Founders Space

What Founders Space does

Founders Space, operated by LavaMind LLC, is a privately held venture builder and global startup accelerator headquartered in San Francisco. Founded in 2010, the firm develops, advises, and invests in a select number of high-potential startups through its venture-building program and VC arm (Founders Space Ventures), which reviews applications and selects only the top 2% for follow-up. Beyond startup services, Founders Space runs Online Startup and Online Innovation Programs that teach Silicon Valley methodologies for raising capital and building businesses, and supports a global partner network claimed at 50 partners across 22 countries, with partner-operated coworking spaces such as Hangzhou.

The company's corporate-facing offering is the Innovation Lab, a consulting practice that delivers AI Strategy Workshops, AI Innovation and Digital Transformation, startup ecosystem building, emerging-technology access, and venture capital investment planning. Documented engagements span Bosch (internal innovation program), Qualcomm (next-generation consumer mobile ideation), Huawei (emerging-tech forecasts including brain-computer interfaces, ambient AI, blockchain, VR/AR), Deloitte Japan (corporate startup activities involving 20+ Japanese corporates), and Gulf Oil (Asia JV preparation and VC introductions). The firm's proprietary AI-powered VC Analysis Tool scores investor decks and business plans across eight venture capital dimensions and is embedded in its investment workflow.

Revenue mechanics span multiple streams: professional-services consulting (Innovation Lab and government advisory on AI strategy and organizational transformation), subscription/recurring educational programs, venture capital investment economics, and content/media monetization through a multi-platform podcast ('Captain Hoff's Adventures' distributed across 14+ channels), three published books (Make Elephants Fly/Hachette, Surviving a Startup/HarperCollins, The Five Forces/BenBella), and content marketing across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. The firm is founder-led, with Steve Hoffman (Captain Hoff) as CEO and Chairman and Naomi Kokubo as Co-founder & COO.

Name

Founders Space

Legal name

LavaMind LLC

Website

https://foundersspace.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Founders Space (LavaMind LLC) is a San Francisco-based venture builder, startup accelerator, and corporate innovation consultancy that develops and invests in select startups, runs online entrepreneurship programs, and advises governments and global corporations on AI strategy and digital transformation through its Innovation Lab.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Accelerator & Venture Building

NAICS

Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Venture Studios / Company Builders (FSANAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM), Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

Keywords

• Startup accelerator
• Venture building
• Corporate innovation consulting
• Venture capital funding
• Entrepreneurship education

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Venture Capital Investment: Investing in select high-potential startups through Founders Space Ventures, which reviews applications and selects the top 2% for funding
2. Corporate Innovation Consulting: AI Strategy Workshops, AI Innovation & Digital Transformation, Building Startup & Innovation Ecosystems, Access to New and Emerging Technologies, Introductions to Startups for Investment & Collaboration, Implementing Bottom-up Innovation Processes, Venture Capital Investment Planning, Strategic Forecasts & Analysis
3. Educational Programs: Online Startup Program teaching Silicon Valley entrepreneurs how to raise capital, build businesses, and scale; Online Innovation Program; Venture Building programs
4. Government Consulting: Providing guidance to governments on AI strategy, innovation leadership, and organizational transformation

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Founders Space is a San Francisco-based venture builder that develops, advises, and invests in high-potential startups while providing AI strategy, innovation leadership, and organizational transformation consulting to governments and global corporations. Its core offerings include venture building programs, online startup and innovation courses, a venture capital arm (Founders Space Ventures), and a corporate Innovation Lab. Supporting services include partner-run coworking spaces and a podcast/media presence.

Product overview

Founders Space is a Venture Builder headquartered in San Francisco offering a portfolio of programs and services for startups and corporations. The core offering consists of Venture Building programs for developing high-potential startups, Online Startup and Innovation Programs for remote learning, Founders Space Ventures for funding, and an Innovation Lab for corporate innovation consulting. Supporting services include partner-run Coworking Spaces, a Podcast (Captain Hoff's Adventures), and published books (Make Elephants Fly, Surviving A Startup, The Five Forces). The company also provides AI strategy consulting and innovation leadership guidance to governments and global corporations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Founders Space Ventures: Venture capital arm that reviews startup applications and selects top companies for funding.
• Innovation Lab
• Captain Hoff

Products and services

• Venture Building Program Core program for developing, advising, and investing in high-potential startups, with accompanying guidance and consulting to governments and global corporations on AI strategy, innovation leadership, and organizational transformation. Targeted at founders of early-stage ventures.
• Online Startup Program Online program teaching how Silicon Valley's top entrepreneurs raise capital, build businesses, and scale their way to success. Aimed at individual founders and early-stage startup teams worldwide.
• Online Innovation Program Online program focused on innovation methodologies and processes pioneered in Silicon Valley. Aimed at entrepreneurs, executives, and teams looking to adopt startup-style innovation practices.
• Founders Space Ventures (Venture Capital) Venture capital arm that reviews startup applications and selects the top 2% for follow-up funding. Includes an AI-powered VC Analysis tool that evaluates investor decks and business plans across eight venture capital dimensions. Targeted at high-potential startup founders seeking capital.
• Innovation Lab Corporate innovation program offering AI Strategy Workshops, AI Innovation & Digital Transformation, Building Startup & Innovation Ecosystems, Access to New and Emerging Technologies, Strategic Forecasts & Analysis, and introductions to startups for investment and collaboration. Engagements have included Bosch, Gulf Oil, Qualcomm, Deloitte (Japan), and Huawei.
• Coworking Space Partner-run coworking spaces around the world (e.g., Hangzhou, China) that attract world-class startups, investors, and corporate partners as part of the Founders Space global network.
• Make Elephants Fly Award-winning book by CEO Steve Hoffman, published by Hachette, focused on innovation methodology and how to make ambitious ventures succeed.
• Surviving A Startup Book by Steve Hoffman, published by HarperCollins, providing practical guidance for entrepreneurs navigating the early stages and challenges of building a startup.
• The Five Forces Book by Steve Hoffman, published by BenBella, addressing business strategy and the competitive forces shaping markets.

Quantifiable outcome

• Top 2% selection rate for VC funding applicants

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BoschcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRan an innovation program for Bosch where eight internal teams went from idea to market validation over three months. The program culminated in teams presenting new products to upper management for further funding, refined Bosch's internal innovation process, and promoted increased knowledge sharing across the organization.
• Gulf OilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelped Gulf Oil prepare for a new joint venture in Asia, introduced them to local venture capitalists, and advised on structuring fund-raising efforts.
• QualcommcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Qualcomm to come up with next generation ideas for consumer mobile products and services.
• Deloitte (Japan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRan multiple corporate startup activities with Deloitte of Japan. Attendees included major Japanese corporations such as Fujitsu, Hikari, Hitachi, Itochu, JETRO, KDDI, Kyocera, Macnica Networks, Mizuho Bank, NEC, Neos, Nikkei America, Nikko Solutions, Opt Ventures, Panasonic, Rakuten, Realtime Media, Softbank, Sparx Asset Management, Sumitomo Mitsui Bank, and Takachiho.
• HuaweicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple collaborative projects including helping Huawei predict emerging technologies that would redefine lives over the next 10 years. Wrote a 100-page detailed report on brain computer interfaces, ambient AI, big data, blockchain, VR, and AR. Also conceptualized several new consumer products, connected with startups and researchers, and planned future development.
• Pair NetworksminorOthersProudly sponsored by Pair Networks, a partner/sponsor of Founders Space.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MassChallenge: MassChallenge runs global startup accelerator programs with corporate partnerships and a non-equity model in some programs. It overlaps with Founders Space on the accelerator offering and corporate innovation engagement.
• Plug and Play Tech Center: Plug and Play operates a global accelerator network, corporate innovation programs, and a venture fund across verticals and geographies. It is directly comparable to Founders Space on the corporate innovation + accelerator + venture model, with a similar global partner footprint.
• Techstars: Techstars runs multiple global accelerator programs with a mentor-driven model, accelerator-associated venture fund, and corporate partnerships (Techstars Anywhere, Techstars Industries). Overlaps directly with Founders Space on accelerator programs, VC investment, and corporate innovation engagement.
• Antler: Antler is a global early-stage venture firm and startup generator operating across 20+ countries with a residency program, founder community, and seed fund. Direct peer to Founders Space on global venture building, accelerator model, and corporate/startup ecosystem work.
• Y Combinator: Y Combinator is the world's most prominent startup accelerator, running batch-based programs, providing seed funding, and offering a global founder community. It is the most direct comparable to Founders Space's accelerator, venture, and online program offerings, with similar target customers (early-stage founders) and business model.
• Startupbootcamp (by Innoway): Startupbootcamp runs industry-specific accelerator programs in multiple cities worldwide with a mentor- and corporate-partner-driven model. Direct peer to Founders Space on multi-region accelerator programs and corporate startup engagement.
• SOSV: SOSV is a multi-stage, multi-program venture capital firm running vertical-specific accelerator programs (HAX, IndieBio, Chinaccelerator, etc.) with a global footprint. Comparable to Founders Space for accelerator-driven, hands-on venture building across geographies.
• Seedstars: Seedstars runs global startup competitions, accelerator programs, and a venture fund focused on emerging markets. Direct peer to Founders Space on global accelerator footprint, founder community, and emerging-market focus.
• 500 Global (500 Startups): 500 Global runs accelerator programs, a venture fund, and growth programs for early-stage startups across emerging markets. Direct peer on accelerator programs and VC investing with a similarly global footprint to Founders Space.

Emerging players

• Rebel Fund: Rebel Fund is a community-driven, AI-powered venture fund that invests in top-decile Y Combinator startups using systematic, AI-driven deal evaluation. Comparable to Founders Space Ventures' AI-powered VC Analysis tool and selective investment approach, though narrower in scope (YC-only).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FoundersSpace
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/FoundersSpace
• Facebookfacebook.com/FoundersSpace
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/954330
• Instagraminstagram.com/foundersspace

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Founders Space