Inception Studio
Inception Studio is a non-profit accelerator based in Silicon Valley, California, dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Founded in November 2022 by John Whaley, the organization operates on a unique zero-equity model, providing unconditional support to founders without taking a stake in their companies. Inception Studio focuses on the early stages of company formation, having successfully run 14 cohorts that have produced over 34 companies, collectively raising more than $124 million from top-tier investors. The organization offers a range of serv
Investing activity
Inception Studio appears in 1 AI deal tracked by the AI Lounge deals desk, rounds totalling $15M. The rounds are mostly Seed, with a median round size of $15M. The most recent is Infinity Artificial Intelligence Institute (Seed, $15M, Jan 2026).
Inception Studio most often invests alongside Sharon Zhou, Jason Zhao, Sahin Boydas and Brett Goldstein, and the companies it backs on AI Lounge are mostly in AI.
Deals
Frequently asked questions about Inception Studio
What AI companies has Inception Studio invested in?
Inception Studio's AI investments include Infinity Artificial Intelligence Institute. The 1 round on AI Lounge are listed on this page with amounts, dates and co-investors.
Where is Inception Studio based?
Inception Studio is based in Fremont, California, United States.
What stage does Inception Studio invest at?
In the rounds tracked on AI Lounge, Inception Studio has invested at Seed, with a median round of $15M.
Who does Inception Studio co-invest with?
Inception Studio's most frequent co-investors on AI Lounge are Sharon Zhou (1 deal), Jason Zhao (1 deal), Sahin Boydas (1 deal), Brett Goldstein (1 deal) and Touring Capital (1 deal).
How can founders reach Inception Studio?
Founders on AI Lounge can see Inception Studio's contact details in AI Investor Contacts (paid plans), check for a warm introduction through members who worked with the firm under Warm Paths, and add Inception Studio to their Investor Pipeline to track the conversation.