What Inqubator does

Inqubator is a privately held, LLC-structured startup incubator and advisory firm headquartered in Los Angeles, California, founded in 2016. The firm helps entrepreneurs develop ideas into fully launched startup enterprises by providing mentorship, operational guidance, business development support, and "nuts and bolts" know-how across the full lifecycle from conception through funding and launch. Its three co-founders — Freyr Thor (CEO and finance executive), Matthew Schmidgall (CEO and operations officer), and Derek Newsom (CTO) — bring prior operating experience that includes managing budgets in excess of $100M and leading startups across technology, digital media, fintech, and travel sectors. The firm's value proposition centers on applied founder experience rather than a proprietary technology product or platform.

The client roster reflects deliberate breadth: 17 named organizations spanning media and entertainment (Omega, Popcornflix, FilmRise, Screen Media Films, Bassmaster, Gravitas Ventures, Anthony Evens, Remezcla), technology and digital (ExLabs, Yonder, GoDigital, iDrop, LAM Research), retail and consumer (Nordic Catch, Anderson Merch), automotive/motorsports (Rocket Motorsports), and science/health (ChemoWave). Engagements range from pre-launch startups to "100-year-old businesses," and the firm operates across B2B and B2C models. The web presence (inqubator.io) functions as the primary direct-engagement channel, with a newsletter subscription as the only documented top-of-funnel marketing mechanism and an external "Learn" resource (inqubatorempowerment.carrd.co) for educational content.

The business model is service-based and bespoke, with no published pricing, no disclosed revenue, no funding rounds, no institutional investors, no parent company, and a headcount band of 1-10. There are no software products, APIs, patents, certifications, or partnerships documented. The firm's economics therefore resemble those of a boutique consultancy: revenue derives from direct incubation/advisory engagements rather than recurring product or platform fees, and distribution is entirely through direct outreach via the company website.

Name

Inqubator

Legal name

Inqubator llc

Website

https://inqubator.io

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Inqubator is a Los Angeles-based, privately held startup incubator and advisory firm that helps entrepreneurs conceive, develop, fund, and launch startup ventures, serving clients ranging from pre-launch startups to established businesses across media, technology, retail, and science verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Incubation & Advisory Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

akta.pro primary industry

Venture Studios / Company Builders (FSANAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures) (FSANAHAC)

Keywords

• Startup incubation services
• Business advisory
• Entrepreneur mentoring
• Venture development
• Startup consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Inqubator is a startup incubator and advisory firm that helps entrepreneurs develop dreams and ideas into expertly crafted, successfully launched startup enterprises. The company provides expertise across the full startup lifecycle — from conception and development through funding and launch — applying decades of founder experience in technology, digital media, fintech, travel, and entertainment sectors. Services are delivered as bespoke engagements to entrepreneurs, pre-launch startups, and established companies across B2B and B2C industries.

Product overview

Inqubator is a startup incubator and advisory service that helps entrepreneurs develop dreams and ideas into successfully launched startup enterprises. The company offers expertise in conceiving, developing, funding, and launching startups, applying decades of experience across technology and entertainment sectors. Rather than a software product platform, Inqubator operates as a service-based consultancy providing mentorship, operational guidance, and business development support to early-stage companies. The company has worked with clients across media, tech, retail, services, B2B, and B2C industries, ranging from pre-launch startups to established 100-year-old businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Startup Incubation Services
• Startup Advisory and Mentorship

Named customers17 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Large global accelerator operating mentorship-driven cohort programs across multiple cities with corporate partnerships. A broader incumbent offering overlapping startup incubation services, but at much greater scale and institutional structure than Inqubator.

Direct peers

• Pioneer Square Labs: Seattle-based venture studio that works with founders to build companies from concept through launch. Comparable to Inqubator as a venture studio combining founder expertise with hands-on startup creation.
• Expa: Venture studio created by Uber co-founder Garrett Camp that conceives, develops, and launches new companies. Comparable to Inqubator as a venture studio / company builder focused on turning founder ideas into operating businesses.
• Betaworks: NYC-based venture studio that creates, invests in, and operates early-stage companies. Comparable to Inqubator as a multi-sector company builder combining incubation with operator expertise.
• Atomic: Venture studio that partners with founders to build companies from idea to Series A, with notable portfolio including Bungalow and Hims. Directly comparable to Inqubator as a venture studio / company builder.
• Antler: Global venture studio that identifies and co-creates startups with entrepreneurs from idea stage through pre-seed funding. Comparable to Inqubator as a venture studio / company builder, though operating at much larger scale across 30+ cities.
• High Alpha: Indianapolis-based venture studio that builds B2B SaaS companies from idea to scale. Comparable to Inqubator as a venture studio with hands-on operator model, though sector-focused rather than multi-vertical.
• Idealab: One of the longest-running venture studios, founded in 1996 and based in Pasadena, CA. Creates and launches technology companies in partnership with founders; comparable to Inqubator as a venture studio and geographically proximate peer.
• Founders Factory: Global venture studio and accelerator founded in 2015 by Brent Hoberman. Comparable to Inqubator as a studio that designs, builds, and scales startups with entrepreneur partners across multiple geographies.
• Science Inc. LA-based venture studio founded in 2011 that partners with entrepreneurs to build and scale consumer-facing companies (Dollar Shave Club, HelloSociety). Directly comparable to Inqubator's LA-based, multi-vertical venture studio model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inqubator-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Inqubator