Betaworks

Betaworks

Industry
Founding Date
2008

Betaworks is a prominent startup studio that invests, accelerates, and builds companies and projects from scratch. Founded in 2008, Betaworks operates as a hybrid startup studio and venture capital firm that invests in next generation internet companies focused on Web3, crypto media, artificial intelligence, applied machine learning, LLMs, NLP, and tools for thinking. Betaworks runs a series of thematic accelerator programs known as "Camps." These 13-week in-residence programs are designed to support startups leveraging frontier technologies, particularly in artificial intelligence. The studio also provides startups with access to state-of-the-art infrastructure and tooling, ensuring efficient development and deployment of AI models.

ABOUT BETAWORKS

  • Betaworks is a product-focused, seed-stage venture capital fund based in New York City and San Francisco.

  • Beyond its accelerator programs, Betaworks invests at the pre-seed and seed stages, typically with check sizes ranging from $250K to $750K.

  • The studio's model has led to the creation and early-stage investment in several successful startups including Tumblr, Airbnb, Groupon, Twitter, Bitly, Chartbeat, and Giphy.

  • Betaworks also fosters a collaborative environment through its Betaworks Studios, a members-only club for builders.


BETAWORKS CAMP

  • Betaworks' Camp is a thematic accelerator program designed to support early-stage startups working on frontier technologies.

  • Each camp consists of 13 weeks “in-residence” at Betaworks to help early stage companies with product development, platform strategy, data science, branding, and fundraising.

  • The program culminates in a Demo Day, where companies showcase their progress to investors and industry leaders.


NOTABLE CAMPS

  • AI Camp: Agents (2024). 

Focused on "agentic AI," referring to autonomous systems capable of performing tasks without human intervention. Cohort highlights include Jsonify, Extensible, and MBodi.

  • AudioCamp (2020). 

Concentrated on audio-first technologies, including smart speakers, synthetic audio, and voice-enabled experiences. Cohort highlights include Never Before Heard Sounds, Scout FM, and SyncFloor.

  • AI Camp: Augment (2023). 

Centered on applied machine learning and generative AI to enhance human cognition, creativity, and collaboration. Cohort highlights include Armilla, Bionic Health, and Plastic Labs.