A Different Kind of Startup Community in Silicon Valley: Meet Launch House and Its Venture Arm, House Capital
Launch House was created to help founders take their ideas to the next level in Silicon Valley, which is no small feat these days. Thanks to founders Brett Goldstein, Michael Houck, and Jacob Peters, the company recently debuted another element of its enterprise. Known as House Capital, this multimillion-dollar fund is earmarked for early-stage companies that show immense promise to disrupt their market.
In addition to helping its members, who will be given priority to funding, the venture arm House Capital will be available to nonmembers who fit the criteria. (The founders of Launch House will also serve as the general partners for House Capital.) Learn more about this brash and innovative company and see where it plans to go in the future.
Target Companies
Launch House has largely built its name by investing in early-stage companies within its membership. The team has been diligent about gathering together some of the brightest minds in the industry. In its Web3 space, people can come to chat, meet, or just hang out and listen. These are conversations that might start as little more than a hypothetical question, but they can ultimately end in a product that changes the world for the better.
Imposing limits might look good on paper, but in reality, they can cause people to question their decisions. House Capital will make deals with companies as they’re discovered. If they decide to move forward, Houck says they’ll give up to $150,000 to the lucky recipient. House Capital has already doled out money to more than a dozen startups. As promised by the founders, the majority of those who received money were those who chose to become a member.
@launch_house The best one liners! #foryoupage #fyp #entrepreneur #startup ♬ original sound – The Launch House
Needless to say, there’s a lot of buzz both inside and outside the community, and the founders of Launch House are open-minded about where they are and where they should go next. They may be known for their expertise in early-stage companies, but they’re not opposed to investing in external high-growth startups. The fit and the timing have to be right, but their interest will undoubtedly open the door for entrepreneurs. Goldstein has described the membership as a community for startup people. With all the gathering spaces the founders have built so far — whether a physical location in Los Angeles or a global chat room — the point is to invest in the ideas that show the most promise. The best ideas and the brightest talent are invited to take their business to the next level.
House Capital’s millions are provided by several parties, including general partners at funds like NFX and a16z (aka Andreessen Horowitz). Working with powerhouses like James Currier, Andrew Chen, and Sriram Krishnan has been nothing short of inspiring. In addition to these heavyweights, House Capital is further supported by a few limited partners from both the entertainment and tech worlds. There is no deadline on these investments; there is no quota.
Reinvesting the Money, Strengthening the Brands
House Capital will be giving a significant portion of its return to Launch House. This decision will strengthen both the core business and the venture arm. If a startup owner is selected to receive money, they’ll automatically receive a lifetime membership to Launch House. This means that they’ll have access to all of the resources available, which includes anything from retreats to co-working spaces to residencies. They may even be able to secure additional funding from the founders down the line.
The Best Possible Time
The rollout of Launch House came when the market was up in the air in many ways, but Houck looks back without regret. The brand has evolved from its original idea, which was to put people together in a shared living space, to a bigger community — one where everyone is invited to the table. Members don’t have to give up equity in their startup just to become a member. Instead, the community has a fee model that comes with scaling assistance. It’s all just part of a grand plan to grow the company alongside its community.
