Student Founders Build in Public Challenge
Student Founders Build in Public Challenge
Win Cash + Pitch to VCs - Just Share Your Founding Team's Group Chat!
Student Founders Build in Public Challenge
Win Cash + Pitch to VCs - Just Share Your Founding Team's Group Chat!
Overview
Overview
Overview
Competition starts: April 14, 2025
Deadline to enter + grow your chat: May 2, 2025
Winners announced: Week of May 5, 2025
Competition starts: April 14, 2025
Competition ends: May 2, 2025
Winners announced: Week of May 5, 2025
What is Build in Public?
What is Build in Public?
What is Build in Public?
Building in public means sharing your startup's real journey - the wins, struggles and lessons - to attract users and investors. Traditional methods like newsletters and videos demand lots of effort for little engagement. The secret? Authentic conversations.
Building in public means sharing your startup's real journey - the wins, struggles and lessons - to attract users and investors. Traditional methods like newsletters and videos demand lots of effort for little engagement. The secret? Authentic conversations.
Building in public means sharing your startup's real journey - the wins, struggles and lessons - to attract users and investors. Traditional methods like newsletters and videos demand lots of effort for little engagement. The secret? Authentic conversations.
What is Sip?
What is Sip?
What is Sip?
Sip transforms your team's text group chats into public, subscribable content. No scripting or editing - just text naturally with your team in a group chat and share it instantly. We turn monologues into real dialogues that are engaging and effortless.
Sip transforms your team's text group chats into public, subscribable content. No scripting or editing - just text naturally with your team in a group chat and share it instantly. We turn monologues into real dialogues that are engaging and effortless.
Sip transforms your team's text group chats into public, subscribable content. No scripting or editing - just text naturally with your team in a group chat and share it instantly. We turn monologues into real dialogues that are engaging and effortless.
How to Build in Public on Sip?
How to Build in Public on Sip?
How to Build in Public on Sip?
Sip lets founders share their journey naturally. Chat with your team as usual - debates, feedback, updates - and instantly make it public. No extra work. Followers see real progress; you grow an engaged community. Authentic building in public, finally.
Sip lets founders share their journey naturally. Chat with your team as usual - debates, feedback, updates - and instantly make it public. No extra work. Followers see real progress; you grow an engaged community. Authentic building in public, finally.
Sip lets founders share their journey naturally. Chat with your team as usual - debates, feedback, updates - and instantly make it public. No extra work. Followers see real progress; you grow an engaged community. Authentic building in public, finally.
How Does the Competition Work?
How Does the Competition Work?
How Does the Competition Work?
1. Form Your Team
Even if you're a solo founder, invite at least one other person (co-founder, advisor, user, or friend) to join the competition. This ensures authentic dialogue.
1. Form Your Team
Even if you're a solo founder, invite at least one other person (co-founder, advisor, user, or friend) to join the competition. This ensures authentic dialogue.
Form Your Team
Even if you're a solo founder, invite at least one other person (co-founder, advisor, user, or friend) to join the competition. This ensures authentic dialogue.
Form Your Team
Even if you're a solo founder, invite at least one other person (co-founder, advisor, user, or friend) to join the competition. This ensures authentic dialogue.
2. Download Sip
All participants must download Sip ONLY on iOS (available April 14).
2. Download Sip
All participants must download Sip ONLY on iOS (available April 14).
Download Sip
All participants must download Sip on iOS (available April 14; Android support coming later).
Download Sip
All participants must download Sip on iOS (available April 14; Android support coming later).
3. Start a Public Conversation
Follow each other on Sip and create a public conversation (e.g., "Building [Your Startup] Live").
Example topics:
✓ Daily standups
✓ User feedback sessions
✓ Pitch practice
3. Start a Public Conversation
Follow each other on Sip and create a public conversation (e.g., "Building [Your Startup] Live").
Example topics:
✓ Daily standups
✓ User feedback sessions
✓ Pitch practice
Start a Public Conversation
Follow each other on Sip and create a public conversation (e.g., "Building [Your Startup] Live").
Example topics:
✓ Daily standups
✓ User feedback sessions
✓ Pitch practice
Start a Public Conversation
Follow each other on Sip and create a public conversation (e.g., "Building [Your Startup] Live").
Example topics:
✓ Daily standups
✓ User feedback sessions
✓ Pitch practice
4. Grow Your Audience
Between April 14 to May 2, Invite friends, family, beta users, or curious followers to subscribe to your conversation. Share your Sip chat link on social media/LinkedIn with #SipBuildInPublic.
4. Grow Your Audience
Between April 14 to May 2, Invite friends, family, beta users, or curious followers to subscribe to your conversation. Share your Sip chat link on social media/LinkedIn with #SipBuildInPublic.
Grow Your Audience
Invite friends, family, beta users, or curious followers to subscribe to your conversation. Share your Sip chat link on social media/LinkedIn with #SipBuildInPublic.
Grow Your Audience
Invite friends, family, beta users, or curious followers to subscribe to your conversation. Share your Sip chat link on social media/LinkedIn with #SipBuildInPublic.
5. Submit for Verification
Once you have at least 10 subscribers in your conversation, email social@sipaway.io with your Sip chat link, startup name + 1-sentence mission, and team members' names.
We'll verify eligibility and start promoting your chat to our network (users, investors, etc.).
5. Submit for Verification
Once you have at least 10 subscribers in your conversation, email social@sipaway.io with your Sip chat link, startup name + 1-sentence mission, and team members' names.
We'll verify eligibility and start promoting your chat to our network (users, investors, etc.).
Submit for Verification
Once you have at least 10 subscribers in your conversation, email social@sipaway.io with your Sip chat link, startup name + 1-sentence mission, and team members' names.
We'll verify eligibility and start promoting your chat to our network (users, investors, etc.).
Submit for Verification
Once you have at least 10 subscribers in your conversation, email social@sipaway.io with your Sip chat link, startup name + 1-sentence mission, and team members' names.
We'll verify eligibility and start promoting your chat to our network (users, investors, etc.).
Rules and Guidelines
Rules and Guidelines
Rules and Guidelines
Here's what we'll be looking for when judging the competition:
Here's what we'll be looking for when judging the competition:
Here's what we'll be looking for when judging the competition:
Chat Quality
Authenticity (raw, unfiltered updates).
Consistency (minimum 3 posts/week).
Chat Quality
Authenticity (raw, unfiltered updates).
Consistency (minimum 3 posts/week).
Chat Quality
Authenticity (raw, unfiltered updates).
Consistency (minimum 3 posts/week).
Chat Quality
Authenticity (raw, unfiltered updates).
Consistency (minimum 3 posts/week).
Growth
Total subscribers in your Sip chat.
How to win: Share your conversation widely (social media, newsletters, etc.).
Growth
Total subscribers in your Sip chat.
How to win: Share your conversation widely (social media, newsletters, etc.).
Growth
Total subscribers in your Sip chat.
How to win: Share your conversation widely (social media, newsletters, etc.).
Growth
Total subscribers in your Sip chat.
How to win: Share your conversation widely (social media, newsletters, etc.).
Retention
7-day active users (subscribers who return after a week).
Pro tip: Post consistently to keep your audience engaged.
Retention
7-day active users (subscribers who return after a week).
Pro tip: Post consistently to keep your audience engaged.
Retention
7-day active users (subscribers who return after a week).
Pro tip: Post consistently to keep your audience engaged.
Retention
7-day active users (subscribers who return after a week).
Pro tip: Post consistently to keep your audience engaged.
Engagement
Replies and reactions per post.
Hack: Ask questions to spark discussions.
Engagement
Replies and reactions per post.
Hack: Ask questions to spark discussions.
Engagement
Replies and reactions per post.
Hack: Ask questions to spark discussions.
Engagement
Replies and reactions per post.
Hack: Ask questions to spark discussions.
Rewards
Rewards
Rewards
1st Place
✓ $500 grant to your startup
(no strings attached)
✓ A pitch session with
VC
✓ $1,000+ in software credits
(e.g., Notion, Figma, AWS)
1st Place
✓ $500 grant to your startup
(no strings attached)
✓ A pitch session with
VC
✓ $1,000+ in software credits
(e.g., Notion, Figma, AWS)
1st Place
✓ $500 grant to your startup
(no strings attached)
✓ A pitch session with
VC
✓ $1,000+ in software credits
(e.g., Notion, Figma, AWS)
1st Place
✓ $500 grant to your startup
(no strings attached)
✓ A pitch session with
VC
✓ $1,000+ in software credits
(e.g., Notion, Figma, AWS)
2nd Place
✓ $100 grant to your startup
(no strings attached)
✓ $1,000+ in software credits
(e.g., Notion, Figma, AWS)
2nd Place
✓ $100 grant to your startup
(no strings attached)
✓ $1,000+ in software credits
(e.g., Notion, Figma, AWS)
2nd Place
✓ 2 direct pitch sessions with investors
✓ $750 in software credits
2nd Place
✓ 2 direct pitch sessions with investors
✓ $750 in software credits
Top 10 Finalists
Top 10 Finalists
Top 10 Finalists
Your group chat featured on our iOS mobile platform
Your group chat featured on our iOS mobile platform
Your group chat featured on our iOS mobile platform
Ready to Join the Competition?
Ready to Join the Competition?
Ready to Join the Competition?
Download Sip today, start your public conversation, and join the community of founders building in public.
Download Sip today, start your public conversation, and join the community of founders building in public.
Download Sip today, start your public conversation, and join the community of founders building in public.
Download Sip today, start your public conversation, and join the community of founders building in public.