Build a Partner Program That Actually Generates Revenue

A practical course for startup founders to design and launch a partnership revenue engine

Built and taught by ElectroNeek (YC W20) founding team that scaled partner revenue to $5M ARR

Learn more about ElectroNeek on Y Combinator ↗

This course helps:

Build consistent and scalable revenue engine

Avoid costly mistakes

Reach profitability faster

Save time and money

10+ Founders
trained worldwide

2x YC Founders teaching W20 & S25 alumni

10 Spots per
cohort Personal attention

Early-Stage Partner Programs Meet the Same Roadblocks

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You've heard that partnerships work — but you're not sure where to start.

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You've had requests and generic conversations on partnerships but never moved forward.

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You signed partners. None of them close deals.

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You're not sure if you even have a product–partner fit yet.

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You copy what tech giants do — but enterprise playbooks don't work at your stage.

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You have no partner enablement assets, no co-selling process, no tracking — and no idea what "good" looks like.

Early-stage partnerships require a different model: simple incentives, fast activation, and revenue-first structure.

This course shows you what actually works at your stage — based on patterns from building ElectroNeek's ecosystem from zero to $5M in partner revenue.

Course Outcomes

This course shows how to design a partnership revenue engine for your startup

identify the right partner types
design incentives that create deal flow
activate partners quickly
build a scalable ecosystem

What You'll Build in 4 Weeks

Your Ideal Partner Profile

A clear framework for identifying which partner types will actually drive revenue for your product and stage — not just signups that sit idle.

Minimal Viable Partner Program

Complete first version: value proposition, incentive structure, outreach scripts, and onboarding flow — ready to launch.

6-Month Activation Roadmap

A realistic plan for recruiting, activating, and scaling your first 2–3 revenue-generating partners — with clear timelines and anti-patterns to avoid.

Partnership Goggles

You'll start seeing partnership opportunities everywhere — with adjacent products, service firms, communities, and influencers you currently overlook.

During the course we will cover:

The 7 major partner types (resellers, agencies, VARs, co-sell, integration-led, communities, ecosystem alliances)
How each behaves at early stage vs. post-PMF
What models work for different startups
Early-stage traps: misaligned incentives, "partner signups" that lead nowhere, premature enterprise-style programs
Ideal partner profile (IPP) and how to develop it

Output: you'll map which partnership models actually fit your product and stage.

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Led by Founders Who Built a Partnership Revenue Engine

Alex Astafyev

Course Lead & Partnership Architect

Led ElectroNeek and Improvado partnership programs
Mentored founders from YC, Antlers, Sputnik ATX, Techstars, and independent startups on ecosystem GTM
Frequent speaker at startup events and mentor at acceleration programs

Sergey Yudovskiy

Co-Founder, Two-Time YC Alum

Two-time YC founder (ElectroNeek (W20), Adentris (X25))
Built and scaled partnership revenue to $5M at ElectroNeek
Among the first in the RPA space to integrate Generative AI into real enterprise workflows

Built for founders, by YC founders

We speak your language. We know what matters for founders — and what's just noise.

Y Combinator is the world's most prestigious startup accelerator, having backed over 4,000 companies including Airbnb, Dropbox, Stripe, and Coinbase — with a combined valuation exceeding $600B. Being a YC founder means operating at the highest standards of product thinking, growth discipline, and execution.

3 Live Cohort Sessions + 1 Individual Meeting + Hands-On Work Between Sessions

Small cohort (10 founders max), 75–90 minutes per session, plus practical assignments tailored to your company's growth, with personalized feedback and a WhatsApp group for async collaboration.

Session 1 — Referral Partnership Model for your Startup

Home reading:

What is partnerships as a revenue engine
Mental model for founders that build partnerships
Early-stage traps: misaligned incentives, "partner signups" that lead nowhere, premature enterprise-style programs
Partnership Landscape - what actually exists today on the market
Referral partnership model - how it works for different startups
Real cases of referral partnership model
How referral partnership model differs at early vs. later stages
Ideal partner profile (IPP) and how to develop it

Workshop: how to start building referral model for your startup (each startup will get starting blueprint on referral model)

Steps for building referral partnerships for your startup
IPP profile for your startup
Examples of potential referral partners

Output: foundational theory knowledge on partnerships that will form your mindset. Framework for referral partnership model.

Session 2 — Complementary/integration partners and co-sell partnership model

Home reading:

Essentials for building your partner program
Partner value proposition: how to articulate "why partner with us?" clearly
Designing incentives that work early
Outreach scripts and first-contact angles
Setting expectations and activation timelines
Minimal tech stack
How to partner with other ISVs via integration
Dimensions of co-sell partnerships

Workshop: how to start building co-sell/integration model for your startup (each startup will get blueprint on co-sell model)

How to identify complementary ISV partners
Real cases of co-sell/integration partnerships
Co-sell/integration partners for your startup

Output: understanding of partner value proposition and outreach/discovery motion. Co-selling with other vendors in your industry. Framework for co-sell motion with partners.

Session 3 — Resell/Distribution Partnerships Model: How to Launch Resell Partnerships (Date/Month)

Home reading:

Onboarding vs Enablement vs Activation for partners
How to bring your first partners to revenue
Co-marketing activities with partners
Co-selling activities with partners
Spotting early signals of a partner who will produce vs. one who never will
Ecosystem/Community/Education partnerships with examples
Most common mistakes when building partnerships
Scaling patterns and job descriptions for partner leaders
How does minimal viable partner program look
Resell partners and their specifics

Workshop: how to start building resell/distribution model for your startup (each startup will get starting blueprint on resell model)

Examples of resellers and distributors
Real cases (ElectroNeek, Improvado) of reseller partnerships
Steps for your startup on resell model

Output: understanding of co-marketing and co-sell activities. Framework for resell partnerships.

1:1 Session with Course Lead: Deep Dive into your Startup Case

During this session we will:

Combine elements of partner program from previous sessions
Discuss specifications of your product and tailor partner framework for your startup
Answer any questions you have

Output: A clear, realistic roadmap for your next 6 months of partner-building.

Live group work — discussing real partnership cases from cohort members

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Frequently Asked Questions

No. The course builds from first principles. Ideal if you've never run partnerships or tried and got stuck.

Yes. You'll learn how to evaluate "partnership readiness" and choose models that make sense pre-PMF. You can start whenever you're ready.

We don't record sessions (sensitive info), but you can send a teammate to join live in your place. We also have a WhatsApp group for async work. Co-founders can join the group for free; only paid participants attend live.

Absolutely. Sessions include live reviews and you'll get personalized input throughout the course. That's why we keep cohorts small.

We review homework individually and provide tailored feedback. Small cohorts ensure every founder gets real attention.

Build a Partner Program That Actually Generates Revenue

Early-Stage Partner Programs Meet the Same Roadblocks

Course Outcomes

What You'll Build in 4 Weeks

Your Ideal Partner Profile

Minimal Viable Partner Program

6-Month Activation Roadmap

Partnership Goggles

During the course we will cover:

Led by Founders Who Built a Partnership Revenue Engine

Alex Astafyev

Sergey Yudovskiy

3 Live Cohort Sessions + 1 Individual Meeting + Hands-On Work Between Sessions

Session 1 — Referral Partnership Model for your Startup

Session 2 — Complementary/integration partners and co-sell partnership model

Session 3 — Resell/Distribution Partnerships Model: How to Launch Resell Partnerships (Date/Month)

1:1 Session with Course Lead: Deep Dive into your Startup Case

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