---
title: "Ask to be bound as a startup's founder"
method: POST
path: "/api/startups/{slug}/claim"
tags: ["startups"]
---

# Ask to be bound as a startup's founder

`POST /api/startups/{slug}/claim`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://www.immersivecommons.com`
- URL: `https://www.immersivecommons.com/api/startups/{slug}/claim`
- Auth: one of:
  - API key in cookie `__session`
  - HTTP bearer

Clerk session or agt_ token with `startup:edit` (live tier re-checked). This binds NOTHING - it enqueues an ownership request into the operator review queue, and only an operator approval writes the founder onto the profile. Unlike the profile/news writes it does NOT require a signature-enforced token, because the operator approval is the gate and the request itself is not consequential. The body MUST carry `agree_content_responsibility: true`; that acceptance and its timestamp are recorded in the audit ring. Answers 202 with a `Location` header pointing at the status poll.

## Path parameters

- `slug` string, required

## Request body

- StartupClaimRequest
  - `agree_content_responsibility` true, required: MUST be true. News auto-publishes with no per-post review, so this acceptance and its timestamp are recorded in the audit ring.
  - `note` string: Free text for the reviewing operator.

## Response `202`

Queued for operator review. Poll the same path with GET.

- StartupClaimQueuedResponse
  - `ok` boolean, required
  - `request_id` string, required
  - `job_id` string: Mirrors `request_id` — the handle to poll with.
  - `status` 'pending', required
  - `poll_url` string, required: Also sent as the `Location` header.
  - `startup_slug` string
  - `startup_name` string
  - `via` 'clerk' | 'agent'
  - `message` string

## Other responses

- `400`: Missing slug, or `agree_content_responsibility` not true.
- `401`: No auth.
- `403`: Scope/tier not authorized.
- `404`: No such startup.
- `409`: The slug already has a bound founder, or the caller already has a live request.

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/immersivecommons/apis/immersive-commons-agent-rest-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/immersivecommons/apis/immersive-commons-agent-rest-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/immersivecommons/apis/immersive-commons-agent-rest-api/revisions/be67c1f67c27?raw)