LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Launch House, the multidimensional social space for the next generation of creators and founders, announces it has raised $3 million in Seed funding. Launch House brings together emerging leaders in the startup and entertainment worlds to live in illustrious mansions around the world. Through in-person and online programs, individuals refine their skills, form lifelong relationships, and build category-defining startups as a cohesive community.
“Launch House was born as a response to the isolation, and resulting lack of innovation, that many, including myself and my co-founders, were feeling during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Michael Houck, co-founder of Launch House. “I knew from my experience at Airbnb and Uber that creating IRL spaces for collaboration leads to society-changing products.”
Following a viral social media moment and a successful proof-of-concept in Tulum, the team found a house in Beverly Hills where they have since run eight cohorts of their signature Residency, a four-week program designed to collaboratively solve the biggest challenges facing their businesses. Potential members must first pass a selective admission process, and once admitted, members live in the house for the program’s duration. In Season 2, the Residencies will be themed for an even more targeted approach. Post-residency, members have access to private events, future programs, and the Launch House social platform – a custom-built suite of tools bridging IRL with URL and connecting Launch House members for life.
“The environment is designed to create a serendipity that drives innovation and deep connection,” adds Jacob Peters, co-founder of Launch House. “Launch House is a collaborative springboard to unlock the potential that can only be achieved by combining creative, culture-pushing minds.”
Flybridge Capital Partners led the round and was joined by Day One Ventures and Graph Ventures, along with more than 100 angel investors including Balaji Srinivasan, Alexia Bonatsos, Mike Duboe, and 60 early Launch House community members.
With the funding, Launch House plans to double-down on its community with Season 2, which includes the expansion of the physical Residency program to cities around the globe and launching a Virtual Residency. Each Residency serves as an automatic onboarding to the Launch House community, where members get access to an exclusive social network, digital and physical events, homes to stay in around the world, and an array of services to scale.
“The first iteration of Launch House in Tulum was composed largely of individuals who had only ever connected online,” said Brett Goldstein, co-founder of Launch House. “Our Virtual Residency is a natural next step for us. We're staying true to our roots while also making the experience accessible to incredible founders around the world.”
In the short time since it was established, Launch House has seen its community of founders raise capital from top VCs like a16z, Sequoia, and YC, launch viral products, and grow audiences with millions of users. Launch House Creators command audiences totaling over 100M.
Applications for Season 2 are open now and selected members will be accepted on a rolling basis throughout the Fall. The first cohorts of Season 2 will begin on September 15th, 2021. To view qualifications and apply visit launchhouse.co.
About Launch House
Launch House is a community built to connect and support the world’s most ambitious entrepreneurs and creators. Through multidimensional physical and virtual community spaces, Launch House is a literal and metaphorical Creator House where collaboration and learning takes place. Modeled after the experience at an elite university, Launch House is an ivy-league institution built for the internet age.
Selection for the community is through a competitive process, with about 20 members selected per community program cohort. Launch House currently has locations in Los Angeles, New York City, and soon online.
Co-founders Jacob Peters (Ex. Commsor Cofounder), Michael Houck (Ex. Uber and AirBnB), and Brett Goldstein (Ex. Google M&A) launched Launch House in 2020 in response to the isolation felt during the Covid-19 pandemic.
