# Startup Manual

OCV's Startup Manual is for founders building and growing open core companies. It includes strategic guidance from company formation through growth stages. Our mission is to enable more people to become founders, and our public handbook is a way for anyone to learn and benefit from our frameworks. Everyone is [welcome to contribute](https://gitlab.com/opencore-ventures/ocv-handbook/-/issues). &#x20;

## Recent Articles from Sid Sijbrandij

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th><th data-hidden data-card-cover data-type="image">Cover image</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Building venture-scale open core</td><td><a href="https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/building-venture-scale-open-core">https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/building-venture-scale-open-core</a></td><td><a href="https://1170590712-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FvRFdFk6Bf7sA03777yVY%2Fuploads%2FkYTDEoArqkPQ8Rd2yB5d%2Fbuilding-venture-scale-oc.png?alt=media&#x26;token=66210b02-07a9-4a5e-8209-ca83e358226f">building-venture-scale-oc.png</a></td></tr><tr><td>Every startup needs an AI strategy</td><td><a href="https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/every-startup-needs-ai-strategy-sid-sijbrandij">https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/every-startup-needs-ai-strategy-sid-sijbrandij</a></td><td><a href="https://1170590712-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FvRFdFk6Bf7sA03777yVY%2Fuploads%2F95o03ok8O4LvMvNfuc83%2Fai-strategy-bp-image.png?alt=media&#x26;token=f2a7a52c-fded-471b-bec6-379f94c5bc81">ai-strategy-bp-image.png</a></td></tr><tr><td>Founder-compensated startups are default dead</td><td><a href="https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/founder-compensated-startups-are-default-dead">https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/founder-compensated-startups-are-default-dead</a></td><td><a href="https://1170590712-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FvRFdFk6Bf7sA03777yVY%2Fuploads%2FrFy6A3TmgEL54tEi8lTX%2FScreenshot%202025-11-25%20at%2010.24.50%E2%80%AFAM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=df7fed08-01d5-4d43-b79e-0b310f876489">Screenshot 2025-11-25 at 10.24.50 AM.png</a></td></tr><tr><td>Open core split should be based on features, not on code base</td><td><a href="https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/open-core-split-should-be-based-on-features-not-on-code-base">https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/open-core-split-should-be-based-on-features-not-on-code-base</a></td><td><a href="https://1170590712-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FvRFdFk6Bf7sA03777yVY%2Fuploads%2FWfqMRqgXXPyi8cNDYog6%2FScreenshot%202025-11-25%20at%2010.25.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=55848a46-553b-49b2-80a8-b5474ce52d07">Screenshot 2025-11-25 at 10.25.36 AM.png</a></td></tr><tr><td>A standard pricing model for open core</td><td><a href="https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/a-standard-pricing-model-for-open-core">https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/a-standard-pricing-model-for-open-core</a></td><td><a href="https://1170590712-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FvRFdFk6Bf7sA03777yVY%2Fuploads%2FUah1miAWCeBbnZyUbj5G%2FScreenshot%202025-11-25%20at%2010.26.55%E2%80%AFAM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=7cbd4723-987a-47e8-80e5-dc6ade7e0508">Screenshot 2025-11-25 at 10.26.55 AM.png</a></td></tr><tr><td>Artificially constraining your company to one goal creates velocity and creativity</td><td><a href="https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/artificially-constraining-your-company-to-one-goal-creates-velocity-and-creativity">https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/artificially-constraining-your-company-to-one-goal-creates-velocity-and-creativity</a></td><td><a href="https://1170590712-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FvRFdFk6Bf7sA03777yVY%2Fuploads%2Fikz6wWyycOLOU4fw77s0%2FScreenshot%202025-11-25%20at%2010.27.54%E2%80%AFAM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=f851e838-5fc5-4fc0-ab9b-76963978475d">Screenshot 2025-11-25 at 10.27.54 AM.png</a></td></tr><tr><td>Don't listen to potential customers "if only" requests</td><td><a href="https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/dont-listen-to-the-last-objection">https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/dont-listen-to-the-last-objection</a></td><td><a href="https://1170590712-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FvRFdFk6Bf7sA03777yVY%2Fuploads%2FZ3m3Ofm3MTF1kxOyIMtx%2FScreenshot%202025-11-25%20at%2010.28.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=1d6351ab-4233-48f9-93a2-d3b1d591f51d">Screenshot 2025-11-25 at 10.28.44 AM.png</a></td></tr><tr><td>The Red Hat model only worked for Red Hat</td><td><a href="https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/the-red-hat-model-only-worked-for-red-hat">https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/the-red-hat-model-only-worked-for-red-hat</a></td><td><a href="https://1170590712-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FvRFdFk6Bf7sA03777yVY%2Fuploads%2FwROL5ljCuYhBRJeqOA6M%2FScreenshot%202025-11-25%20at%2010.30.16%E2%80%AFAM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=24a01a7d-6e6e-43d2-9a54-a7c75313095b">Screenshot 2025-11-25 at 10.30.16 AM.png</a></td></tr><tr><td>Let demand steer early-stage open core product development</td><td><a href="https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/let-demand-steer-early-stage-open-core-product-development">https://www.opencoreventures.com/blog/let-demand-steer-early-stage-open-core-product-development</a></td><td><a href="https://1170590712-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FvRFdFk6Bf7sA03777yVY%2Fuploads%2F8tY3Hg25P7H5ZWG6O5Dp%2FScreenshot%202025-11-25%20at%2010.31.12%E2%80%AFAM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=772a64a5-7e69-4745-b377-11421807eb2b">Screenshot 2025-11-25 at 10.31.12 AM.png</a></td></tr></tbody></table>


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