We co-found AI companies.
Ingram Labs is our venture studio. We co-found companies without investing cash: we validate the idea in-house, host the company while it gets going, and do the engineering alongside you. In return we take a minority stake and stay on as an active co-founder. You hold the majority and stay in charge.
Four companies, already built
These are the companies we've co-founded and shipped. Every one of them is live.
Our standard terms
This is where we start with every founder. The specifics flex with the venture; the shape stays the same.
Our standard stake as an active co-founder. You and your founding team hold the majority and control the company.
We don't put in cash. The stake is covered entirely by the work and access we bring, so it costs you no extra equity.
Idea validation, in-house
We test the idea before anyone incorporates, using the same research team behind our published work, so you start from something that already holds up.
A host company from day one
At the start the venture runs inside Ingram, which handles the legal entity, back office, and hiring so you can concentrate on the product and customers.
Our engineering and our own cloud
The same infrastructure and engineers behind Financica and Fabrile.
Compliance built in
EU AI Act readiness and ISO 42001 governance from the first commit, which makes enterprise sales far easier later.
A cross-sector network
Introductions across the sectors we already work in: finance, security, healthcare, and govtech, plus the credibility of an established lab behind you.
Founder-level mentorship
Direct mentorship from someone who has built and run companies before, working with you on the hard decisions rather than checking in once a month.
Why the split is fair
You keep control, you give up no equity for cash, and the idea is validated before you commit. The stake reflects the work we put in to get there.
You keep control
You're CEO, with a founder-controlled board. We take standard investor protections and nothing more.
No equity for cash
We contribute work and access rather than money, so our stake doesn't cost you extra equity.
We validate the idea
We test it in-house before you commit, so you build on something that already holds up.
Aligned incentives
Our shares are illiquid, the same as yours. We make money only when the company does.
From host company to your company
A venture starts inside Ingram and leaves as an independent company. Our Spinoff Rights Agreement, which we wrote in-house, governs that move and protects both sides.
Validate
We do the early research and market work in-house, before a company exists. If the idea doesn't hold up, nobody has staked a company on it yet.
Build inside Ingram
The venture runs as part of the lab, on our infrastructure, engineering, compliance, and back office, while you focus on the product and customers.
- You start with our cloud, engineers, and compliance already in place
- Nothing to register, hire, or build before you can begin
Spin out
When the company is ready to be independent, our Spinoff Rights Agreement governs the split. The terms are set in advance and in writing, so neither side negotiates under pressure.
- You hold the majority and run the company as CEO
- We stay on as an active co-founder
Mentored by a founder who's built companies
Every venture is mentored directly by Ingram's founder, who has built and run companies before. That means working through the hard decisions with you, rather than sitting on a board once a quarter.
Jerome Leclanche
Founder & CEO, Ingram Technologies
Jerome has been writing open source since 2006 and building companies since 2015. He founded HearthSim, the gaming-analytics company behind HSReplay.net and Untapped.gg, and grew it to profitability with millions of players. He has worked in fintech since 2016 and now leads Ingram's R&D lab and its ventures. He brings that operating experience to every company the studio co-founds.
- Founder, HearthSim
- Building companies since 2015
- FinTech since 2016
- Open source since 2006
Who we build with
We take on a small number of ventures at a time, and we're looking for co-founders now. It doesn't suit everyone, so here's where we fit and where we don't.
A fit if…
- You'd rather own a majority of something real
A large share of a company that ships is worth more than full ownership of one that never launches.
- You want partners in the work
People who show up in the code and the standups, rather than an investor with a board seat.
- You're building in our sectors
Finance, security, healthcare, govtech, and the AI-native tooling around them.
Not a fit if…
- You want passive capital
We don't write cheques. If you're looking for a term sheet and hands-off money, we're not the right partner.
- You want to hand the building off
We co-found with founders who run their companies. We won't build one for someone who isn't there day to day.
Pitch us your venture.
Send us two paragraphs on what you want to build and why you're the person to build it. We read every one and reply.