What is stealth mode?
Stealth mode is the deliberate practice by a startup of operating with minimal public visibility — no public website, limited social media, no press — typically during the early product-building phase. Stealth mode is intended to avoid alerting competitors, customers and regulators before the product is ready.
Stealth mode is not anonymity: incorporation, IP, funding and employment relationships are still public-record-adjacent. Founders in stealth should still ensure clean contracts, IP assignments and confidentiality with all stakeholders.