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§ Private Profile · Miami, FL, USA
AI-powered venture studio launching and investing in AI companies, helping aspiring entrepreneurs and professionals transition.
bootup has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round.
Key people at bootup.
bootup was founded in 2019 by Ariana Thacker (Founder).
bootup has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Based in Miami, Florida, Bootup Studios is an AI-powered venture studio that launches and invests in artificial intelligence companies while helping corporate professionals transition into entrepreneurship. The organization has launched or invested in ten companies with a combined market capitalization exceeding $300 million, resulting in four liquidity events and seven portfolio mark-ups. Historically operating as a career placement platform, the firm helped over 3,000 individuals secure technology roles generating more than $250 million in annualized salaries. Through these workforce initiatives, the studio facilitated talent placement and enterprise partnerships with major corporate customers including Microsoft, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, and Dell. The firm recently expanded its software offerings with LaunchMate, an artificial intelligence agent designed to guide professionals through the early stages of the startup creation process. Bootup Studios was originally founded in 2016 by Chandler Malone.
bootup was founded in 2019 by Ariana Thacker (Founder).
bootup has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
bootup's investors include Kapor Capital, Backstage Capital, Broadway Angels, Collide Capital, Lightship Capital, Marco A. Casas.
Key people at bootup.
bootup has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Seed in February 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1, 2022 | $2M Seed | Kapor Capital | Backstage Capital, Broadway Angels, Collide Capital, Lightship Capital, Marco A. Casas | Announced |
BootUP is a Silicon Valley-based global innovation ecosystem and investment firm that bridges startups, corporates, investors, and governments worldwide, primarily through its BootUP Angels and BootUp Capital Partners arms. Launched around 2013-2021, it focuses on "new-to-valley" entrepreneurs with proven product-market fit, investing $100k-$2M in high-tech startups via lead rounds or sidecars, while providing mentorship, Silicon Valley networks, and programs like the StartUP Launchpad to drive traction, sales, pilots, and scaling.[1][2][3] Its mission emphasizes instilling a Silicon Valley mindset, leveraging international hubs for deal flow, and supporting resourceful, customer-focused teams; key sectors span high-tech including digital marketplaces (e.g., SHIPNEXT), urban innovation (Elisium), and smart living (Future Living).[1][2][3] BootUP significantly impacts the startup ecosystem by offering 3-month pre-investment validation, co-innovation with enterprises, government-backed bootcamps, and coworking spaces, helping global founders access U.S. markets and refine go-to-market strategies.[1][3]
BootUP World was founded in 2013 as a Menlo Park-headquartered private equity firm with a San Francisco office, initially specializing in early-stage investments through entities like BootUp Capital Partners, which raised a $10M venture fund by August 2016 led by general partners Ajay Ramachandran and Curtis MacDonald.[2][4][5] The firm evolved from BootUp Ventures into a broader ecosystem, launching BootUP Angels in 2021 to target global startups ready for Silicon Valley immersion, building on its worldwide network and partnerships like Cuckoo's Nest club.[1][2] Key evolution includes shifting from pure VC (7 investments, e.g., InterQ and SHIPNEXT partnership in 2019) to hybrid programs like 1-week bootcamps, 6-12 week readiness sprints, and enterprise/government delegations, humanizing its role by mentoring "genuine" teams through traction-building phases.[1][2][3]
BootUP rides the trend of globalization in tech innovation, connecting "new-to-valley" founders from underserved markets to Silicon Valley resources amid rising demand for cross-border scaling post-2020 remote work boom. Timing aligns with enterprise innovation needs and government pushes for entrepreneurship, as seen in bespoke delegations and co-innovation programs addressing urban (Elisium) and smart living (Future Living) megatrends.[1][3] Market forces like U.S. HQ relocations (e.g., SHIPNEXT) and hybrid work favor its coworking and virtual tools, while influencing the ecosystem by democratizing SV access—validating 3-month sprints reduce failure rates for international startups and foster corporate-startup pilots.[1][2][3]
BootUP is poised to expand its hybrid model, potentially raising larger funds beyond the 2016 $10M vintage to capitalize on AI-driven global hubs and enterprise co-innovation amid 2026's maturing remote ecosystems. Trends like sovereign AI funds and urban tech will shape its trajectory, evolving influence from investor-mentor to full-stack ecosystem builder—tying back to its core: empowering "Silicon Valley mindset" worldwide for sustained startup traction.[1][2][3]
