Build or Invest in the Next Unicorn
Two Game Modes: Play as a VC Investor or as a Startup Founder • v4.9.6
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?
The fastest way to get started on macOS or Linux:
brew install james-see/tap/unicorn
Then just run unicorn to start playing!
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, cliffs, and performance
Raise Seed, Series A, B, C rounds. Review term sheets, manage dilution, and track your cap table
Real-time LTV:CAC, CAC Payback, Rule of 40, Burn Multiple, Magic Number with color-coded health
Build 18 features (10 core + 8 advanced). Allocate engineers, track progress, and reallocate resources
Hire advisors (sales, product, fundraising, ops, strategy), set chairman with 2x impact, manage board equity
Select ICP focus (SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise, Strategic) for targeted growth with deal size and CAC benefits
Switch between 5 pricing models: freemium, trial, annual upfront, usage-based, and tiered pricing
Launch partnerships, affiliate programs, expand to global markets, competitive intel, and pivot strategies
Receive acquisition offers with cap table payout breakdowns. Board may force exit if you lose majority control
Go public via IPO, get acquired by strategic buyers, or take a secondary sale
Individual customer records, deal sizes, contract terms, churn tracking, and health scores
Manage tech debt accumulation, schedule refactors, and balance velocity vs quality
Launch marketplace, social, data, or infrastructure platforms with network effects once at scale
End-game ceremony with XP awards, level-ups, achievements, and global leaderboard submission
Choose from SaaS, DeepTech, GovTech templates with 4 difficulty levels (Easy to Expert)
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) and difficulty level
2. Build your founding team and manage equity allocation
3. Acquire customers through marketing, partnerships, affiliates, and sales
4. Build your product roadmap — 10 core features + 8 advanced features to develop
5. Hire advisors, set a chairman, and manage board dynamics
6. Raise funding rounds, manage dilution, and watch your cap table
7. Track SaaS metrics: MRR, churn, LTV:CAC, Rule of 40, burn multiple
8. Navigate competitors, acquisition offers, and strategic opportunities
9. Press N to advance months quickly, or dive into the action menu
10. Exit via IPO, acquisition, or secondary sale — earn XP and unlock achievements!
Unicorn is open source and built with Go. Contributions welcome!
View on GitHubMade with ❤️ by @jamesacampbell