Question 1

What is the Minds Investment Programme?

Accepted Answer

The Minds Investment Programme is an Animoca Brands–backed programme that invests in early-stage teams building agentic companies where Minds is a core product layer — not just a wrapper or thin integration. We look for strong founders with verifiable track records who can turn a compelling build thesis into a real company.

Question 2

What stage do you invest in?

Accepted Answer

Pre-seed and seed. We meet teams at the prototype-to-product stage. You should have a strong build thesis and evidence of execution ability, but you don't need a polished company or significant revenue.

Question 3

Do you invest globally?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The programme is remote-first and invests globally. Optional in-person touchpoints may be arranged depending on geography and need, but location is not a filter for investment consideration.

Question 4

Do you only invest through this programme?

Accepted Answer

The Minds Investment Programme is the primary channel for builders shipping on Minds. Other paths — including grants, direct investment, and open calls — may follow. Reach out to devrel-am@animocaminds.com to register interest.

Question 5

Is there a fixed check size?

Accepted Answer

No. Investment amounts are quality-driven and sized to the opportunity, structured as a bundle of cash investment and Cognition Credits. Investment amounts are based on fit, maturity of the company, and demonstrated performance — not predetermined. Not all accepted teams receive investment. Teams that receive investment will need a legal entity capable of issuing equity — see the question below for details. We retain the sole discretion on all investment decisions.

Question 6

Does every accepted team get investment?

Accepted Answer

No. All accepted teams receive platform support, Cognition Credits, access to the Minds team, and introductions across the 600+ Animoca Brands portfolio network to explore partnerships and synergies — regardless of investment. Investments are structured as a bundle of cash and Cognition Credits, sized to the opportunity. Investment decisions are based on fit, maturity of the company and demonstrated performance — teams that demonstrate strong execution and real progress are prioritised. Co-marketing and press coverage are reserved for teams that receive investment.

Question 7

What do you take in return for investment?

Accepted Answer

Minds will receive equity from teams that receive an investment. If selected for an investment, the proposed terms -- including instrument type, equity percentage and any other conditions -- will be communicated to you before you commit to anything. A formal investment is subject to the execution of the relevant agreements. Teams that join the programme without receiving investment will not need to give up any equity.

Question 8

What legal entity structure do I need to receive investment?

Accepted Answer

You'll need a legal entity capable of issuing equity — this is how early-stage investment works across the board.

Question 9

Who should apply?

Accepted Answer

Builders and small teams with real product potential — engineers, domain experts, operators, and anyone else who ships. A pitch deck is required — any public link works (Google Slides, Notion, Canva, PDF, or similar).

Question 10

Does "strong builder" mean I need to be an engineer?

Accepted Answer

No. Curiosity is the real qualification, the kind that turns a problem you understand deeply into something people actually use. Engineers qualify obviously. So do domain experts: clinicians, lawyers, researchers, operators, and product people who ship real things. AI has significantly lowered the technical barrier, which means we care more about what you've made and why than what your job title says.

Question 11

Can solo founders apply?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Solo founders are welcome. The strongest applications show that one person can cover the core technical and product surface, or explain why a co-founder is coming.

Question 12

Do both co-founders need to apply?

Accepted Answer

One application per team is sufficient. If you own the idea and are the primary driver, apply directly. If you're applying as co-founders, one person leads the application and lists the full team — we review the team, not just the individual. How you organise the application is up to you. It's your team; we trust you to present it honestly.

Question 13

Do I need a live product to apply?

Accepted Answer

No. You do not need a polished product or company. You do need a strong build thesis, a clear product vision, and evidence that you can execute under real constraints.

Question 14

Is there an application fee?

Accepted Answer

No. There is no fee to apply or to join the programme.

Question 15

What does "Minds-native" mean?

Accepted Answer

Minds-native means Minds is central to your product's value proposition, the orchestration layer, the monetization surface, or the distribution wedge. It doesn't mean you can only use Minds. It means your product wouldn't be as good, or as differentiated, without it.

Question 16

What kinds of companies are a good fit?

Accepted Answer

Products where Minds is core to the user experience, workflow orchestration, or monetization model. If your product could be built just as well without Minds, it's probably not the right fit — and we'll tell you that honestly.

Question 17

Do I need to build exclusively on Minds?

Accepted Answer

Not exclusively, but Minds should be central to the product — not a peripheral integration. The more native your use of Minds primitives, the stronger your application will be.

Question 18

What if the CLI is not ready when I want to build?

Accepted Answer

The CLI is targeting a June 2026 release. Teams selected before the CLI ships will have full access on day one. We commit to a stable, build-ready toolchain. If you're building before June, you can use: AgentMail (expected to be available in May 2026) for agent-to-agent messaging workflows, the Minds REST API for direct integrations, and documented workflow templates with direct DevRel support for custom integration needs.

Question 19

Can builders earn from the Skills, Apps, and Tools they publish?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Builders who publish Skills, Apps, and Tools to the Minds Bazaar can benefit from the platform's reward model. We're still finalising the specifics and will share them in-platform when ready. This applies to all Minds builders, not just programme participants.

Question 20

Do I need to build a crypto or Web3 product?

Accepted Answer

No. You do not need to build anything related to crypto or Web3. Animoca Brands has a Web3 history, but the Minds platform is general-purpose infrastructure for agentic products. Cognition Credits and Guardrails are platform primitives you can use or ignore — your product can be entirely traditional SaaS, enterprise software, or anything in between.

Question 21

When does deployment start?

Accepted Answer

Applications are now open and reviewed on a rolling basis.

Question 22

How many projects do you support at once?

Accepted Answer

Deliberately small. We work with a focused group of selected projects so every relationship is meaningful and every selected project gets direct access to the Minds team.

Question 23

Is this remote?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Minds Investment Programme is remote-first. Optional in-person touchpoints may be arranged depending on geography and need.

Question 24

How long does the review process take?

Accepted Answer

We review on a rolling basis — shortlisted projects typically hear back within 2–4 weeks of submitting, although the review process will vary on a case-by-case basis. Shortlisted projects are invited for a 30-minute call; final decisions follow shortly after. We review continuously, so applying earlier increases your chance of early feedback.

Question 25

How do investment decisions get made?

Accepted Answer

The Minds team reviews every introduction. Shortlisted projects are invited for a 30-minute call. Investment decisions are based on a number of factors, including the credentials of the team, product conviction, and demonstrated performance.

Investment Programme FAQ

About the Minds Investment Programme

Investment & terms

Applying

The Minds platform

Process & timeline

Ready to build something innovative with Minds?