Forja awards $250,000 in investment capital to the top 3 finishers via SAFE agreements. First place receives $150,000, second place $65,000, and third place $35,000. Funding is released in 40/30/30 milestone-based tranches. Equity tiered by placement: 1st 10–12%, 2nd 13–15%, 3rd 15–18%. 4-year vesting.
$250,000 in Investment Capital
Not a grant. Real investment via SAFE agreements. Equity alignment, milestone-based disbursement, Investor Panel oversight.
Real investment for real startups
The entire prize pool is structured as investment capital via SAFE agreements. This is not grant money. It is a bet on your execution.
Total investment capital via SAFE
What winners receive
Top 3 receive investment capital via SAFE. 4th and 5th place earn tools, software, and ecosystem access to keep building.
$150,000
10–12% Equity · 4-Year Vesting, 1-Year Cliff
- SAFE investment capital
- 10–12% equity partnership
- 12 months dedicated mentorship
- Full Integrity Pilot verified listing
- IIDE exhibition slot with booth
- Dedicated media feature package
- CAD software license (24 months)
- Full ecosystem access
$65,000
13–15% Equity · 4-Year Vesting, 1-Year Cliff
- SAFE investment capital
- 13–15% equity partnership
- 6 months mentorship access
- Integrity Pilot verified listing
- IIDE exhibition access
- Media feature inclusion
- CAD software license (12 months)
- Ecosystem network access
$35,000
15–18% Equity · 4-Year Vesting, 1-Year Cliff
- SAFE investment capital
- 15–18% equity partnership
- 3 months mentorship access
- Integrity Pilot listing
- IIDE exhibition access
- Ecosystem recognition
No cash prize
- MacBook Pro (competition tool)
- CAD software license (6 months)
- Integrity Pilot listing
- Project management tools (6 months)
- Subsector-specific tool kit
- Ecosystem recognition
No cash prize
- MacBook Pro (competition tool)
- CAD software license (6 months)
- Integrity Pilot listing
- Subsector-specific tool kit
- Ecosystem recognition
How funding is released
Prize capital is not delivered as a lump sum. It is released in three tranches tied to execution milestones.
On execution of SAFE
Released immediately after the competition concludes and legal agreements are signed. Funds operational ramp-up.
3-month milestone
Released upon hitting pre-agreed growth milestones at the 3-month mark. Validated by the Investor Panel.
6-month milestone
Final tranche released at 6 months. Full disbursement contingent on sustained execution and IQ compliance.
SAFE Agreement Terms
Standard terms applied to all top 3 finishers
| Instrument | SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) |
| Equity Range | 10–18% tiered by placement (1st: 10–12% · 2nd: 13–15% · 3rd: 15–18%) |
| Vesting Schedule | 4 years with a 1-year cliff |
| Valuation Cap | Set by the Investor Panel based on performance |
| Applicable To | Top 3 finishers only |
| Minimum IQ | 7.5 required for funding disbursement |
Instrument
SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity)
Equity Range
10–18% tiered by placement (1st: 10–12% · 2nd: 13–15% · 3rd: 15–18%)
Vesting Schedule
4 years with a 1-year cliff
Valuation Cap
Set by the Investor Panel based on performance
Applicable To
Top 3 finishers only
Minimum IQ
7.5 required for funding disbursement
Benefits at a glance
A side-by-side view of what each placement tier includes.
| Benefit | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAFE Investment | |||||
| Equity Partnership | |||||
| Dedicated Mentorship | |||||
| Integrity Pilot Listing | |||||
| IIDE Exhibition | |||||
| Media Feature | |||||
| CAD Software License | |||||
| MacBook Pro | |||||
| Subsector Tool Kit | |||||
| Ecosystem Recognition |
SAFE Investment
Equity Partnership
Dedicated Mentorship
Integrity Pilot Listing
IIDE Exhibition
Media Feature
CAD Software License
MacBook Pro
Subsector Tool Kit
Ecosystem Recognition
Investment, not grants
Equity alignment
Prize capital is structured as investment, not charity. Design Glyphe LLC and its Investor Panel take equity positions because they believe in the startups they fund.
Investor Panel pre-commitment
The Investor Panel pre-commits capital before the competition begins. Winners receive funded SAFEs, not promises. The money is already allocated.
Co-investment opportunities
Investor Panel members may choose to co-invest additional capital beyond the prize pool. Competition performance serves as live due diligence.
Lead investor model
Design Glyphe LLC serves as lead investor for all winning startups. Follow-on investors participate under standardized terms set during the competition.
Pass rights preserved
The Investor Panel reserves the right to pass on funding if integrity standards are not met. A minimum Integrity Quotient of 7.5 is required for disbursement.
Ready to compete for $250,000?
360 spots. One cohort. The startup competition that invests in execution, not pitches.