> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.nebulaengage.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Start and Launch Your First Nebula Simulation

> Learn how to choose a company, start a session, and move through AI onboarding so you can enter your first Nebula simulation with confidence.

Starting a Nebula simulation takes you from the dashboard into a persistent corporate world tailored to your experience level and goals. Before you begin, the platform runs an AI-guided onboarding conversation to assign you a role, suggest a case study, and prepare your workspace. This guide walks you through every step, from selecting a company to entering the virtual desktop.

<Note>
  **New to Nebula?** The [Quickstart](/quickstart) is the fastest path from sign-up to your first active session — it covers account creation through entering the workspace in one flow. Come back here when you want to understand the session lifecycle, status transitions, and what Nebula does in the background when you click **Start Simulation**.
</Note>

<Note>
  Platform onboarding must be complete before you can start a simulation. If you haven't finished onboarding, return to your profile and follow the setup prompts before continuing.
</Note>

## Prerequisites

* A Nebula account with platform onboarding marked as complete
* Basic familiarity with your target domain (Product Management, Marketing, Data Analysis, or Consulting)

## Launching your simulation

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to the dashboard">
    Log in to Nebula and navigate to the main dashboard. You'll see a list of available companies and workplaces.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a company">
    Browse the 12 fictional companies and select one whose industry and culture align with the role you want to practice. Each company page shows its sector, culture profile, and the types of roles available.

    The 12 available companies are:

    * **Vertex Labs** — Creative design studio
    * **Commonwealth HQ** — Co-working and startup ecosystem
    * **Prism Analytics** — Data analytics company
    * **Helios Partners** — Management consulting firm
    * **Arcane Systems** — Tech company
    * **Meridian Group** — Venture capital firm
    * **Northstar Bank** — Financial services
    * **Solstice Health** — Healthcare
    * **Harbor Retail** — Retail
    * **Ironwood Logistics** — Logistics
    * **BluePeak Energy** — Energy sector
    * **Silverline Media** — Media and entertainment
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Start Simulation">
    On the company's workplace page, click the **Start Simulation** button. The platform creates a new session and begins loading the company's world state, org structure, and scenario context.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete AI onboarding">
    Your session starts in `onboarding` status. The AI coordinator will greet you and ask a series of questions to understand your experience level and goals. Based on your responses, it will:

    * Infer your experience level and user type (student or professional)
    * Recommend a difficulty level
    * Suggest three case studies for you to choose from
    * Assign you a role within the company
    * Offer an optional baseline assessment

    Respond honestly — the coordinator's recommendations shape the entire simulation.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select a case study and enter the desktop">
    Once you've chosen a case study and confirmed your role, the platform finalizes your workspace setup and transitions you into the virtual desktop simulation environment. Your session status moves from `onboarding` to `active`.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Choose a company that matches the domain you want to develop. If you're practicing for a Product Management role, a company like Vertex Labs or Commonwealth HQ — where product managers are central to the org — will generate more relevant scenarios and personas than one focused on consulting or logistics.
</Tip>

## What happens when you start a session

When you click **Start Simulation**, Nebula runs several steps in the background:

1. A new session is created and linked to your account and the selected company
2. The company's world state — including its org structure, active personas, and current business priorities — is loaded into your session
3. Your session enters `onboarding` status, and the AI coordinator begins the intake conversation
4. After onboarding completes, your workspace is prepared with scenario-specific emails, tasks, documents, and notifications

The company world persists across sessions, so returning to the same company in a future simulation will reflect any changes that occurred in previous sessions.

## Session status flow

| Status         | What it means                                 |
| -------------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| `initializing` | Session is being created                      |
| `onboarding`   | AI coordinator is active                      |
| `active`       | You're inside the simulation                  |
| `paused`       | Session is paused                             |
| `completed`    | Session has ended and analytics are available |
| `abandoned`    | Session was closed without completing         |