Build or Invest in the Next Unicorn
Two Game Modes: Play as a VC Investor or as a Startup Founder
Unicorn is a text-based startup simulation game with two distinct modes:
💼 VC Mode: Start as a venture capitalist with $500K-$1M fund and invest in 20 different startups over 5 years (60 turns). Diversify your portfolio, manage risk, and try to find the next unicorn! Will you become a Legendary Investor?
🚀 Founder Mode (NEW!): Build your own startup from the ground up! Choose from 10 templates (SaaS, DeepTech, GovTech), hire your team, raise funding rounds, manage churn, and navigate strategic decisions over 60 months (5 years). Can you reach an IPO or get acquired?
Get started with Unicorn and begin your VC adventure!
⬇️ Download Latest Release
Or build from source: go get github.com/jamesacampbell/unicorn
Compete with players worldwide! Top scores updated in real-time.
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Progress from "Novice Investor" to "Titan of Industry" with exponential XP requirements
Earn XP after every game: +100 base, +50 for ROI, +200 per exit, difficulty bonuses, achievement XP
Unlock Hard (L5), Expert (L10), Nightmare Mode (L15), and special features as you progress
Level-up screens with XP breakdowns, progress bars, and unlock previews after every game
Connected achievements with prerequisites, progressive tracking, and hidden challenges
Trend analysis, difficulty breakdowns, AI insights, and global performance comparisons
Invest in 30 startups across 12+ sectors: FinTech, BioTech, CleanTech, Gaming, and more
Choose from Easy, Medium, Hard, or Expert mode. Unlock higher difficulties by leveling up
Compete worldwide! Track top 10 scores by net worth or ROI with difficulty filters
Unlock achievements across 6 categories from Common to Legendary rarity. Progress tracking!
Spend achievement points on permanent upgrades: better terms, more intel, special abilities
Dynamic market cycles, economic events, IPOs, acquisitions, and more over 60 turns
Hire engineers, sales, CS, marketing, and C-suite. Manage equity, vesting, and performance
Raise Seed, Series A, B, C rounds. Review term sheets, manage dilution, and track your cap table
Track MRR, churn, LTV:CAC, Rule of 40, burn multiple, magic number, and more
Launch partnerships, affiliate programs, expand to new markets, hire advisors, and pivot
Go public via IPO, get acquired by strategic buyers, or take a secondary sale
Add advisors with expertise in sales, product, operations. Get guidance and opportunities
Individual customer records, deal sizes, contract terms, churn tracking, health scores
Balance revenue, team costs, infrastructure, marketing spend, and runway
Choose from SaaS, DeepTech, GovTech templates with unique challenges and metrics
Choose your path: VC Investor or Startup Founder!
1. Choose your difficulty level (Easy, Medium, Hard, Expert)
2. Review 20 startup options with risk and growth indicators
3. Make strategic investments across different sectors
4. Watch your portfolio grow (or shrink!) over 60 turns (5 years)
5. Unlock achievements and climb the global leaderboards
6. Aim for 1000%+ ROI to earn the "Unicorn Hunter" title!
1. Choose your startup template (SaaS, DeepTech, GovTech)
2. Hire your initial team and manage equity allocation
3. Acquire customers through marketing, partnerships, and sales
4. Raise funding rounds when needed to fuel growth
5. Navigate strategic decisions, competitors, and random events
6. Track key metrics: MRR, churn, LTV:CAC, burn rate, runway
7. Exit via IPO, acquisition, or secondary sale - or keep building!
Unicorn is open source and built with Go. Contributions welcome!
View on GitHubMade with ❤️ by @jamesacampbell