Why Invest in Founders, Not Projects?
Y Combinator research: 5% of companies become unicorns.
But 11% of founders create unicorns during their career.
Founders outlive companies.
Why Startup Investing Has a 95% Failure Rate
Traditional venture capital invests in companies:
- • You bet on one idea, one execution path, one market
- • If the idea is wrong, your investment is worthless
- • If the market shifts, the company can't pivot
- • If the team quits or fights, the venture dies
- • 95% of startups fail
The Insight:
Companies are fragile. They depend on a specific idea working, in a specific market, with a specific execution. When any variable breaks, the company fails.
But founders are anti-fragile:
- • Founders learn from failures and iterate
- • Founders can pivot to new ideas and markets
- • Founders build pattern recognition over time
- • Founders compound knowledge and networks
The Data:
Only 5% of companies become unicorns. But 11% of founders create unicorns during their career.
The Opportunity:
What if you could invest in the founder instead of the company?
Investing in People, Not Projects
Ertad Family is a Delaware corporation that owns 15 years of entrepreneurial output from Dimitri and Inna Ostashenko.
What You're Investing In:
Proven founders (not first-time entrepreneurs)
15-year commitment (not one project)
Entire portfolio of ventures (not one bet)
All equity, compensation, and exits (not one outcome)
How It Works:
- 1.Investors purchase equity in Ertad Family holding company
- 2.Founders pledge 15 years of venture creation to holding company
- 3.All new ventures, equity, compensation, and exits flow to holding company
- 4.Investors own percentage of entire entrepreneurial output
The Result:
You're not betting on one idea. You're investing in proven builders who will create multiple ventures over 15 years. You own all of them.
Why We're a Compelling Investment
Proven Execution
We don't talk about building. We've built.
- • Two companies from zero to #1 market position
- • 3-year timelines (each)
- • 80 people managed across portfolio
- • 100% bootstrapped growth
- • Achieved market dominance twice
What This Means:
We know how to identify opportunities, assemble teams, create systems, and achieve market leadership. We've done it. Repeatedly.
Anti-Fragility Through Failure
Most founders quit after one failure. We've failed twice and recovered twice—in 6-month cycles.
- • Bankruptcy #1 (2014) → 6 months → New venture, new country
- • Bankruptcy #2 (2025) → 6 months → Tech pivot, stronger strategy
Founders who have failed and recovered statistically outperform first-time founders. We're not untested. We're battle-tested.
What This Means:
We learn fast, adapt quickly, and don't quit. Failure made us stronger, not weaker. We're anti-fragile.
Family Stability & Aligned Incentives
Most startup founding teams fracture over equity disputes, vision conflicts, or life changes. We've eliminated that risk.
- • 13-year marriage, 13-year business partnership
- • 3 children (long-term commitment, can't quit)
- • Permanently aligned incentives
- • Stress-tested through business failures and life pressures
What This Means:
No founder disputes. No equity battles. No partnership dissolution risk. Our incentives are aligned permanently.
Learned Focus: We Only Build Big
After years in operational, geography-constrained service businesses, we know what NOT to build.
- • Global markets (TAM >$100B)
- • Technology-driven (AI-first, software-centric)
- • High margins (software economics)
- • Scalable (growth without linear cost increase)
What This Means:
We won't waste investor capital on small opportunities. We're aligned with investors who want billion-dollar outcomes, not lifestyle businesses.
Portfolio Approach: Multiple Shots on Goal
You're not investing in one idea. You're investing in 15 years of venture creation.
- • Multiple ventures at different stages
- • Diversified risk for investors
- • Compounding knowledge across projects
- • If one fails, you still own the others
What This Means:
Higher probability of success. Lower risk. Venture returns with portfolio diversification.
Peak Capability. First External Capital.
Why This Is the Right Moment:
1. Peak Capability
- • Maximum experience from 13 years of entrepreneurship
- • "Vaccinated" against past mistakes (learned what NOT to do)
- • Still in prime productive years (energy + wisdom)
- • Clear strategic vision and focus
2. Fresh Strategic Pivot
- • Recently completed pivot from service to tech
- • Lessons learned from operational businesses inform current strategy
- • New focus on global, scalable, high-margin ventures
- • Commitment to $100B+ TAM only
3. First External Capital
- • We've bootstrapped everything to date
- • This is our first fundraising ever
- • Highly motivated to prove model with investor capital
- • Treat investor money as more precious than our own
4. Proven Recovery Pattern
- • Just completed 6-month recovery from bankruptcy #2
- • Pattern established: we fail fast, learn fast, build fast
- • Currently at ground floor (maximum upside potential)
- • Track record proves we bounce back stronger
5. 15-Year Commitment
- • Long runway for value creation
- • Multiple venture cycles possible
- • Aligned with long-term wealth building
- • Not a "quick flip" or short-term play
The Bottom Line:
You're catching us at peak capability with maximum motivation, clear strategic direction, and a 15-year commitment to deliver returns.
How We De-Risk This Investment
No investment is risk-free. But we've structured Ertad Family to mitigate key risks:
Risk: Founder Disputes
❌ Traditional startups:
Co-founders fight, split, destroy value
✓ Ertad Family:
Married 13 years, permanently aligned, no disputes
Risk: Single Point of Failure
❌ Traditional startups:
One idea fails = total loss
✓ Ertad Family:
Portfolio approach, multiple ventures, diversified
Risk: Unproven Team
❌ Traditional startups:
First-time founders, no track record
✓ Ertad Family:
Built market leaders twice, proven execution
Risk: Lack of Resilience
❌ Traditional startups:
Founders quit after failure
✓ Ertad Family:
Two bankruptcies, two 6-month recoveries, proven resilience
Risk: Small Thinking
❌ Traditional startups:
Founders fish in shallow waters
✓ Ertad Family:
Only $100B+ TAM, learned to think big
Risk: Geographic Constraints
❌ Traditional startups:
Limited to one market
✓ Ertad Family:
Built across 3 continents, global mindset
Risk: Capital Inefficiency
❌ Traditional startups:
Burn investor money on experiments
✓ Ertad Family:
Bootstrapped to date, capital-efficient builders
Downside Protection:
In worst case, we have proven ability to generate income through service businesses (done it twice). We won't leave investors with nothing. We have a "floor" of operational capabilities.
Upside Potential:
In best case, we build multiple successful global technology ventures over 15 years. Even one significant success delivers venture returns. You own all of them.
Asymmetric Bet:
Limited downside (proven income generation), unlimited upside (multiple ventures, compounding returns).
The Opportunity
Angel Round Details:
Target Raise
Up to $1,000,000
Equity Offering
Up to 15% of Ertad Family holding company
Investor Type
Accredited investors, friends and family
Structure
Equity in Delaware C-corporation
Use of Funds:
- • Venture development and MVP launches
- • Team hiring (C-level executives for portfolio companies)
- • Technology infrastructure and product development
- • Legal, compliance, and corporate structure
- • Runway for portfolio creation and iteration
Timeline:
- • Incorporation: In process (Delaware C-corp)
- • Founder Pledge signing: Upon incorporation
- • Fundraising period: Current (rolling closes)
- • First venture launches: Within 6 months of funding
Investor Rights:
Standard C-corp equity with stockholder rights, governance participation, and information rights. Full legal documentation available during due diligence.
Future Rounds:
Multi-round investment strategy to be developed with initial investors. Potential for follow-on investment opportunities as portfolio develops.
How Ertad Family Compares
vs. Traditional Startup Investing:
| Factor | Traditional VC | Ertad Family |
|---|---|---|
| Investment Target | One company | Proven founders |
| Risk Profile | One idea (95% fail) | Portfolio (multiple shots) |
| Founder Experience | Often first-time | Built market leaders 2x |
| Resilience Proof | Unproven | 2 bankruptcies, 2 recoveries |
| Alignment | Founder disputes common | Married 13 years, permanent alignment |
| Time Horizon | One venture cycle | 15 years, multiple ventures |
| Upside Potential | One exit | Multiple exits over time |
vs. Other "Invest in People" Models:
| Factor | Libermans Co | Ertad Family |
|---|---|---|
| Founder Profile | First-time, young | Battle-tested, proven |
| Track Record | Snapchat success | 2 market leaders built |
| Resilience | Unproven through failure | 2 bankruptcies recovered |
| Family Structure | Siblings | Married couple, 3 children |
| Pledge Period | 30 years | 15 years |
The Advantage:
Ertad Family offers the portfolio benefits of the Libermans model with the proven track record and battle-tested resilience traditional VCs look for.
This Is a Different Type of Investment
You're not betting on an idea. You're not betting on a market. You're not betting on timing.
You're investing in proven founders who have built market leaders, survived failures, recovered in months, and committed 15 years to creating venture-scale outcomes.
Do you want to own one risky bet? Or the entire output of anti-fragile founders for 15 years?