How does the sign-up process work?
Apply as a team through the form on this page — team name, who’s on it, what you’ve built before, and why this bet is yours to take. We read every application ourselves. If it’s a fit, we’ll set up a call within two weeks. From there: a short diligence process on the team and the idea, then a decision — no multi-month pipeline.
Do I need to bring in a full team?
You need the core of one. We’re backing a founding team, not a single hire — so come with at least the people who can build, sell, and ship from day one. If you’re missing a role, you need find the right person to hire (we can help), but the core conviction and chemistry needs to already be there.
We have a startup, do you acquihire?
Yes, if the fit is right. If you’re already building something close to this, or you have a team and traction we believe in, talk to us. We’ll figure out the right structure together — folding your company in, acquihire, or something else — rather than forcing you into a template.
Where do we need to be based?
Preferably Europe, or willing to move here. This moves fast and in person beats async for a team at this stage.
Can we keep our current other commitments running alongside this?
No. This is a seven-day-a-week commitment from a founding team, not a side project. If you’re currently running something else, we need to understand how and when you’d fully transition in before we’d move forward.
How autonomous can we work?
Fully. You own the roadmap, the hiring, the architecture, and the go-to-market. We’re not installing a steering committee or a weekly check-in with corporate. You’ll have a direct line to us when you need Mollie’s infrastructure, customers, or capital — not a reporting structure in between.
Who do we report to?
There’s no formal reporting line. The founders, CEO and CPO sit on the board and stay directly involved — you’re not managed day to day, but you’re never more than one conversation away from us.
How is this different from just joining Mollie as an employee?
Completely. You’re not joining a team, a department, or an existing roadmap. You’re building a new venture with its own budget, ownership, and equity upside — using Mollie’s infrastructure and customer base as unfair advantages, not as a manager above you. This is closer to being a founder with a head start than being an employee.
What are the milestones, exactly?
The milestones aren’t fully set yet. They’ll be defined and agreed together with the team we select — once we know who’s building this and what the right pace looks like, we’ll lock them in. Expect this conversation in a later stage, after you’re selected.
What happens to the €50M equity if we don’t hit the milestones?
There are multiple tiers, evaluated at set dates rather than paid out in fixed tranches. Hit the earlier tiers and you earn meaningful equity along the way; hit all of them and you earn the full €50M. The other side of that upside: if the team isn’t performing at an evaluation date, we’ll replace the team and bring in a new one to take the product forward. We want to be direct about that going in.
What happens if it doesn’t work out?
Evaluation happens at set dates against the milestone tiers. If the team isn’t performing, we’ll bring in a new team to take the product forward — that’s the other side of the upside on offer, and we’d rather be upfront about it now than have it be a surprise later.