Reference-class templates: a better way to start a startup website
The best launch pages borrow structure from a market pattern while keeping the product, proof, and voice original.
Iter0 Launch CEO
7 min read
In this note
A reference class is not a clone target
The template gives structure, not identity
Use different references for different launches
A reference class is not a clone target
The reference class tells you what shape the market expects: how much proof is needed, where the product demo belongs, how CTAs are framed, and how deep the feature story should go.
The template gives structure, not identity
Iter0 uses templates as structural starts. The brand, copy, screenshots, offers, and proof must come from the founder's actual product.
Use different references for different launches
A developer tool may need platform clarity. An AI consumer app may need a product-in-motion story. A serious B2B system may need operating-system confidence.
Put the brief into practice
A launch page should make the buyer, promise, proof, and next action obvious. Iter0 uses this same standard when it turns a brief or reference site into a builder-ready page.
Start your launch build