget. This profile is not an offering: do not include share prices or investment terms.
An honest picture
Explain uncertainties, relevant relationships and sponsorships. Revenue, outside funding and personal capital are not required.
Claims you can stand behind
Support factual claims and get permission before sharing others’ work or details. College affiliation does not imply school endorsement.
ILLUSTRATIVE REVIEW PREVIEWClarity first.
Clarity first.
Room to improve.
Explore example review notes. These are fictional display states, not decisions about you or Huxley. Nothing is saved or submitted.
Not reviewed
No reviewer has assessed this example. A complete form would not automatically approve a profile, company or campaign.
Profile review never grants fundraising access or investment eligibility.
WHY JOIN ERN?A useful place
A useful place
to begin.
Practical learning for founders. A closer look at the journey for supporters. Availability is labeled here.
Your founder toolkit.FOR FOUNDERS · PLANNED
Budget sheets, pitch-deck outlines, launch checklists and 30/60/90-day plan templates to help you turn your next step into a clear plan.
The toolkit is being planned and is not available yet.
Original ERN resources.FOR APPROVED FOUNDERS · PRIVATE DRAFTS
Twelve original draft guides cover getting started, validation, budgeting, marketing, growth and lessons from two business books. Each topic has two guides with practical exercises and next steps.
Full guides require sign-in and current founder approval, or existing owner access.
Founder resource sign-inMeet the Founders.FOR FOUNDERS & SUPPORTERS · PLANNED
A planned monthly spotlight will introduce selected student founders, their ideas and the progress they’re making. Supporters can get to know the people behind the businesses.
The first spotlight has not been published. Features will be shared with founder approval; selection is not guaranteed.
An opt-in member directory.FOR MEMBERS · PLANNED FOR LATER
A future opt-in founder directory will help members discover participating founders by college, industry and skill.
Participation will be optional. Existing private profiles are not public directory listings.
Founder-approved sneak peeks.FOR SUPPORTERS · PLANNED FOR LATER
An early look at products and projects when founders choose to share what they’re building.
Sneak peeks are not available yet and will depend on each founder’s approval.
Early event invitations.FOR MEMBERS · PLANNED FOR LATER
Members will be eligible for early invitations when real ERN events are scheduled. One future concept is an annual NYC or New Jersey founder/investor networking meetup, with blue founder wristbands, green investor wristbands and printed role labels. Dates, format, availability and admission details will be announced.
No event is scheduled. Invitations do not guarantee a seat, free admission, investor attendance or funding.
Before a campaign could launch.
A useful founder profile is only a beginning. Campaign review, cost evidence, legal and provider requirements remain separate. No funding is promised.
Read the proposed campaign requirements and fee model
WHAT A CAMPAIGN WOULD NEED
- 01
The story and the purpose.
Explain the company, its stage, what the campaign would fund, who benefits and the risks. Describe the founder’s experience, team, capabilities and help needed. Disclose ownership relationships or other conflicts.
- 02
A cost-backed spending plan.
Provide written uses of funds and evidence of costs. Separate quotes from estimates and identify what remains unknown. Identify the net funding needed; the gross goal would cover ERN’s 5% plus processing and round up to the next $500. Provider rates and contribution assumptions must be established first. Any net rounding surplus would be a disclosed campaign contingency with stated uses and would remain subject to the unspent-funds policy.
- 03
A 30/60/90-day plan.
Show the intended sequence, practical milestones and what needs to be true before spending on the next step. Include a realistic weekly schedule alongside school, task ownership and deadlines. ERN would assess capacity against the milestones, without a fixed weekly-hour requirement.
- 04
Eligibility and affiliation evidence.
The tentative approach starts with a verified school email, plus current-enrollment evidence if needed. A student ID alone does not establish enrollment. Alumni would use graduation evidence or another verifiable college record. Redaction of unnecessary information is allowed.
Collection details, retention and provider verification are not finalized. Do not send or upload documents through this demo. - 05
ERN review before launch.
Written review is the default; no approval call is required. ERN may reject a poorly thought-out plan or insufficient evidence of commitment. Transparent market or product uncertainty is allowed. A rejected founder would receive improvement feedback and must submit a new application; feedback does not create automatic approval. ERN’s team reviews campaigns and is currently Joey alone. Huxley is a disclosed related-party self-review, without independent approval. ERN would state exactly what was checked. A campaign needs approval before going live, and a revised goal needs a fresh plan and cost evidence plus ERN approval before the higher goal is public. Review is not a guarantee of funding or business success.
See a first idea
in context.
Huxley is a TEST example with unconfirmed costs, not a funded success story.