We started 1904 Labs because the economics of building a software company have changed. Most of the playbook around them hasn't caught up. AI collapses the time and capital it takes to get from idea to enterprise-quality product. That opens up a different way to build companies, and a different way to win.
1904 Labs is a startup studio building companies with an AI-native approach. We build and run businesses in-house with small teams and a fraction of the usual capital. We build them to be acquired.
Early exits are the strategy
We're not chasing billion-dollar valuations or looking to raise huge rounds. We build to sell.
A lean, growing company that solves a real problem is an attractive acquisition target, and there are far more buyers for that company than for a unicorn. Selling early locks in the win, brings cash back faster, and frees up the team to build the next one.
There are far more buyers for a lean, growing company than for a unicorn.
AI makes it possible
We can build enterprise-quality software in months, with small teams and a fraction of the capital it used to take. We handle product and engineering in-house, move fast, and ship software that's ready for real customers from day one.
That changes the math:
- The team is smaller. What used to take a ten-person engineering org gets done by a few builders with the right tools.
- The build is faster. Months, not years, from a problem worth solving to a product customers pay for.
- The capital is lighter. When you spend that little to build a business, a modest exit is a great outcome.
Go-to-market starts early
Distribution isn't something we bolt on after the product ships. We focus on markets where businesses already spend money, use founder-led sales to win the first customers, and build strategic partnerships to accelerate growth.
The goal is to generate revenue quickly, reach profitability, and build relationships with potential acquirers along the way.
Every exit funds the next
We reinvest the proceeds and apply what we've learned to the next company. Each one should be faster and cheaper to build than the last. The point isn't one company. It's refining the process and repeating it.
Who's building it
We're operators who've built, scaled, and sold companies before. Robert sets the studio's direction and keeps every company pointed at the outcome. Garik leads product and engineering: the technical core, the architecture, and the AI that has to actually run in production. Jaimie owns go-to-market: ICP, positioning, pricing, and the partnerships that turn a product into a business someone wants to buy.
We're already doing it with our first two portfolio companies, L3i and Addressfully, built and run in-house by a small team in San Diego.
If you're a potential acquirer, a strategic partner, or an operator who wants to build the next one with us, we'd love to hear from you.