Core insight: money and resources create lock‑in faster than words. Treat funding like a sequence of short, conditional tranches rather than a single lump—each tranche buys a narrow learning objective, a measurable signal, and a cheap reversion path. In ten minutes you get a rigid Tranche Schema (Amount, Objective, Success Signal, Timebox, Rollback Cost, Owner), three release rules (signal gating, minimal friction escalation, independent verifier), and two AI patterns: an evidence validator that checks whether a tranche’s signal is present and a tranche-synthesis prompt that converts meeting notes into the next tranche proposal. I give three copy‑paste tranche examples (product prototype, vendor integration, hiring trial), an enforcement pattern to keep teams honest, and a 7‑day pilot you can run now. Outcome: faster, cheaper learning, fewer stealth lock‑ins, and resource allocation that preserves optionality. Fast action: fund one small tranche today and subscribe. Stay agentic.