Raj woke up with sunlight streaming through the curtains of his apartment. Lalita was still lying next to him, breathing softly. He lay there for a few seconds.
He barely had time to think before feeling his phone vibrate on the nightstand.
He grabbed the phone, checked the name on the screen: Jake. Raj slowly sat up so as not to wake Lalita, sliding out of bed and answering the call as he walked to the living room.
"Hey, Jake."
"Raj, I need to see you today. I've got some new ideas for the startup project. Can you meet me?"
"Sure, but I was wondering if I could bring my friends. They're geniuses. They won't get in the way, I promise."
There was a pause on the other end of the line. Jake stayed silent, clearly pondering the idea.
"Alright," Jake finally responded. "But let's be clear, this is just a preliminary conversation. Nothing serious yet."
"Deal. See you soon." Raj hung up and put the phone back in his pocket. He returned to the bedroom, where Lalita was already awake.
"Good morning," she said softly, stretching her arms.
Raj smiled. "Good morning. I've got an important meeting in a bit, so I need to get ready quickly."
Lalita nodded, getting up and gathering her things without hurry. As she did, Raj began getting dressed too, opting for something casual: a black t-shirt and his usual jacket. He took one last look in the mirror, running his fingers quickly through his hair.
Already dressed, Lalita grabbed her purse. She stopped by the door, looking at Raj for a moment. "Last night was fun."
"It sure was."
Before leaving, Lalita stepped closer to Raj, standing on her toes and giving him a quick kiss. "See you later, Raj," she whispered near his lips with a playful smile.
Raj returned the kiss, lightly touching her cheek. "See you, Lalita."
She gave him one last smile, opened the door, and left, leaving the apartment much quieter. Raj stood for a moment, staring at the closed door, taking a deep breath.
Raj grabbed his phone and typed a message to Howard: "Hey, swing by Leonard's apartment later. I've got something to discuss."
Without waiting for an immediate response, he stood up, grabbed his motorcycle helmet from beside the door, and left the apartment.
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.
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Raj entered Leonard and Sheldon's apartment. Leonard was on the couch, working on a laptop, while Sheldon, in his chair, seemed focused on a three-dimensional chessboard.
"Hey, guys," Raj said, tossing his motorcycle helmet onto the kitchen counter.
Leonard looked up from his glasses. "What's up, Raj? You seem excited."
"I talked to Jake, and he invited me to a meeting about… something he's planning. A business, I think."
"A business?" Leonard repeated, now intrigued. "What kind of business?"
Raj shrugged. "He mentioned something about technology, computers, startups. He wants to talk about it, see what I think. And I thought it'd be cool if you guys came too."
Sheldon, who had been silent until then, slowly turned in his chair, a skeptical expression on his face. "Let me get this straight. You're saying that this… biker… wants your opinion on technology?"
"Yeah, that's right," Raj responded.
Sheldon raised an eyebrow. "You realize how absurdly unlikely that sounds, don't you? Someone who spends their day riding a motorcycle certainly isn't what I'd classify as a pioneer of technological innovation. What exactly is he proposing? Brake discs with Wi-Fi?"
Raj rolled his eyes. "Look, Sheldon, I know it sounds strange, but he's more than just a guy who rides a bike. He's got some contacts. And if this works out, who knows? It could be an opportunity for us."
Leonard sighed, still skeptical. "I don't know, Raj… a 'business'? That sounds a little vague."
Raj raised his hands, trying to explain. "I know, I know. I'm confused too, but Jake's not the kind of guy who talks nonsense. And honestly, I don't fully understand what he's trying to do, so I thought you guys could help."
Sheldon crossed his arms. "I sincerely doubt this meeting will bring anything productive. The chances of bikers revolutionizing the tech industry are as high as me volunteering for a triathlon. And believe me, I'm not volunteering."
"Sheldon, he just wants us to hear what he has to say," Leonard intervened. "If it's nothing, we'll leave."
"Exactly!" Raj said. "I don't really know what he's talking about either, but if it's nonsense, we'll walk out. I just want to get an idea of what he's thinking. And besides, you guys are the smartest people I know."
Leonard shrugged. "I'm in. It could be interesting."
Sheldon let out a heavy sigh and stood up, adjusting his vest. "Well, it would be a shame not to be there just to say 'I told you so.'"
Raj smiled, satisfied. "I knew you guys would come. It'll be good. No pressure."
At that moment, the apartment door opened, and Howard walked in.
"What's going on? You guys seem to be plotting something," Howard asked.
"Howard, I need you to come with us too."
Howard frowned, confused. "Now? Where to?"
Leonard tried to explain, "Raj wants us to go to a meeting with Jake. He says it might be interesting."
Sheldon: "Interesting? I highly doubt it. The concept of a startup in 2007 is already nebulous, and now we're adding a group of bikers to the equation? Don't get your hopes up, Howard."
Howard shrugged. "Look, I didn't fully understand either, but if there's any chance it'll be something cool, I'm in," Howard said, making Sheldon shake his head in disbelief.
Raj smiled. "That's the spirit. Let's get going before we miss the meeting."
.
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.
Raj, Leonard, Sheldon, and Howard arrived at the address Jake had given them. However, the place was far from what they had imagined a real company would look like. It was a small building, poorly marked, tucked away at the end of an alley, with a sign that had half of its letters fallen off. In front, three motorcycles were parked in a row, shining and chrome.
"This is the 'company'?" Sheldon frowned, adjusting the strap of his bag.
Howard looked at the motorcycles with a grin. "At least these guys have good taste when it comes to bikes."
Raj laughed nervously, "It's more like… the beginning of something. You know, like Google. They started in a garage."
Leonard looked around, trying to find any sign that they were in the right place. "Maybe the inside is more… formal?"
"Formal?" Sheldon let out a sarcastic laugh. "Leonard, I have a better chance of finding a functioning cuckoo clock than any formality in this dump."
As they approached the door, Raj glanced at his friends, trying to stay calm. "Just follow me. It's going to be interesting."
Howard took another look at the simple building and then at Raj. "Yeah, because nothing says 'revolutionary potential' like a poorly painted concrete box."
Raj pressed the makeshift doorbell, which rang with a metallic, rusty sound.
Inside, they heard muffled voices, the sound of something falling, followed by loud laughter.
The door opened with a metallic creak, and Tommy appeared with a wide grin. As soon as he saw Raj, his smile grew even wider.
"Raj! Good to see you, man!" Tommy said, pulling Raj into a quick hug and giving him a light slap on the back. "And you brought your friends!"
Raj smiled awkwardly. "Yeah, I brought the gang. Leonard, Sheldon, Howard… you guys met Tommy once before."
Tommy waved casually to the group. "Oh, right! You're the genius group, huh? Welcome. Come on in, come on in!"
Sheldon: "If 'geniuses' is being used pejoratively, then yes, that's us."
Leonard lightly elbowed Sheldon, trying to be polite. "Yeah, good to see you, Tommy."
Tommy opened the door wider and motioned for them to enter. "Come on, I'll show you the headquarters. We're still in the early stages, but this place has potential."
As they entered, the inside of the building didn't look much better than the outside. The concrete floor was partially covered by a few wooden planks, and the walls had some patches of fresh paint. In the corner, there were a few makeshift tables with old computers and a large whiteboard covered in technical scribbles and diagrams.
"So, what do you guys think?" Tommy asked as he walked alongside Raj.
Raj glanced around, trying to stay positive. "It's… progressive. You can see that you guys are focused on the essentials."
Tommy laughed. "Exactly, focus on the essentials. Trust me, Jake's got big plans for this place. You'll see soon enough."
Sheldon, who had been observing the room suspiciously, spoke up: "If by essentials you mean a computer from 1999 and a whiteboard that looks more like an alien conspiracy board, then yes, they're focused."
Tommy, however, didn't catch Sheldon's sarcasm. "Ah, Jake's good at this stuff. He knows how to turn small ideas into big things. So, Raj, what do you think so far?"
Raj shrugged. "It's… interesting. I trust you guys have something big in mind."
"That's right, partner!" Tommy said, patting Raj on the shoulder enthusiastically. "Now, let me show you the rest of the place."
They walked into a back room that looked like an improvised office, with more tables cluttered with papers, prototypes of electronic devices, and more computers.
"And here, my friend, is where the magic happens," Tommy said, gesturing to the chaotic little office.
Leonard glanced around. "Magic… that's one way to put it."
Tommy smiled at the group and said: "I'll go get Jake. In the meantime, make yourselves comfortable. Drinks are over there in the corner. Be right back."
As soon as Tommy left the room, Sheldon immediately turned to the others. "It's not too late to leave, you know that, right?"
Leonard looked at Sheldon, "Sheldon, we're not leaving. Let's at least hear what they have to say."
Howard, who had been drinking water from a bottle, added: "I'm curious too. And besides, they might have something really innovative."
Sheldon shook his head. "Innovative? We're in a place where the definition of 'innovative' seems to be replacing duct tape with super glue."
Before the argument could continue, the door opened again, and Tommy returned with Jake, who was accompanied by a young man who looked no older than 25. He had a typical nerdy appearance: skinny, messy hair, and thin-framed glasses.
Jake walked into the room with a smile, nodding at Raj. "Hey man, good to see you again. And your friends too," he said, nodding at Leonard, Sheldon, and Howard.
"Guys, it's good to have you here. I know the place doesn't look like much right now, but trust me, things are going to get interesting," Jake said.
"Oh, and this is Jason," Jake gestured to the young man beside him. "He's the brain behind an idea we're working on. Thought you might want to hear about it."
Jason smiled shyly and waved to the group. "Hi, nice to meet you all."
Jake continued, "Jason had an idea that we believe could revolutionize how startups are funded and how entrepreneurs launch new projects into the market."
Jason smiled and adjusted his glasses. "So, what we're building is a platform where companies can pitch their ideas and prototypes, allowing anyone in the world to fund and support these projects. Instead of seeking traditional investment, we're bringing the power of funding directly to the common people."
Leonard seemed intrigued. "So, basically, anyone can invest in an idea?"
Jason nodded. "Exactly. We want inventors and creators to have a way to showcase their ideas to the public without having to go through traditional investors. People who believe in the project can back it directly, and in return, they receive rewards or even stakes in the project. We call this 'crowdfunding.'"
Sheldon raised an eyebrow. "Crowdfunding? The idea of relying on laypeople to finance scientific innovation seems… flawed."
Jason chuckled, not offended. "I get your concern. But think of it this way. There's an absurd number of good ideas that never see the light of day because investors don't believe in them or consider them too risky. This gives the public the chance to support what they genuinely find interesting."
Raj, who had been quiet until then, finally spoke up. "And how do you ensure people will actually get something in return?"
Jason quickly responded, "Transparency. Every company or creator launching a campaign will be required to give frequent, detailed updates on their progress. Plus, backers can leave direct feedback. If something goes wrong, the community will know fast."
Jake then looked at everyone and added, "It's still in the early stages, but we believe it has potential. And, of course, Raj mentioned that you guys are some of the smartest people he knows. We wanted to hear your thoughts."
Leonard looked thoughtful, while Howard was clearly impressed. "Well, it's ambitious, no doubt," Howard commented. "But it could work. Especially if you get the right people involved."
Jake: "And that's why we want to involve smart minds like yours. We're at the beginning of this project, and we think it can grow big."
Sheldon scoffed. "I highly doubt something this unstable will last."
Raj: "Look, it might seem risky, but there's something fascinating about the idea. And honestly, any chance to help inventors and creators bring their ideas to life is worth hearing out."
Jake smiled. "That's what we want. To hear ideas, thoughts. See if something like this could work. So, what do you think? Interested in hearing more?"
Howard shrugged. "I'm in. Sounds like a fun idea."
Leonard nodded. "I'm in too. If this works, it could be a great opportunity."
Sheldon crossed his arms. "I'm only here to witness the inevitable chaos, so, why not?"
Raj smiled at Jake and Jason. "Looks like we're ready to hear what you guys have to say."
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A/N: This chapter might not be as exciting for some since it doesn't have as much of the usual comedy that many are used to, but I also needed to touch on Raj and the others' work. To show their "genius" side. Believe me, they each have high IQs, so here are some estimates I researched:
• Missy: 110 IQ (estimate)
• Penny: 110 IQ (estimate)
• Howard: 140 IQ (estimate)
• Bernadette: 160 IQ (estimate)
• Leonard: 173 IQ (confirmed)
• Raj: 175 IQ (estimate)
• Amy: 180 IQ (estimate)
• Sheldon: 187 IQ (confirmed)
A/N: For those who didn't understand the concept of this company, let me give you a brief explanation: Crowdfunding is essentially a form of collective financing. Instead of a company or startup going to a bank or traditional investors, they can launch their idea on an online platform, and anyone, like you or me, can contribute some money to help bring the project to life. In return, these backers might receive rewards like prototypes, exclusive goodies, or even a stake in the idea.
Now, the interesting thing is, in the universe I'm creating here, many of the huge companies we know today—like Facebook, Instagram, or even YouTube—could have benefited from this kind of financing in the early days. Imagine if back in 2007, before these platforms exploded, they had used crowdfunding to raise money from enthusiasts and people who believed in the idea? Who knows how that could have influenced the trajectory of these companies and even the rewards backers would have received. Cool, right?
This was an idea I had to enrich the story, making Raj and the gang's journey more connected to the world.