Traction Lab

TLVA is a venture-building laboratory to help pre-seed and seed-stage startups get to their next fundraising round in half the time. We help pre-seed/seed-stage, tech-enabled startups in large, growing markets achieve product-market fit faster. Our proven “Traction Lab” process cuts the time to traction in half by guiding founders through market hypothesis testing, speeding up fundraising, and accelerating the path to scale, in exchange for a small warrant-based equity stake. As the only program in the Sacramento region focused on market traction at the seed stage, we identify promising founders early and help them scale faster—while reducing burnout and decision fatigue. Our goal is to prepare our portfolio companies for their next priced round. We aim for our portfolio companies to be ready to pitch to investors and raise their Series Seed or Series A round of funding within 6-12 months, and successful exits in 3-5 years. The Traction Lab Venture Accelerator is powered by the Carlsen Center and The Right Box — two organizations renowned for fueling Sacramento’s startup ecosystem. With years of experience, they’ve collectively supported thousands of founders, facilitated successful fundraising rounds, and launched programs that drive real market traction. Their proven collaborations and deep community ties ensure TLVA is built on a foundation of expertise, trust, and results.