Early Works
Early Works is a multidisciplinary venture studio that builds and operates companies end-to-end across Applied AI, Digital Health, Education, and Gaming, serving consumers, patients, clinics, and educators through portfolio products such as Berry Fertility, North Trials, Kiki, and the previously acquired Relay.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersAnnapolis, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Early Works does
Early Works is a multidisciplinary venture studio founded in 2021 and headquartered in Annapolis, United States, that builds companies from the ground up and creates everything in-house. Its portfolio spans Applied AI, Adaptive Interfaces, Digital Health, Education, and Gaming, with current operating companies including Berry Fertility (a patient-and-clinic fertility platform), North Trials (a clinical-trial matching platform for cancer patients), and Kiki (a consumer accountability app). Earlier products Relay (an AI-powered teacher assessment tool, acquired by Discovery Education), GENSMAK! (a trivia game), and Bad Chef (a card game) have all been divested via acquisition, and a stealth education product called Rubric is in development.
The studio operates with a 1–10 person core team led by four co-founders covering product (Chris Sleat), engineering (Irene Alvarado), design (Isaac Blankensmith), and operations (Jennifer Klepper), supplemented by AI engineers, designers, growth experts, health practitioners, and writers. Applied AI is positioned as a core technology area, deployed across portfolio products such as Relay's "responsible AI" assessment engine and within fertility, clinical-trial, and productivity applications. The studio's output has been recognized by the Webbys, Cannes Lion, One Show, Fast Company's World Changing Ideas, and covered by The New Yorker, The Verge, The New York Times, and Wired.
Early Works generates revenue through a combination of ongoing product revenue from operating companies (Berry Fertility, North Trials, Kiki) and one-time exit proceeds from acquired ventures (Relay to Discovery Education, GENSMAK!, Bad Chef). Cumulative disclosed funding totals approximately $4.34M across rounds in May 2021, April 2022 (Bonsal Capital), and December 2023. Go-to-market is product-led and varies per venture: direct-to-consumer web distribution for health and productivity products, enterprise/B2B channels for education and clinical-trial products, and acquisition by larger players as the liquidity path. Customer segments span healthcare consumers and providers, educators and education enterprises, and consumer gaming/productivity users.
Early Works firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Early Works
- Website
- https://early.works
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Early Works is a multidisciplinary venture studio that builds and operates companies end-to-end across Applied AI, Digital Health, Education, and Gaming, serving consumers, patients, clinics, and educators through portfolio products such as Berry Fertility, North Trials, Kiki, and the previously acquired Relay.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Early Works industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Studio
- NAICS
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Early Literacy & Reading Intervention Programs (EDAGAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Puzzle Books & Brain Teasers Retail (CRALALAL)
Keywords
Where Early Works is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Annapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Early Works business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Company Building / Venture Studio Model: Early Works operates as a venture studio, building companies from the ground up and creating everything in-house. They generate revenue through successful exits (e.g., Relay acquired by Discovery Education, GENSMAK! and Bad Chef games). Their portfolio spans ongoing ventures (Berry Fertility, North Trials, Kiki), acquired companies, and stealth/inactive products.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Early Works product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Early Works is a venture studio that builds companies from the ground up and creates everything in-house, operating portfolio products across Applied AI, Digital Health, Education, and Gaming. Its active offerings include Berry Fertility (a fertility platform for patients and clinics), North Trials (clinical trial matching for cancer patients), and Kiki (an accountability tool for easily distracted users). Returns are generated through operating these products and through successful exits such as the acquisition of Relay by Discovery Education.
Product overview
Early Works is an incubator/studio that builds companies from the ground up, creating everything in-house. Their product portfolio includes multiple independent companies across various sectors: in digital health, they operate Berry Fertility (a patient and clinic fertility platform) and North Trials (technology connecting cancer patients with clinical trials); in education, they have Relay (an AI-powered assessment tool acquired by Discovery Education) and the stealth product Rubric; in consumer products, they offer Kiki (an accountability app) and acquired games GENSMAK! (trivia) and Bad Chef (card game); and they previously built Asterix Writer (a writing editing tool).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Berry Fertility A modern fertility platform that supports patients and supercharges clinics, serving both individuals undergoing fertility care and the clinics that treat them.
- North Trials Cutting edge technology that connects cancer patients with clinical trials, serving patients seeking trial access and the healthcare organizations running trials.
- Kiki The accountability monster for people who are easily distracted, a consumer productivity and accountability application.
Quantifiable outcome
- Multiple successful exits and dozens of M&A deals managed
Companies that use Early Works
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Early Works technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Early Works partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Discovery EducationcoreDiscovery Education acquired Early Works' portfolio company Relay, a tool for teachers to create assessments customized to their students and curriculum. Discovery Education integrated Relay's responsible AI assessment tool into their award-winning Discovery Education Experience platform.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Early Works competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Atomic: Venture studio that partners with entrepreneurs to build companies from ideation to scale. Comparable to Early Works in the company-building model and shared platform approach with co-founder-led teams.
- Pioneer Square Labs: Seattle-based venture studio that builds companies from scratch with in-house engineering, design, and product teams. Closely comparable to Early Works' model of creating multiple ventures in parallel with shared capabilities under one roof.
- Human Ventures: Venture studio and fund that builds companies at the intersection of technology and human needs. Comparable to Early Works in building mission-driven companies across multiple sectors with shared talent and operational backbone.
- Betaworks: Startup studio and seed fund that builds and invests in internet-focused companies. Similar venture studio model to Early Works, with multiple bets across different verticals and shared operational expertise.
- High Alpha: Venture studio that conceives, launches, and scales companies with shared services across a portfolio. Directly comparable to Early Works in operating model of building multiple companies with shared infrastructure and in-house expertise.
- Antler: Global venture studio that identifies founders and co-builds companies from day zero. Comparable to Early Works in building companies from scratch across multiple geographies and verticals with structured founder support.
- Idealab: Long-running technology incubator that creates and operates companies. Comparable to Early Works in the studio model of building multiple technology companies from the ground up with shared services.
Broad incumbents
- Y Combinator: Premier startup accelerator providing seed funding and support to thousands of startups. Indirectly comparable as an early-stage company builder, though YC works with external founders rather than building in-house like Early Works.
- Techstars: Global startup accelerator and venture capital firm. Adjacent to Early Works as an early-stage company builder, though operates through accelerator programs rather than in-house company creation.
- Obvious Ventures: Mission-driven venture capital firm that partners with entrepreneurs to build world-changing companies. Adjacent to Early Works in building companies with broader impact, though operates primarily as investor rather than in-house creator.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Early Works social profiles
Digital presenceEarly Works financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Early Works leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Early Works funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Early Works M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Early Works
What does Early Works do?
Early Works is a venture studio that builds companies from the ground up and creates everything in-house, operating portfolio products across Applied AI, Digital Health, Education, and Gaming. Its active offerings include Berry Fertility (a fertility platform for patients and clinics), North Trials (clinical trial matching for cancer patients), and Kiki (an accountability tool for easily distracted users). Returns are generated through operating these products and through successful exits such as the acquisition of Relay by Discovery Education.
When was Early Works founded?
Early Works was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Early Works based?
Early Works is headquartered in Annapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Early Works make money?
One revenue line is on record: company Building / Venture Studio Model.
Who are Early Works's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Atomic, Pioneer Square Labs, Human Ventures, Betaworks, High Alpha, Antler and Idealab. Broad incumbents are Y Combinator, Techstars and Obvious Ventures.
Does Early Works have an API?
No public API is recorded for Early Works.
What industry is Early Works in?
Early Works's product category is Venture Studio. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAGAAAD, Early Literacy & Reading Intervention Programs, with a secondary code of CRALALAL, Puzzle Books & Brain Teasers Retail. Its NAICS code is 54 and its SIC code is 7372.