The Slingshot
An AI Startup Simulation
A free, open-source game where you found and run an AI startup in the UK.
Can you build the next AI unicorn?
The Challenge
It's 2026. AI may be the defining technology of our era.
Economists call it a potential general purpose technology—like steam, electricity, or computing—capable of transforming every sector. But GPTs don't apply themselves. The value lies in identifying and exploiting opportunities: discovering solutions that weren't possible before, disrupting established industries, creating entirely new markets.
Across the UK, a new generation of startups is racing to capture this value. Some spin out from world-leading AI labs, pushing the frontier of what's possible. Others bring deep domain expertise—in healthcare, finance, logistics, creative industries—and see exactly where AI could be transformative. All face the same challenge: turning potential into profit before the window closes.
Now it's your turn. Choose your venture, assemble your team, and chase the ultimate prize: a billion-dollar unicorn.
The potential is enormous. So are the risks.
That's what makes it interesting—and that's how you'll learn.
New here? Watch the short intro.
Quick Sessions
25-40 minute games perfect for learning sessions
Real Scenarios
590+ events based on actual AI startup experiences
Interactive Mini-Games
Conference, Investor Pitch, and Demo Day experiences
Debrief with Schumpeter
Upload your end-of-game report and talk the run through with the great economist of creative destruction
Played by more than 2,100 people across 63 countries, with some founders returning to the game 15 times or more.
Free and open source, built by a small team with its community — not a product you pay for. You’re welcome to join.
The Slingshot Zone
A swipeable, TikTok-style taster of the game — thirteen cards of founders, funding rounds and one very ambitious Boston terrier. Scan with your phone.
On your phone already? Enter the Zone →
Meet Ada
Don't fancy the twelve ready-made ventures? Ada, our venture builder, works your own idea into a startup in a short conversation: your market, your company name, your location. She saves a small file you load into the game, and the journey is yours from there.
Build your venture with Ada →