Purpose Built Ventures

Purpose Built Ventures is a San Francisco-based venture studio founded in 2018 by three-time founder and investor Miles Lasater alongside two-time founder Taylor Thompson. Rather than receiving pitches, the firm partners directly with future founders, co-generates ideas, assembles teams, and commits capital to launch new companies from scratch. Lasater previously co-founded HigherOne (IPO 2010), SeeClickFix (acquired 2019), and OneUni, is a Kauffman Fellow, and sits on the board of ConnCorp's $150 million New Haven economic development project. Purpose Built operates across three thematic pillars — Health, Economic Opportunity, and Public Sphere — with sector depth in fintech, future of work, edtech, HR, proptech, and healthtech. The studio model involves founders working directly with the general partners for three to nine months; if both parties converge on a company idea, Purpose Built commits up to $500,000 against milestones. For external deals, it writes pre-seed and seed checks typically between $25,000 and $250,000. The firm leads rounds and has made 42 total investments, including one unicorn and six acquisitions. Notable portfolio companies include Coral Care (in-home pediatric developmental therapy, $5.2 million Seed led by Purpose Built alongside AlleyCorp), Wavely Diagnostics (at-home pediatric digital diagnostics), and Twill. Every company Purpose Built backs must help end users reach for economic opportunity — a defining filter that guides deal selection and shapes how the team works with founders beyond the initial check. The firm places equal emphasis on the personal and professional development of founders, treating operator mentorship as a core part of its value proposition.