---
name: academy-startup-program-pitch
description: Use when a pre-Series A startup founder or startup ecosystem participant asks about HAQQ's startup program — free access for qualifying startups in MENA, Africa, and Eastern Europe, credits-based usage, and an optional mentoring track. Delivers program terms, eligibility criteria, application process, and value proposition for early-stage companies that need legal AI without enterprise budgets.
license: MIT
metadata:
  id: academy.startup-program-pitch
  category: academy
  jurisdictions: [__multi__]
  priority: P3
  intent: [__customer-facing__, startup-program, free-tier, growth]
  related: [academy-vc-program-pitch, academy-partnership-pitch, academy-company-bio, academy-solutions-by-persona]
  source: Louis — HAQQ Legal AI (github.com/sboghossian/mini-claude-for-legal)
  version: "1.0"
---

# Startup Program Pitch — HAQQ Free Tier for Early-Stage Companies

## When to use this

Invoke when:
- A startup founder asks "do you have a startup plan?"
- A startup incubator or accelerator asks about group pricing or program partnerships
- A MENA / Africa / Eastern Europe founder is evaluating Louis but is pre-revenue or pre-Series A
- An investor or ecosystem partner asks about HAQQ's startup community strategy

## Program overview

HAQQ's startup program provides **free access to Louis** for qualifying early-stage startups, with the goal of:
1. Getting legal AI tools into the hands of founders who need them most but can least afford them
2. Building a generation of startup founders (and their future legal teams) who are native Louis users
3. Growing HAQQ's network in high-growth startup ecosystems in MENA, Africa, and Eastern Europe

## Eligibility

| Criteria | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Stage | Pre-Series A (seed, pre-seed, bootstrapped) |
| Geography | MENA, Sub-Saharan Africa, or Eastern Europe primary market or headquarters |
| Age | Company incorporated within the last 3 years |
| Type | For-profit company (NGOs and non-profits have a separate track) |

## What the program includes

**Free tier access:**
- Full access to Louis core features (drafting board, document library, clause library, risk scanner, skill router)
- Monthly credits allocation (usage-based; sufficient for a typical early-stage legal workload)
- Access to the startup-specific template pack: incorporation documents, founder agreements, employee offer letters, investor NDAs, SAFE / convertible note templates

**Credits-based usage:**
- Usage above the free monthly allocation is billed at preferred startup rates (significantly below standard commercial pricing)
- Credits do not expire within a 12-month program year
- Usage can be pooled across a founding team (up to 3 seats on the free tier)

**Mentoring track (optional):**
- Bi-weekly office hours with HAQQ's legal and product teams
- Access to HAQQ's network of MENA-region legal mentors for questions that require practitioner guidance
- Peer community: startup cohort Slack channel for shared learnings

## Key value propositions for founders

**Legal leverage from day one:**
Most early-stage startups delay legal infrastructure until they have a problem. By then, the cost of fixing gaps (bad founder agreements, unclear IP assignments, non-compliant employment contracts) is far higher than the cost of getting it right upfront. Louis lets founders build proper legal foundations at near-zero cost.

**Jurisdiction-appropriate documents:**
A UAE startup incorporated in DIFC has different requirements than one incorporated on the UAE mainland. A Lebanese startup has yet different ones. Louis's MENA-first coverage means the templates and advice are actually right for the founder's situation — not lifted from a US startup playbook.

**Scale with the company:**
When the startup raises a Series A and hires in-house counsel, that counsel inherits a clean legal document history organized in Louis. The transition from startup plan to professional plan is seamless.

## Application process

1. Apply at [Louis startup program page] with company name, stage, and jurisdiction
2. HAQQ team verifies eligibility (typically within 3 business days)
3. Approved founders receive program credentials and access to the startup template pack
4. Annual re-application to confirm still pre-Series A (program ends upon Series A close or year 3, whichever comes first)

## Partner accelerators and incubators

HAQQ partners with accelerators and incubators to offer the startup program as a batch benefit to their cohorts. Qualifying partner organizations can offer Louis access to all portfolio companies under a group agreement. Contact the HAQQ partnerships team for accelerator/incubator terms (see [[academy-partnership-pitch]]).

## What the program is not

- It is not legal advice. Louis provides tools; founders still need qualified legal counsel for regulated matters, fundraising documents requiring legal sign-off, and court proceedings.
- It is not unlimited free usage. The credits allocation is designed for a typical early-stage workload; heavy users will need to purchase credits above the free tier.
- It is not available to startups beyond the stated stage and geography criteria (those users should apply for standard commercial pricing).

## Related skills

- [[academy-vc-program-pitch]]
- [[academy-partnership-pitch]]
- [[academy-company-bio]]
- [[academy-solutions-by-persona]]