Ventures
You bring the problem. We bring the build.
Crucible invests in a different way. We put product, engineering, data and commercial work into ventures we believe in, and take equity or a reduced fee in return. You bring the problem and the expertise. We bring the build.
What we back
Four things we look for.
A real problem people already search for
Demand you can show: search volume, a waitlist, customers or a community asking the same question.
Expertise we do not have
You know the field, the rules or the customers. We know how to turn that into a product.
Useful within 90 days
Something people can use early, then improve in public, rather than a year of building in private.
A way to earn
Subscriptions, licences, leads, partnerships or advertising that never gets in the way of the tool.
What founders get
The team behind five live products.
The same stack and standards as Calculate.co.nz, CalculatorHub.com, Jobtracker.co.nz, Understand.co.nz and PAYECalculator.co.nz.
Product and engineering
Design, build and hosting on the static-first, AI-assisted stack behind our own products.
Data and measurement
Analytics from day one, tied to whether people got what they came for.
Search and commercial
Fifteen years of earning a place in Google and turning an audience into revenue.
A partner, not a vendor
We are paid when the venture works, so our incentives are the same as yours.
How to pitch
Three steps, no deck.
Send one paragraph
The problem, who has it, the evidence that they want it solved, and what you bring.
A 30-minute call
If it fits, we talk it through. No deck needed.
A clear answer
Yes or no within two weeks, with the reasoning. If yes, terms are agreed in writing before any work starts.
Contact
Have a venture in mind?
Choose Ventures on the form and send one paragraph: the problem, who has it, and what you bring.