The Slingshot Version 2: An AI Startup Simulation
Dear TIM colleagues,
Version 2 of The Slingshot: An AI Startup Simulation, now accompanied by a full educators' pack, has been released. The game is free and open source, has been played by more than 1,900 players from 60 countries, and has been used in class at 15 or more universities. It is available at https://slingshotsim.org/.
The Slingshot is a simulation game focusing on entrepreneurial strategy in nascent industries. Players take the role of founder of a UK-based AI startup. The game focuses on the allocation of attention between different priorities, as the venture seeks to complete three milestones in 16 quarters and achieve unicorn status. During play, users manage funding, build and grow a team, pivot, and apply for R&D grants. The game tries to create a possibility space for players to experiment with different technology venturing strategies.
New in Version 2
· Competitive play. Players can benchmark their venture against their class and the wider player base. Educators can run in-class tournaments at zero cost, with no registration and no personal information captured.
· Seed mode. A learner mode to help new players build knowledge and confidence, with more starting money and increased attention. Competitive play is reserved for the Core version.
· Market Opportunities Navigator. Gruber and Tal's Where to Play framework is now part of the game: players can invest in learning about market opportunities before they pivot.
· Tokens. Players can adjust token expenditure to extend their team's productivity.
Version 2 also brings an improved decision and events database with new LLM-related decisions, and tweaks that better reward skilful play.
The Educators' Pack
The simulation is now supported with a wide range of educational materials, including a teaching guide, an assignment bank with rubrics, videos, exam questions, and slide decks. Eight mini-cases of UK-based AI startups connect the game to the real world of venture building. In addition, two AI assistants, one for educators and one for players, are available that will answer questions about the game. All materials are free for educational use, and the pack is available on request (contact: ammon.salter@wbs.ac.uk).
Access and updates
The simulation is a single HTML file that runs in any modern browser: nothing to install, no registration, no personal data collected. All materials are licensed CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Future updates will include an end-of-game debrief with a Joseph Schumpeter chatbot, a TikTok-inspired introduction for the 'scrolling generation', and accessibility certification. The Slingshot is a community project, and user feedback and help are warmly welcomed: please get in touch if you would like to contribute or access the repository directly and start to build.
Updates on new features and developments appear on Substack, subscribe at The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Playbook.
Citation
Salter, A., Baruffaldi, S., & Bignone, F. (2026). The Slingshot: An AI Startup Simulation. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20749017
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Ammon Salter
Warwick Business School
University of Warwick
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