H2 2026 Operating Plan (Jul–Dec)
Where the strategy becomes a calendar. It composes the chapters — the bet, business development, product roadmap, thought leadership, content strategy, community, dogfood, events — into one month-by-month plan for the rest of 2026. Deeper pipeline and grant mechanics stay in roadmap; this is the execution layer on top.
The through-line: distribution is the bottleneck (the bet #2) — hire sales in July, fund it from delivery margin; the Q3 product block (Jul 1 → Sep 30) builds the guardrail spearhead (the bet #3); authority and content compound in the background; close the year at the demo-ready gate and GA, positioned for the Track A/B decision in 2027.
The half at a glance
Month by month
| Month | Sales & BD | Product | Authority / Content / Community | Events & Programmes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul | Hire/activate the Sales person; start partner co-sell; SG AI Week follow-ups converted | Q3 dev block starts (Jul 1); Contextful + Meerkat cores | Publish the niche thesis; ship AI-uptime index v0 + open a free utility (PLG); OWASP PR; 10 CISO/carrier convos; ramp OpenHackersClub | RSAC SG (Jul 20); apply Lloyd’s Lab C17 (~Jul 20) & GFTN Hackcelerator (~Jul 31); ITC Asia (Jun 30–Jul 2). FSTI 3.0 cutoff Jul 16 — forfeit, watch 4.0 |
| Aug | First co-sell partners signed; assessment one-pager live; AI cost-audit utility live → first cost audits + blueprints | Mid-sprint review (Aug 15); connectors + audit trail | First monthly proof piece; index track record grows; control-template SEO pages | Prep autumn stage circuit; carrier-pilot conversations |
| Sep | ≥3 qualified opps; first assessment sold | Demo-ready gate (Sep 30); design-partner pilots (AX, Numu, Vascue) | Proof piece #2; publish index track record | Lloyd’s Lab on-site starts (Sep 28); CyberSG Innovation Day; ITC Vegas (Sep 29–Oct 1) |
| Oct | 90-day BD gate; convert wedge → expansion; ≥1 reference logo | Lead-wedge launch (Oct 1): assessment → continuous governance | Stand up 1 SG AI-builder chapter; proof piece #3 | GovWare/SICW (Oct 12–15); SLINGSHOT finals; Token2049 SG; Antler SG residency; Apart & Google app windows |
| Nov | 3 paid engagements live; partners self-sourcing; referrals trending >50% of leads; Spore embed pilot scoped | Contextful GA (Nov 15); Meerkat GA (Nov 30) | Proof piece #4; repurpose talks into artifacts | SFF / GFTN showcase (Nov 18–20); SIRC (~Nov 2–5); CSA CyberCall submission (~Nov 30) |
| Dec | Year review; default-alive check; confirm referrals >50% of leads; FY27 GTM plan | Spore build begins (traction-gated); post-GA hardening | Index annual recap; community year-in-review | Lloyd’s Lab Demo Day (Dec 9); CMU app (Dec 15); set 2027 Track A/B decision |
Execution checklists
These feed the Tasks → Checklist view. Keep current; check items as they land.
Sales & BD
- Hire or formally activate the dedicated Sales person (July)
- Recruit 8–10 income-sharing partners; sign ≥2 co-sell partners
- Ship the assessment one-pager and proposal template
- Sell ≥1 productized assessment; convert ≥1 to expansion
- Land ≥1 reference logo; get partners self-sourcing
- Hit the 90-day BD gate (≥3 qualified opps) by Oct 1
- Each partner actively grows their personal network; referrals reach >50% of leads by Q4
Product-led growth
- Ship AI-uptime index v0; keep a public calibration track record
- Launch ≥1 free utility (Meerkat probe/cage or permission linter); track stars/installs
- Stand up the AI cost-audit utility (analyze stack → low-cost AI-native alternatives → blueprint)
- Deliver ≥3 cost audits → blueprints; convert ≥1 to an engagement
- Do NOT enter an attention war with SF VC-backed KOLs — win on cited artifacts
Product (dogfooded)
- Start the 13-week Q3 dev block on Jul 1
- Pass the mid-sprint review (Aug 15)
- Pass the demo-ready gate (Sep 30)
- Launch the lead wedge (Oct 1)
- Ship Contextful GA (Nov 15) and Meerkat GA (Nov 30)
- Open-source the Meerkat probe client + cage via OpenHackersClub
Authority, Content & Community
- Publish the owned niche thesis (July)
- Merge an OWASP AI/LLM contribution
- Run 10 CISO/carrier conversations to learn what standing converts
- Publish one proof piece per month + the public AI-uptime index
- Stand up one SG AI-builder chapter (Oct); pass the community ROI test
Events & Programmes
- Apply to Lloyd’s Lab C17 (~Jul 20) and GFTN Hackcelerator (~Jul 31)
- Work RSAC SG, GovWare/SICW, SFF as speaking + pipeline
- Submit CSA CyberCall (~Nov 30); watch FSTI 4.0
- Present at Lloyd’s Lab Demo Day (Dec 9)
Runway & Fundraising
- Secure a Q3 bridge (angel / income-share revenue / fast grant) — grants don’t land before ~Q1 2027
- Claim founder credits (Google for Startups, AWS Activate, Cloudflare)
- Sort residency/manpower math before banking CyberCall / Startup SG Tech
The Tasks board for this half
The one number that governs December
Default-alive. Distribution funds delivery, delivery funds the sales motion; the Dec test is whether recurring engagements + the partner network cover the base without a raise. If yes, we pick the Track A/B path in 2027 from strength; if not, the bridge and grant timing in roadmap take priority. Everything above serves arriving at that check with three paid engagements, two products at GA, and a named pipeline.