Business Plan & Milestones

Version: 0.2 | Date: February 18, 2026 | Status: Pre-formation (Aggressive Track)

1. S-Corp Formation Checklist

Why S-Corp First

We start as an S-Corp for tax efficiency (pass-through taxation) and immediate grant eligibility. We convert to a Delaware C-Corp only when we are ready to sign a term sheet with a VC.

Formation Steps (Sprint: 2 Weeks)

Step	Task	Timeline	Priority
1	Incorporate: File Articles of Incorporation (Home State)	Day 1	Critical
2	EIN: Apply for EIN on IRS.gov (Instant)	Day 1	Critical
3	Bank: Open business bank account (Mercury or local)	Day 2	Critical
4	IRS: File Form 2553 (S-Corp Election)	Week 1	Critical
5	Agreements: Sign Founder’s Agreement & IP Assignment	Week 1	Critical
6	Certifications: Submit VOSB & MBE applications	Week 2	High

2. 6-Month Aggressive Roadmap (Beta in 6 Months)

Goal: Ship a high-quality, multiplayer Beta to Steam/Epic by Month 6 to generate data for seed funding.

Phase 1: The Core (Months 1-2)

Focus: Gameplay Feel, Netcode, PC Platform Target: “Best Feeling Indie Fighter”

Engineering:
- Unreal Engine 5 project setup with GAS (Gameplay Ability System).
- Netcode: Implement Rollback Netcode (GGPO or UE5 Network Prediction) immediately. No delay-based netcode.
- Input: Low-latency input handling (support Fight Sticks + Gamepads).
Design:
- 2 Characters (The “Ryu” and the “Grappler”).
- Core Mechanics: Hitstop, blockstun, cancels, super meter.
Platform:
- PC Build (Windows) tested on Steam Deck.

Phase 2: The Content & Cross-Platform (Months 3-4)

Focus: Roster Expansion, Mobile Port, Agentic Pipelines Target: 4 Characters + Mobile Proof-of-Concept

Engineering:
- Mobile: Create a high-performance Android build (Touch controls overlay).
- Agentic Dev: Deploy “Move Generation Agent” to speed up creative iteration.
- Cross-Play: Initial backend setup (EOS - Epic Online Services) for cross-platform identity.
Design:
- 2 New Characters (The “Zoner” and the “Mix-up”).
- 1 New Stage.
Platform:
- Android Internal Alpha.

Phase 3: The Beta Launch (Months 5-6)

Focus: Community, Stability, Telemetry Target: 5,000 Concurrent Users (CCU)

Engineering:
- Telemetry: Track D1/D7 retention, win rates, and rage-quit rates.
- Matchmaking: Skill-based matchmaking (MMR).
Marketing:
- Steam/Epic Page Live: Wishlist accumulation.
- Influencer Keys: Distribute 500 keys to FGC creators.
Launch:
- Public Beta: 2-week window.
- Platform: PC (Steam/Epic) + Android (Side-load/Play Store Beta).

3. Budget Summary (Aggressive)

To hit a 6-month beta, we burn hot.

Phase	Duration	Estimated Cost	Main Expense
Phase 1	2 Months	$15,000	Assets, Contract Code
Phase 2	2 Months	$25,000	3D Modeling, UI Art
Phase 3	2 Months	$40,000	Server, Marketing, QA
Total	6 Months	$80,000

Note: This assumes “Sweat Equity” from founders. Cash is for contractors/assets only.

4. Compensation Plan

Pre-Funding (The “Sweat” Phase)

Steve: 60% Equity (CEO/Founder)
Chris/Advisors: 2-3% Equity (Vesting)
Core Team: 5-15% Equity (Vesting)
Tracking: All hours logged. No cash salary until Seed Round.

Post-Funding (Seed Round > $500k)

Steve: $60k/yr
Lead Dev: $80k/yr
Bonuses: Tied to Revenue Milestones (e.g., $10k bonus at $100k Net Revenue).

5. Platform Strategy

We go where the players are, but in a specific order.

PC (Steam + Epic): The home of the fighting game community (FGC). Priority 1.
- Requirement: 60FPS stable on mid-range hardware.
- Steam Deck: Must be “Verified”. This captures the portable market early.
Mobile (Android/iOS): The massive casual market.
- Strategy: Free-to-play mobile version with simplified inputs (“Modern Controls”).
- Cross-Progression: Skins/Unlocks share between PC and Mobile.
Consoles (PlayStation/Xbox): Long certification times.
- Strategy: Push to post-Launch (Month 12+), unless a publisher pays for porting.
Cloud/Web:
- Strategy: Explore Pixel Streaming for “Instant Try” demos on the website, but not for core competitive play due to latency.

6. Marketing & Website Strategy

Goal: Build a community asset that exists independent of the game (Email List + Discord).

The Website

Domain: aminagames.com (or similar).
Function:
- Landing Page: High-impact key art, “Join Beta” button (Email capture).
- Dev Blog: “Building Amina” - Articles on Agentic AI basics. This attracts technical talent and investors.
- Press Kit: Downloadable zip with logos, screenshots, and founder headshots.

Marketing Channels

“Open Kitchen” Development:
- Post raw footage of “AI vs AI” matches on TikTok/Reels.
- Show the glitches - people love seeing the dev process.
FGC Grassroots:
- Sponsor small local tournaments ($50 pot bonuses).
- Direct outreach to FGC commentators/influencers (Start.gg data).

7. VR Market Strategy (The “Blue Ocean”)

Why VR?: The flat-screen fighting game market is saturated (Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8). The VR fighting market is starved for high-quality, competitive titles.

The Approach

“Toy Scale” View (God View):
- Instead of 1st-person (which makes motion sickness), use a “Tabletop” view where players look down at 3D fighters battling on a virtual table.
- Reference: Demeo or Moss but for Fighting Games.
Platform Target:
- Meta Quest 3 (Standalone): The biggest market. Must optimize heavily.
- SteamVR: For high-fidelity PCVR.
Cross-Play:
- VR players play against PC/Mobile players. The input is “Gamepad/Stick” across all platforms, ensuring fairness.

8. Grant Application Priority

Priority	Program	Award	Fit Score	Deadline Action
1	Epic MegaGrants	Up to $150k	Perfect (UE5 Project)	Cycle 1 closes March 20, 2026. Apply with Vertical Slice (Month 3). Cycle 2: June 29 - Sept 4, 2026.
2	Black Ambition	$20k-$100k ($1M pool)	Perfect (Founder Profile)	Applications open now (Feb 2026). Register at blackambitionprize.com
3	NVIDIA Inception	Hardware + AWS credits ($25k-$100k)	High (AI/Tech)	Apply immediately — rolling, no deadline. nvidia.com/en-us/startups/

See Resource Library for full details, links, eligibility requirements, and application tips for each program.