Earned Governance
Accelerator

Launching startups where builders earn real ownership and governance through the work they do.

We value democracy, but we work in top-down corporations. Software has evolved rapidly but the corporate form has not.

Teams with genuine ownership can outcompete archaic, dinosaur-brained traditional top-down corporations. Earned governance and transparency not permission lets startups move fast, with trust and accountability.

Battle-tested. We built LinkedTrust on this model and created a toolkit that works for scrappy startups. Join us and build a better future.

Get Involved How It Works

// the tension

Democracies are losing to anonymous capital

The Liquidity Problem

Democracy (one person one vote, not transferable) is essentially a completely illiquid currency. Money is the opposite: completely transferable, not trackable, any anonymous agent can use it to purchase control over any resource. Naturally there is a tension between democratic control and anonymous control, and currently the democracies seem to be losing.

Growing as a Tree, Not a Slime Mold

When there is democratic accountability, people feel safer that their rights are protected, and they can focus on longer term goals than merely survival. These structures allow society to grow as a tree rather than as a slime mold engulfing all in its path. The question is: what kinds of structures give us the accountability of democracy with the vigorous growth that earning allows?

Builders and creators deserve ownership. Earned governance through peer-reviewed task tracking means the hardest workers gain more share, without hard feelings. Teams can grow rapidly.

// earned governance

How it works

Transparency-not-Permission allows leaders to drive ahead while maintaining team trust. Inclusive, fast and battle-tested shared decision making.

Task-to-Token Equity

Granular earning of governance and equity means the hardest workers gain more share, without hard feelings. Teams can grow rapidly. All work, including mentor meetings, is tracked for equity.

Transparency Not Permission

Leaders drive ahead while maintaining team trust. Visibility into decisions and resource allocation is as powerful as voting, without the delay.

Earned Leadership

CEO elected by ranked-choice, work-weighted vote. Profits spent by proposals to rotating steering committee with work-weighted random selection. Contribution-based governance prevents takeover.

Legal Equity From Day One

Real ownership via Fairmint or Slicing Pie legal instruments, not vague promises. The accelerator invests via stipends and receives shares through the Rolling SAFE.

Global, Diverse Teams

Teams are encouraged to recruit globally and stay open to adding members. Built for distributed, async collaboration. Focus on markets with high talent and low capital access where earned equity is a competitive advantage.

AI-Accelerated Building

Proof of concept is now hours not days or weeks. Integrated task tracker and AI-aligned shared dev environment, credited on the equity table as an in-kind contribution.

// battle-tested

LinkedTrust: Company Zero

We didn't just design this model. We built a company on it. What's Cookin' Inc, DBA LinkedTrust, is a United States Public Benefit Corporation with a global team where all members share equity.

Our bylaws require that governance is earned and our CEO is elected by ranked-choice, work-weighted vote. We use transparency-not-permission to stay fast while keeping trust high.

Now we're ready to spread this DNA, launching multiple social enterprises with the same principles through an accelerator program.

Elected CEO

Ranked-choice, work-weighted vote

Global Team

All share equity via Rolling SAFE

PBC

Public Benefit Corporation

// better for everyone

Why partner with us

Most accelerators give you a check and a mentor. We give you an Operating System.

For Founders

We provide the legal structure and the work-tracking engine so you can recruit the best people in the world today and pay them in real ownership, not just promises. Fair, fast, and legally sound from day one.

For Partners & Funders

Back a model where every shareholder earned their stake. Full transparency via verified contribution history. No dead equity, no silent founders. Aligned teams that ship.

For Universities

Turn student internships into actual ownership stakes. Graduates leave with equity in real companies, solving the "unpaid labor" ethical dilemma.

Earned GovernanceAccelerator