MuckerLab
Sector: Enterprise software, marketplaces, consumer services
We are a low-volume, high-touch accelerator that works with a small number of companies over the course of a year or more on go-to-market strategy and company building. No three-month bootcamps. No demo days.
MuckerLab provides founders with access to resources, funding and an extensive mentor network, ensuring that each and every company achieves the operating milestones required for the next round of financing. As Los Angeles emerged as an entrepreneurial tech hub, the team behind MuckerLab identified a gap that needed to be filled in the incubator and accelerator space. In a city with graduates from Caltech, USC and UCLA, as well as a host of already existing startups, MuckerLab strived to help nurture emerging talent into market-defining founders. The accelerator program stands out for its intimate nature: each year, it works with only ten to twelve companies early in their life cycle (at pre-seed or seed stage).
MuckerLab seeks founders working primarily on developing enterprise software, marketplaces and consumer services. Participating companies have the opportunity to work from MuckerLab’s office and receive personalized guidance to take their enterprises to the next phase of development, starting with the fundamentals of product-market fit and then scaling. They also receive perks such as free cloud infrastructure and access to a large network of advisers and mentors. The final key component to the program is capital, with MuckerLab investing between $100,000 and $200,000 into every participating company.
Recent participants in MuckerLab include ServiceTitan, a software company for trade-industry services, such as plumbing and electrical contractors, that streamlines the way home-service entrepreneurs can run their businesses; and The Black Tux, which has reinvented the tuxedo rental process by allowing users to put their measurements into the website and get a tuxedo sent directly without going through the laborious in-person fitting process. In addition to their new venture incubation, MuckerLab also works with existing businesses to rework their core strategies or help specific departments spin off into their own startups.
Checklist
- Have a singular vision.
We strive to work with companies that have unique insights into their field. Be able to answer this question: Why are you the only person who could – and should – launch this company? - Shake it up.
We’re interested in partnering with founders changing their sphere of interest, whether creating something totally new or redefining an existing business. - Appeal to a large market.
Do you have a fresh point of entry into a major field? We love working alongside companies that could alter a fundamental function of society. How will your company change the way we live on a day-to-day basis? - Have an equipped team.
We invest, first and foremost, in the people behind a business dedicated to a heads-down approach to taking their product to market. Are you and your team ready for the challenge?