when we started launch house, no one would have suspected that a trip to tulum with a group of internet friends would turn into much more than a twitter meme but looking back now, it seemed like an inevitability. Elon’s Razor rings true for launch house - a reality show / tiktok house for startup founders is officially taking a giant step towards building a new institution for the new silicon valley.
we’re excited to announce Launch House’s $12M Series A lead by Andrew Chen from a16z, with participation from 6th Man Ventures, Electric Ant, Ryan Sean Adams (founder of Bankless), Flybridge Capital, Day One Ventures, Graph Ventures and many members of our community including Gaby Goldberg (investor at TCG Crypto), Matt Alston (cofounder of Bonfire), Kathryn Cross (founder of Anja Health), Sidney Swift (grammy award winner, founder of Chillpill RX) & Liam Horne (cofounder of ETH Global).
introducing the new silicon valley
over the last year it’s become clear that silicon valley as we once knew it is gone for good. the old-millennial, SF-centric, web2-dominated silicon valley has hit its plateau and there is a new silicon valley on the rise.
location
the new silicon valley is distributed, but not fully distributed. founders can now build startups from anywhere in the world thanks to the rise of remote work and the abundance of startup tools and resources on the internet. despite this flexibility, big cities like NYC, LA and even SF are still attracting the most ambitious founders. the tech industry has migrated to the cloud but IRL still plays an important role that digital platforms have yet to replace.
people
the new silicon valley is gen z and young millennial. while older founders have a higher hit rate (especially in b2b saas), many of the companies that came to define the (old) silicon valley like Stripe and Airbnb were built by people in their 20s. young people have a unique combination of time, energy, and optimism required to build truly generational companies.
because the tech industry has gone global, the new silicon valley is also more diverse than ever.
products
the new silicon valley is (heavily) web3. blockchain is one of the most significant technological leaps in recent history and has reached a level of maturity where it is starting to see real, widely-adopted applications. the excitement for building in this space is undeniable (especially among young engineers) and has the momentum to persist even through another bear cycle. that said, there are also still incredible opportunities in web2 b2b saas, biotech, and more.
capital
the new silicon valley is capital abundant. there’s more money flowing into venture capital funds than ever. at the same time, new vehicles like rolling funds and DAOs are eliminating gatekeepers, unlocking even more capital from retail investors. in this environment, the power has shifted further into the hands of founders.
ideas
generational and technological shifts are usually driven by ideological and practical shifts as well. decentralization and ownership are becoming key themes for the new silicon valley. new bottoms-up, creator/community-first distribution models driven by heightened competition are also on the rise.
we need new institutions
institutions like accelerators and universities played a key role in training talent and populating the old silicon valley, but with so much changing, simply adding a new coat of paint won’t suffice. it’s a classic innovator’s dilemma where existing business models are fundamentally at odds with new paradigms.
we need brand new institutions designed for the world we’re in that are:
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NYC, LA, SF AND digitally located
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gen z & young millennial, and inherently diverse
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web3 leaning
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founder friendly
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(community/creator) distribution minded
that’s what launch house is.
the residency
over the last year and a half we’ve brought 300+ founders across 18 cohorts through our anti-accelerator program, the residency, which demands zero equity up front and is focused on driving human connection in addition to business outcomes.
why did we design it like this?
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great founders have options and they should expect value add before giving up equity
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gen z / young millennials want personal fulfillment and human connection as much as they want financial success
these group-living residencies hosted in beautiful mansions in Beverly Hills, New York City, and our new metaverse location are true mafia factories.
launch house companies have a combined market cap of over $1B and are funded by virtually every top web3 and web2 fund including a16z, sequoia, paradigm, and more. people are also making life-long friendships as deep as deep as they did in college.
but we’re still early.
the university
we are not building the next YC. our vision is bigger. over the next year, we will be launching “launch house for x” - new communities (Houses) within our ecosystem focused on non-founders. like a college within a university, each House will have its own culture and programs but play an integral role in supporting members of the broader community.
the first House we’re launching is Hack House, our “college of engineering” built to support elite engineers through community, mentorship, and our signature Residency programs.
we are also rolling out more university (read: DAO) primitives like “student organizations” which allow members to receive funding to self-organize and contribute around different interest or functional areas.
the center of gravity
over the past decade, the tech industry has emerged as one of the most powerful industries in the world, yet there is still no place to represent its center of gravity like entertainment has the Hollywood sign or finance has Wall St
our long term vision is to be that - the physical and digital center of gravity for the new silicon valley. the place where builders of all kinds to go to grow, connect, and of course, build.
the physical center of gravity
in just a year, launch house has become a fixture of the LA and NYC tech ecosystems hosting events with thousands of total attendees at our signature group living mansions. over the next year, we’ll be taking this to the next level by expanding our real estate and events strategy.
expect to see iconic new properties in major tech hubs popping up over the next year for members and non-members alike to meet, go to events, cowork, and vibe. we’ll also be ramping up the production and cadence of offsite events including a global conference group-living pass exclusively available for our members.
the digital center of gravity
we’ll be taking this same strategy and expanding on it with our metaverse location(s). it’s too early to share much, but expect this to look less like a chaotic discord server and more like a virtual city.
on top of that, we’ll also be announcing a major new media initiative with a rationally optimistic view of technology focused on aggregating news, resources, and personal stories from leaders in the industry for gen z and young millennial builders.
fundraises aren’t accomplishments. they’re moments to remind the world what you’re trying to build, why it matters and to invite amazing people to come help.
launch house is building institutions for the new silicon valley - a center of gravity for the tech industry at large where builders go to succeed and be fulfilled.
if that’s exciting to you, join us:
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applications are now open for upcoming programs at launchhouse.com
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we are hiring across all roles at launchhouse.com/careers